Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Following the unnaturally extended layoff enforced by guitarist Oscar Dronjak's motorcycle accident in 2003, Swedish heavy metal traditionalists Hammerfall waited barely a year between their eventual return with fifth album, Chapter V in 2005, and the release of LP number six, Threshold, in 2006. This suddenly rushed release schedule -- though likely resulting from nothing more than a backlog of pre-written material, ready to come out -- takes something of an uncertain turn on Threshold's first few numbers, which comprise a decent but terribly predictable title track; a lackluster autopilot job and a repetitive chorus in "The Fire Burns Forever"; and a lead-footed crawl through "Rebel Inside," which not even Accept-like choral battalions can jolt into life. Indeed, the claim may be redundant when relating to a band whose very talents involve being true to metal's classic sound, but all three simply sound too safe and formulaic. Luckily, salvation comes not a moment too soon when fourth cut, "Natural High," arrives with an energetic burst and surprisingly atypical lyrics to inject a much needed dose of excitement, which is subsequently reprised by additional standouts like "Howlin' with the 'Pac," "Shadow Empire" (boasting the album's best riff), and "Genocide," with its dramatic introductory stops and starts. In fact, with the exception of another, check-your-watch drag-fest called "Carved in Stone," most every remaining track has something memorable to recommend it. "Dark Wings, Dark Words" is the record's ambitious and evocative semi-ballad, "Reign of the Hammer" is a brisk, hardly groundbreaking, but nevertheless welcome instrumental, and the anthemic "Titan" provides a grand finale worthy of the Swedes' majestic habits. In other words, though it lacks the overall consistency of certain previous efforts, Threshold still produces a fair amount of quality goods to appease most Hammerfall fans -- or else it wouldn't have entered the Swedish charts at number one.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From CA$ 10.83/month
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist - Stefan Elmgren, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Stefan Elmgren, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist - Stefan Elmgren, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
HAMMERFALL, MainArtist - Joacim Cans, Composer, Lyricist - Oscar Dronjak, Composer, Lyricist
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
Album review
Following the unnaturally extended layoff enforced by guitarist Oscar Dronjak's motorcycle accident in 2003, Swedish heavy metal traditionalists Hammerfall waited barely a year between their eventual return with fifth album, Chapter V in 2005, and the release of LP number six, Threshold, in 2006. This suddenly rushed release schedule -- though likely resulting from nothing more than a backlog of pre-written material, ready to come out -- takes something of an uncertain turn on Threshold's first few numbers, which comprise a decent but terribly predictable title track; a lackluster autopilot job and a repetitive chorus in "The Fire Burns Forever"; and a lead-footed crawl through "Rebel Inside," which not even Accept-like choral battalions can jolt into life. Indeed, the claim may be redundant when relating to a band whose very talents involve being true to metal's classic sound, but all three simply sound too safe and formulaic. Luckily, salvation comes not a moment too soon when fourth cut, "Natural High," arrives with an energetic burst and surprisingly atypical lyrics to inject a much needed dose of excitement, which is subsequently reprised by additional standouts like "Howlin' with the 'Pac," "Shadow Empire" (boasting the album's best riff), and "Genocide," with its dramatic introductory stops and starts. In fact, with the exception of another, check-your-watch drag-fest called "Carved in Stone," most every remaining track has something memorable to recommend it. "Dark Wings, Dark Words" is the record's ambitious and evocative semi-ballad, "Reign of the Hammer" is a brisk, hardly groundbreaking, but nevertheless welcome instrumental, and the anthemic "Titan" provides a grand finale worthy of the Swedes' majestic habits. In other words, though it lacks the overall consistency of certain previous efforts, Threshold still produces a fair amount of quality goods to appease most Hammerfall fans -- or else it wouldn't have entered the Swedish charts at number one.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:50:30
- Main artists: Hammerfall
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH 2006 HammerFall Managament, under exclusive license to Nuclear Blast GmbH
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.