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Hammerfall - Guitarist Leaves The Band


After 11 years, Stefan Elmgren decided to leave HammerFall. Stefan's message for fans upon leaving the band:

"I have decided to leave Hammerfall, the reason is that I have been offered a job as a pilot within an airline. My interest in aviation has been growing very strong, and now I feel its time for me to take a step and be a pilot on a professional level. We have been discussing the possibility of combining the work with HF and both me and the rest of the band realized that it would be very hard indeed.

It has been a great journey with lots of great memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, I would like to give a big thanks to all the wonderful fans, its has truly been a pleasure to meet and perform for you all during these 11 years.

I still love to play the guitar so you might hear from me again someday somehow. I would like to wish who ever is taking my place and the rest of the band good luck in the future.

Take care everybody!! Stefan Elmgren"

No replacement has been announced yet.

Two video reports by the leaving guitarist talking about his new job and departure are posted at this location.

Source: blog.myspace.com
Band profile: HammerFall
Posted: 02.04.2008 by RhaegarTargaryen


Comments

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Comments: 31   Visited by: 166 users
02.04.2008 - 21:18
Talvi
Stratovarius disbands and Hammerfall loses a guitarrist. True power metal will prevail once again!
----
My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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02.04.2008 - 21:18
bluemobiusx
Account deleted
This seems to be a day for bad news. Oh well, perhaps we can have Stefan be our pilot
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02.04.2008 - 21:23
juanopereira
I'ts sad but at least it was in good therms XD. This is not a good day for power metal. Stratovarius has died and Stefan leaves hammerfall, wich is in my top 5 bands. Very sad but understandable.
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02.04.2008 - 21:28
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Damn sad news even its one if rearest PM bands what I like
I hope he be pilot whan I will flight Stockholm Lulea or beck
----
I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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02.04.2008 - 21:36
Stalker
Lone wanderer
hahah, old news, I was 2nd to submit them
----
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02.04.2008 - 21:44
Abattoir
Staff
Good luck in air
Well, at most important is, that Dronjak is still the lead guitarist
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02.04.2008 - 22:39
Spyroid
Rosetta Stoned
Hammerfall is so comercial it makes me sick, I can understand why such a talented musician as Magnus left a while ago. Can't understand what Anders is still doing there - or well, of course it's for the money.
I respect Oscar and the music is not bad, but just yesterday I read about Cans participating in somekind of lame tv-show in Swedish tv... sigh
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02.04.2008 - 23:21
ScabbeD'~
Written by Talvi on 02.04.2008 at 21:18

Stratovarius disbands and Hammerfall loses a guitarrist. True power metal will prevail once again!

Exactly...
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03.04.2008 - 00:10
+{Jonas}+
I R Serious Cat
I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for Power Metal
----
"Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie

http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
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03.04.2008 - 00:39
Vinnie R.
Chido Chido
Written by [user id=20536] on 02.04.2008 at 21:18

This seems to be a day for bad news. Oh well, perhaps we can have Stefan be our pilot

That's good too, just imagine how amazing would be listening Stefan saying "Please de calmed during the journey" m/
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03.04.2008 - 01:20
kaos666
With Bruce Dickinson and now Stefen being piolts, the possibility of having an All-Metal airline is increasing!!
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03.04.2008 - 03:49
Stratowarrior
shit shit stefan, stratovarius, the worst day for me in years
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power metal 'til death!!!!!!!!!
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03.04.2008 - 05:17
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
that sucks. but i guess if you get offered a dream job, you gotsta take it.
----
Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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03.04.2008 - 06:52
Talvi
Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 00:10

I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for GayMetal

Fixed

Seriously, Stratovarius and Hammerfall are two of the most overrated and average power metal bands. Ever. Get back listening some Helloween and see how we've degraded ourselves.
----
My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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03.04.2008 - 15:14
Born-2rise
Nayyiker
Written by LeChron James on 03.04.2008 at 05:17

that sucks. but i guess if you get offered a dream job, you gotsta take it.

aaah man! how can being a pilot be more fulfilling than being in 1 of the gr8est bands ever!?whats better than being in a world wide famous band?:D
anyway, any1 think the sound will change?or the personality of the band altogether?
----
Take a look to the sky just before you die, its the last time you will.
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03.04.2008 - 15:28
Warman
Erotic Stains
Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 00:10

I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for Power Metal

I kinda agree with you, although I truly despise Hammerfall!
----
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03.04.2008 - 15:36
+{Jonas}+
I R Serious Cat
Written by Warman on 03.04.2008 at 15:28

Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 00:10

I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for Power Metal

I kinda agree with you, although I truly despise Hammerfall!

Why?
----
"Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie

http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
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03.04.2008 - 15:41
Warman
Erotic Stains
Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 15:36

Written by Warman on 03.04.2008 at 15:28

Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 00:10

I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for Power Metal

I kinda agree with you, although I truly despise Hammerfall!

Why?

First I disliked them because of their gay music (although I remember I was like 6-9 years old when the single Renegade came and I headbanged too it ) but like a year ago I saw them on Lattjo-Lajban! A Swedish TV show for kids under the age of 6! Then Förkväll, a show for middle aged ladies! I don't care much about commercialism, but Hammerfall went way over the edge here in Sweden!
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03.04.2008 - 16:07
+{Jonas}+
I R Serious Cat
Written by Warman on 03.04.2008 at 15:41

Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 15:36

Written by Warman on 03.04.2008 at 15:28

Written by +{Jonas}+ on 03.04.2008 at 00:10

I've never been too much into HammerFall. But I can't deny that HF is one of the most important badns in Power Metal, and it's sad that after so much time teh guitarrist quits. It is indeed a grey day for Power Metal

I kinda agree with you, although I truly despise Hammerfall!

Why?

First I disliked them because of their gay music (although I remember I was like 6-9 years old when the single Renegade came and I headbanged too it ) but like a year ago I saw them on Lattjo-Lajban! A Swedish TV show for kids under the age of 6! Then Förkväll, a show for middle aged ladies! I don't care much about commercialism, but Hammerfall went way over the edge here in Sweden!


Well... that's shocking about those TV shows...
I personally don't like them because I find nothing outstanding in them, only a couple songs... Not to mention their crappy videos
I still don't get hjow they became one of teh most known Power Metal bands...
----
"Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie

http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
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03.04.2008 - 16:34
iaberis
Advice Troll
another sad news coming...
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Bitch! Please
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03.04.2008 - 18:02
TOUGHEST MEMBER
What more sad news, first Stratovarious, now HammerFall. At least HammerFall still goes alive. I will really miss that guitarist, he was in charge of solos riff for the band. He had studied in US about music(if Im correct), but now still choose to be another job as pilot, how sad...
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04.04.2008 - 00:51
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
Written by Born-2rise on 03.04.2008 at 15:14

Written by LeChron James on 03.04.2008 at 05:17

that sucks. but i guess if you get offered a dream job, you gotsta take it.

aaah man! how can being a pilot be more fulfilling than being in 1 of the gr8est bands ever!?whats better than being in a world wide famous band?:D
anyway, any1 think the sound will change?or the personality of the band altogether?

mmm i'd rather travel the world flying an airplane/taking pictures of wherever i go with my camera than play in hammerfall. but thats just me. hammerfall is OK, definitely influential but not one of the greatest bands ever, power metal or not.
----
Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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04.04.2008 - 01:59
RiouxMax
Ohhh well....That's sad! I don't care how over-rated and commercial they might have got, they're the first metal band I listened to and that's what only counts for me...There's better, there's worst, but there's no other Hammerfall
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04.04.2008 - 03:05
Metal Maiden
Megadead
WHAT!!!First I lose an auction on ebay and now this!!!What a despicable day...The next thing we'll see is probably Joacim rejoining the swedish national swimming team, Oscar giving up the guitars in order to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a Formula 1 pilot, Anders finding his true self in writing detective stories, Fredrik going back to doing nothing of interest, and me loosing ANOTHER FUCKING AUCTION...A KVLT FUCK is what I think of this...



Oh, and btw, I love Hammerfall...and totally DESPISE that russian motherfucker who outbid my 20 bucks with a 50!!!


P.S. Guess what...I JUST GOT OUTBID AGAIN...FUCK YOU NAZI BASTARDS...
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04.04.2008 - 20:10
Infidel
Child of Hell
never mind !!...better than "vocalist leaves the band" !!...a lot of great guitarist is in the world !!
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04.04.2008 - 23:52
okt31
Account deleted
Hammerfall is heavy metal. Where do you hear double-bass drumming, typically happy melodies and so on and on? Hammerfall is about riding the cliches of heavy metal (I love old-schhol heavy metal more than any other metal subgenre, so don't get me started) but HF are good to unspectacular. Nowhere near great.
Still it's a pity that Elmgren quits, because he was a great soloist (I know they did a Malmsteen cover and he was the only soloist in the band)

Stratovarius' demise sucks, though, but it was a matter of time anyway
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05.04.2008 - 05:49
Lowelas OF FIRE
Account deleted
THIS IS AN ULTIMATE TRAGEDY! Stefan was the man who saved the "Chapter V..." album!!!! He's the best guitarist they've had, I can't believe what i've read...... I mean if it's his destiny and his dreams then so be it......but wow, HammerFall will never be the same.
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05.04.2008 - 09:00
Born-2rise
Nayyiker
Written by LeChron James on 04.04.2008 at 00:51

Written by Born-2rise on 03.04.2008 at 15:14

Written by LeChron James on 03.04.2008 at 05:17

that sucks. but i guess if you get offered a dream job, you gotsta take it.

aaah man! how can being a pilot be more fulfilling than being in 1 of the gr8est bands ever!?whats better than being in a world wide famous band?:D
anyway, any1 think the sound will change?or the personality of the band altogether?

Quote:
mmm i'd rather travel the world flying an airplane/taking pictures of wherever i go with my camera than play in hammerfall. but thats just me. hammerfall is OK, definitely influential but not one of the greatest bands ever, power metal or not.

well sure not the 1 of the gr8est ever it was just a figure of speach, but when it comes to power metal they gotta be in the top 20 at least. And every1 has his choices and im not against u just because ud rather c the world thru your eyes, its all good, but i was just saying wat wud be nicer for me.bye.

----
Take a look to the sky just before you die, its the last time you will.
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05.04.2008 - 11:07
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
Quote:
well sure not the 1 of the gr8est ever it was just a figure of speach, but when it comes to power metal they gotta be in the top 20 at least. And every1 has his choices and im not against u just because ud rather c the world thru your eyes, its all good, but i was just saying wat wud be nicer for me.bye.

understood. and i agree they probably are top 20 in terms of all time power metal bands and on that list i dont know where theyd fall. but hey, at least i wasnt a dick and said "HEY YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT/YOU DONT BELONG HERE LOL" right? hahah. werd.
----
Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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17.04.2008 - 08:41
ANGEL REAPER
"I have decided to leave Hammerfall, the reason is that I have been offered a job as a pilot within an airline....''
Have anyone else think that this sentence is pure bulshit,or I just overdosed last night?
----
"Cross is only an iron,hope is just an illusion,freedom is nothing but a name..."
"Build your walls of the dead stone...Build your roofs of a dead wood..Build your dreams of a dead thoughts"
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