New Jersey, my beloved home state, is seeing a bit of a resurgence of quality heavy music of late.  Some serious contenders in the realm of Death and Black Metal are putting out recordings of undeniable worth these days, while the always burgeoning hardcore scene continues to thrive.  Newcomers Hammer Fight represent a successful blending of multiple styles and their self-titled EP is a promising foray into metallic hardcore for heads perhaps a bit closer to middle age than drinking age.

Sounding a little like Motorhead, a little like Pantera, and a little like Biohazard when they were good, Hammer Fight has done a fine job of assuring that they won’t be out of place on just about any rock, punk, or metal based show they can get on the bill of.  “Down the Line” starts things off with a bluesy riff, gang vocals and appropriately burly attitude, and “Stuck in the Chamber” which is without doubt the best of the lot, has some surprisingly adept soloing, and is where the Motorhead influence is most in evidence.  Ode to inebriation “Get Wrecked” is an enjoyably raging party track sure to rile up the drunks at the bar, and the impressively powerful AC/DC cover is grin-inducingly enjoyable.  The sensitive tough-guy meets punishing break-down of “Tears of Unfathomable Sadness” is really the only track here that I couldn’t quite get with personally.  Don’t get me wrong, this is still all a little on the thuggish side, a fact that anyone with a clear disdain for the NYHC sound of yore is going to hate, but Hammer Fight clearly has some good ideas, and talented guitarists, so I’m fairly confident that they’ll continue to improve and most likely outdo this record in fairly short order.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Down the Line
2.  Disas-Tour
3.  Stuck in the Chamber
4.  Tears of Unfathomable Sadness
5.  School of Rock
6.  Get Wrecked
7.  If You Want Blood (You Got It)
     (AC/DC Cover)

Total playing time:  18:27

Release Date: 2011
Label: Band Self Released

Hammer Fight - Hammer Fight EP

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

January 17, 2012