Band:	HammerFall
Album:	Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years Of Glory
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	October 12, 2007
A review by:	Baz Anderson

Disc I
01. The Abyss
02. Last Man Standing
03. HammerFall v2.0.07
04. The Dragon Lies Bleeding
05. Steel Meets Steel
06. Glory To The Brave
07. Heeding The Call
08. At The End Of The Rainbow
09. Legacy Of Kings
10. Let the Hammer Fall [live]
11. Templars Of Steel
12. Renegade
13. Always Will Be
14. Keep The Flame Burning
15. Riders Of The Storm

Disc II
01. Hearts On Fire
02. Crimson Thunder
03. Hero's Return
04. Blood Bound
05. Secrets
06. Fury Of The Wild
07. Never, Ever
08. Threshold
09. Natural High
10. Dark Wings, Dark Words
11. The Fire Burns Forever
12. Restless Soul
13. The Metal Age [live]
14. Stone Cold [live]

Everyone knows Hammerfall either as the super popular Swedish band of the power metal genre, or as one of their own personal favourite bands and now for the first time since the release of their first album ten years ago in 1997 a compilation is available featuring all of Hammerfall's best and most popular songs from each of the six studio albums the band have put out over the last decade.

On two discs that together last just under two hours and twenty minutes we have epitome of Hammerfall, all of the best high tempo power metal gallopers and the best of the slower ballads plucked from their respective albums as well as some bonus live tracks recorded back in 1998 and an apparent "three new tracks" which consists of a pretty pointless introduction track, new song "Last Man Standing" which is a good stomper of a song sounding just like something you would imagine fellow Swedish metallers Dream Evil to put out, and a re-recording of "Hammerfall" bring a more modern sound to the song.

If you know Hammerfall well, if you own all of their albums then this compilation can only possibly be suited for the crazy, devoted fans of the band, but also if you are not so familiar with the band, or you do not know them at all - "Steel Meets Steel - Ten Years Of Glory" will give you a good, representative taste of the best of what Hammerfall have to give. This is good, solid, true melodic heavy metal with catchy guitar melodies with even catchier, infectious singing and choruses with the odd sing along section like the power metal trend goes these days. There are the odd faster songs, double bass drums pumping and frantic guitaring - but also we have to other side to any good band, where we have the slower, heartfelt ballads such as the grand "Glory To The Brave".

There are no sound problems that are common to compilation albums with the possible variation of production between albums, all the songs seem to flow on the discs, there is nothing to complain about - this compilation is just pure unadulterated Hammerfall for way over two hours. Like I say, if you know you like the band then you will already know if this compilation is going to be worth your money or not. If you are an avid Hammerfall maniac you can get your hands on this release from the band, but also if you have always been curious to get into Hammerfall or perhaps wondered which album to start with, then this compilation gives a good place to start. So let's let the hammer fall!