LIVE REVIEW: HAMMERFALL + VALHALORE + SILENT KNIGHT AT MANNING BAR, SYDNEY. JANUARY 18, 2025
by PAUL SOUTHWELL
WHEN Sweden’s heavy metal powerhouse HammerFall last played in Australia, it was in one city only. You can probably guess which one, but it gave the rest of the coast a taste of what it feels like to be in the western states. However, as the gods of metal would see fit, the band was able to grace us with a full tour of our country across capital cities, and by Hector’s hammer, it was worth the wait. For a band of this pedigree with around three decades on the clock, and thirteen albums chalked up thus far, not one a dud, it was a joyous surprise once the tour was confirmed.
The queue to get into the venue was substantial, snaking back up to the School of Medicine, and had the odd dance party attendee for the basement venue at the same location offering some perplexed looks at the sea of black t-shirts. Once doors opened, prime real estate was snapped up quickly to acquire a view of the Swedish metal lords. Prior to that, there were two Australian support acts to enjoy, both from different yet intersecting parts of the metal spectrum.
First cab off the rank was returning Western Australian five-piece Silent Knight, and their set was anything but quiet. Clearly experienced with pushing a crowd’s energy level, towering front man Dan Brittain had his powerful voice evoking elements of King Diamond and Bruce Dickinson, with a dash of Geoff Tate’s stylings, to complement his band’s songcraft. The twin guitar interplay of Stu McGill with Cameron Nicholas allowed for the odd trade-off solo, and plenty of harmony guitar runs, and backing vocals, with Brittain’s jovial interaction with the pair amusing and endearing.
Drummer Dan Grainger was machine like, and also supplied some backing vocals, as bassist Cameron Daw would circle the guitarists, and all three would pick at each other’s fretboards as the songs progressed, adding an entertaining visual element. Plenty of call and response aspects helped bring the set to a conclusion.
Brisbane’s six-piece answer to Nightwish, Valhalore, soon took to the stage and wasted little time launching into a variety of material from previous visits, together with a couple of new tracks. Their brand of symphonic folk metal was given some harder edges with harsh vocals from bassist Joseph Dipisa-Fiorenza, whose virtuoso playing was locked in tight with drummer Morgan Cox. Lead guitarist Anthony Willis exuded the same confidence as the band’s engaging singer, Lachlan Neate, who both added plenty of depth and melody to Valhalore’s music, with haunting passages suitable to the genre added in by flautist Sophie Willis, who generally carried many a musical theme with ease.
The new songs were somewhat different stylistically, with the first aired being a ballad that built intensity, with added rhythm sounds from guitarist Lucas Fisher, whilst the other track was heavier, faster and generally allowed Willis to solo, alongside plentiful backing vocals. The band are well rehearsed with key changes executed seamlessly as their style of music demands to push a melodic chorus, and there’s no denying they have a great stage presence. Aiming to return for a headline tour soon, they are well worth seeing live.
The stage area was cleared quickly, and the HammerFall backdrop, with their mascot Hector became backlit, as sound check formalities were finalised. The audience had packed into the venue, and once the lights dimmed, it was evident that the opening track would be “Avenge the Fallen”. Oscar Dronjak walked on blasting into the opening riff, as the rest of the band had taken up their positions, and with frontman Joacim Cans arriving, his voice soared across the venue, with the audience raising their phones to capture content like starved seagulls.
Dronjak ripped into riffs on his flying V, adorned with all the chains and leather heavy metal aspects you’d expect from this band, while lead guitarist Pontus Norgren unleashed a volley of guitar solos that were quite seriously on par with the technical proficiency of Malmsteen, not surprising given his tenures as his guitar tech over the years. Handle-bar moustache sporting bassist Fredrik Larsson was regularly grinning as he locked in with superb drummer David Wallin, making “Heeding the Call” from Legacy of Kings blast along at full pace, as the audience lapped it all up.
Changing guitars by the third track, “Any Means Necessary” set the tone for most of the older material, as one highlight track was plucked from most albums in their back catalogue, giving fans a live taste of spanning variety. Synchronised headbanging or hair swirling, jumping from the drum riser, taking centre stage for guitar solos, using a raised fist to replicate a hammer, of course, all the live calling cards from a band used to playing on arena stages in Europe were evident. By the time “Hammer of Dawn” was completed, Dronjak was grinning ear to ear, genuinely thriving off the energy from the audience, gleefully launching into “Freedom”, with Cans revving an air motorcycle to kick into “Renegade”, Norgren let rip on another flawless guitar solo.
“Hammer High”, with Dronjak holding his signature Sandberg hammer model shaped guitar vertical, like a hammer to swing as the song was about to commence, and fists were aloft, with the song chorus echoing through the venue. “Fury of the Wild” saw Dronjak smash out the opening riff, to soon join Norgren for some tasteful harmony guitar lines, followed by some expressive soloing from Norgren. A medley of early tracks were shoehorned into “Chapter V: The Medley” was largely instrumental and teased at other songs, but when “Let the Hammer Fall”, was played, the call and response aspects took full effect, concluded with Dronjak bringing his guitar down like a hammer, atop the drum riser.
The title track from Glory to the Brave saw Norgren and Cans effectively providing a duet, until the full band mode was required and even saw claps, phone waving and Cans kneeling before Norgren as he peeled off the solo with ease. “The End Justifies”, the third track heard this evening from Avenge the Fallen, had great energy and allowed Wallin’s drumming skills to shine, as well as give the audience some time to absorb the brilliance of HammerFall’s new material, if they were not quite up to speed with the recent output. To close out the main set, “(We Make) Sweden Rock” from Dominion, provided space for the band member intros, an array of thankful commentary and included with the band lined up across the front of stage, ripping through the song.
The encore ensued with “Hail to the King” from powering through the stomping hard rock passages of their newer material. To finish off their victorious night of traditional heavy metal, delivered with utmost precision, “Hearts on Fire” from the 2002 classic Crimson Thunder had the enthused audience singing along with every word, and captivated by the melodic heavy metal that only a band like HammerFall could provide.
Set completed, and with the bombastic end signalling an end to proceedings, Dronjak then coaxed the audience to cheer him on as he thrust his flying V up into the rafters to catch it on returning to the stage floor. One suspects he has done this several times before as the stunt of sorts was naturally performed without incident. Let’s hope HammerFall return to our shores again for another full tour as those who were in attendance will attest it really was something special.
