Hammerfall is undoubtedly one of the pillars of modern traditional heavy metal. In an era dominated by grunge and nu-metal, in the mid-90s, the Swedes emerged with their debut album, Glory to the Brave , and are still credited today for helping to revive the genre. But beyond classic anthems like "Hearts on Fire" and "Last Man Standing," the band carries a history full of interesting facts that many fans may not know.
Templars, Swimming and Eurovision?
The band was founded in 1993 by guitarist Oscar Dronjak , who is the only remaining original member. The most curious thing is his musical origin: before focusing on classic metal, Dronjak was a member of the influential death metal band Ceremonial Oath , which also featured Jesper Strömblad (later of In Flames ). The name "Hammerfall" came from a song Dronjak was composing, but which ended up naming his new project.
The debut album, Glory to the Brave (1997), is a landmark. Going against the grain of what was popular at the time, it was recorded at Studio Fredman , famous for producing melodic death metal giants like In Flames and At the Gates . The connection to this scene was strong: Mikael Stanne ( Dark Tranquillity Joacim Cans joined for the album's recording. Furthermore, Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström , both from In Flames at the time, played guitar on the debut album.
Speaking of vocalists, Joacim Cans only joined the band in 1996, in time to record the album. Before wielding the microphone and becoming an iconic voice in metal, Cans had a very different career: he was a professional swimmer and even competed for the Swedish national swimming team.
Many may not know, but the band tried to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest . In 2014, they participated in Melodifestivalen (the Swedish qualifier) with the track “Bushido”, from the album (r)Evolution . Although they didn't win the qualifier, their participation brought heavy metal to a completely different audience on Swedish free-to-air television.
And of course, we can't forget Hector . Just as Iron Maiden has "Eddie," Hammerfall has its own mascot. Hector, the Templar paladin who appears on most of the album covers, such as Legacy of Kings and Renegade , was created by artist Andreas Marschall and has become a symbol of the band's lyrical themes, focused on battles, honor, and glory.
Hammerfall in Brazil in 2025
And Brazilian fans will have the chance to see the Swedish giants live very soon. Hammerfall will be landing in Brazil this November for three shows on their new tour, promoted by Dark Dimensions . The band promises a setlist packed with classics and tracks from their most recent work, Avenge The Fallen .
The tour includes stops in Curitiba on November 7th (CWB Hall) and São Paulo on November 10th (Tokio Marine Hall). The Belo Horizonte stop is on Saturday, November 9th , at Mister Rock. Tickets for all dates are already on sale and can be purchased through the website ddtickets.com.br .
concert
in Belo Horizonte.
Location : Mister Rock – Avenida Teresa Cristina, 295 Prado – Belo Horizonte, MG.
Date : November 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM.
Tickets : HAMMERFALL in Belo Horizonte
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