Lyric VIdeo

Currently working on establishing a full line-up and pre-pros for the next album.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA2oimvjQ7I

Reviews

Check out a few reviews from renoun places around the web.

Amplification Magazine - Another Awesome review of Stormcaller from Amplified's Indie Music corner! Huge thanks to those guys for the kind words!

"Sounds more like the work of a band signed to Nuclear Blast or Agonia, as opposed to two guys doing it on their own. Well worth investigating."

...Nuclear Blast ill be checking my email *cough cough*

"Decibel Magazine - someone did and ceremoniously passed the pelts down the musical food chain"

Absolute Underground -  Check out the link to this one, or the gallery. It happens to be a long one where I talk about the album Narrative and some other stuff as well.

 https://www.facebook.com/pg/NorthHammerOfficial/posts/?ref=page_internal

if not: here is a transcription:

-Who are we talking with and what are you most infamous for?

This is Andrew James, guitarist/vocalist of North Hammer. I’m more well known for playing bass in Eye of Horus but other than that id probably say it is for always wearing one black and one white sock. Edgy I know…

-Give us a brief history of the band, who are you and who did you form?

It started as a post-high school band, everyone else went on to do other bands and I ended up using it as a vessel to practice writing music. Eventually, the songs became good enough to put on a record. As the recording went on I enlisted my friend Doug from Shotgunner to record the drums for me, and I finished the rest of the recording. As a live line, up we are still currently ‘forming’ I guess you would say but that won't stop me from making more records!

-Can you describe your music for us?

Melodic Death Metal/ Folk Metal. My aim was to take the parts I liked about some of my favourite bands and meld them together. Most prominently I would say if you took Ensiferum, Wintersun and Amon Amarth and smashed them together you would be somewhat close.

-You've just put out a new album, is it a concept album? What's the story about?

It is indeed a concept album, its your typical Heroes Journey. The first song ‘Written in the Stars’ is the prophecy of a deity who would rise to save the land from a great evil. The Second Song ‘A Soldier’s Song’ is where you meet the hero who is currently fighting in a militia in a foreign war trying to dethrone a tyrant king. The Third Song ‘Magic Mead’ takes place post battle where during a celebratory feast the hero hallucinates a fantastical woman and follows alone into the forest only to be tricked and put to sleep. The fourth Song ‘Black Forest Rain’ is a dream sequence in which the hero sees visions of glory for himself in foreign lands. The fifth Song ‘Wanderer’ is a voyage across the seas with a crew of his own with only a vague sense of direction but a purpose seen in his dream. The Sixth Song ‘North Hammer’ is the discovery of an ancient weapon bestowed upon him. The Seventh Song ‘Tip of the Spear’ is his first encounter with the horde of bestial creatures in which he mounts a Calvary attack to destroy them. The eighth song ‘Avatar’ is about the treacherous journey up a blizzarding mountain to seek the help of an ancient celestial. The ninth song ‘Spellbinder’ is about this ancient celestial and the runic power he imbues into the North Hammer. The tenth song ‘Lion’s Winter’ is the final reckoning for the bestial horde and the hero’s ascension into godliness.

-You rearranged the album songs on Bandcamp, with another alternative track listing below – which way do you recommend we listen to it, and why?

Really I find it depends what you're there for, I personally find the flow of the album is better with the track listing of the story not in order, so if you're just there for some quality music this is the route for you. However, if are reading the lyrics and you want a better understanding of the albums overarching story I would highly recommend the alternate track listing.

-What is it about Norse Mythology that calls to you as a band? Why choose that as your overarching theme or subject?

I have always been a fan of mythologies of all variety, but Norse mythology is very empowering as an individual. It often talks of ideas of strength of body and mind, determination and perseverance, so it's easy to see why that can be attractive. Plus, you know… the gods are badass. A minor influence would also be that many of the bands I favored musically at the time were singing about these kinds of things.
 

-Do you have a favourite Norse Legend? I'm very fond of the one where Ratatosk the squirrel is eternally provoking Nidhogg the Dragon and the Eagle, running between them on Ygdrassil.

Ah, that is a great one! The one about the Mead of Poetry is great but I’m personally quite fond of the one where Thrym, king of the giants, steals Thor’s hammer and holds it ransom in order to be married to Freya. Instead, Thor dresses up as Freya and proceeds to consume entire cow’s and barrels of mead at the wedding banquet before receiving the hammer and clobbering Thrym, haha!

-What can we expect to see at a live North Hammer show? Costumes? Props?

Costumes, probably. Props, probably. I always wanted to have some banners, drums, and horns for a more theatrical showing. 
 

-What does the rest of the year have in store for you? Do you have any tours, videos in the works?

The rest of the year is primarily devoted to finishing up some music for my other projects. However, included in that work is working one another North Hammer full-length release.

-What are your hopes for the future of North Hammer?

Of course, I would love to take North Hammer around the world to people everywhere and drink mead in salute to metal, but if the winds don’t blow in my favour, I’ll probably just keep making records anyway. 

-What should we know about you that we don't already?

I make mead, a lot… and you should too!

-Final words for our readers?

Thank you for taking the time to read this! And thank you for supporting Absolute Underground Magazine and other webzines, podcasts, internet radio stations, and the list goes on! Cheers to you!
 

Thanks for taking the time!

Cheers

Making strides towards to the new pre-pros for North Hammer: Volume 2