SKALLAGRIM: INTO THE BREACH

From their symphonic first period, Glass Hammer has added some new ideas in their last releases, but this time they have gone even further exploring the classic hard rock field and space music which made it difficult to think that you are listening to the same band. After a short piano intro, we have the heavy sound of the guitars and a strait forward style with some spacey keys. "Sellssword" continues in the same atmosphere with a nice bass break. For the first time, the keys are upfront but the guitar won't let this for long. "Steel" calm things down and Fred Schendel is displaying all his tools with a fast keyboard part. There is another impressive dark instrumental passage with Steve Babb's bass work in a Pink Floyd first-period atmosphere. This song is the most progressive of the album with many twists and turns. And then the song "A Spell Upon His Mind" is in a completely different style of music with his Tangerine Dream electronica style. The spacey atmosphere continues with the instrumental "Moon Pool" showing another face of Glass Hammer that explores some jazzy and repetitive drums/bass beat. "The Dark" short instrumental brings back some heavy sound with some nice keyboards lines. "The Ogre of Archon" displays some hard rock with a grunge influence. "The Forlorn Hope" and The Writing on the Wall" we can hear influences from Led Zep and Rush at both beginnings of those songs. I am more satisfied with this new album than those they released 10 years ago after "If". Is it because it's heavier and darker? The songs simply connect with me more than those albums.

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Posted Sunday, November 7, 2021 | Review this album | Report (Review #2631734)

This USA formation was founded in 1992 by the two multi-instrumentalists Steve Babb and Fred Schendel, now anno 2021 Glass Hammer have released their 20th studio-album, in almost 30 years. To be honest, it's more than 10 years ago that I listened to a new Glass Hammer album so I was very curio ... (read more)

Report this review (#2608388) | Posted by TenYearsAfter | Wednesday, October 27, 2021 | Review Permanlink

U.S. proggers Glass Hammer follow up their 2020 Dreaming City album, with Skallagrim: Into the Breach; the second album in a planned trilogy paying homage to the sword and sorcery novels of the '60s and '70s, and by inference the prog-infused hard rock of the '70s. Dark, heavy and bass driven at ... (read more)

Report this review (#2607925) | Posted by Squonk19 | Tuesday, October 26, 2021 | Review Permanlink

I'm finally writing a review of the band who has had a special place in my heart for 20 years or so. I first ran across GH shortly after I moved to Chattanooga, TN. their hometown in 1998. I bought the "Shadowlands" CD and was blown away when I saw they were from my town so I contacted Steve and ... (read more)

Report this review (#2606211) | Posted by yeshead 777 | Thursday, October 21, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Skallagrim is an unique kind of sound that is atypical of Glass Hammer, at least from most of their work, and it's great! I love all of Glass Hammers albums, especially Lex Rex, but this "adventure" into a harder sound is fabulous. The new primary lead singer Hannah Pryor is a welcomed change ... (read more)

Report this review (#2604045) | Posted by badgeradk | Friday, October 15, 2021 | Review Permanlink

I'm not writing this as a professional or snobbish critic but as a long time GH fan. The first project I heard of them was Lex Rex and I have enjoyed the many facets of the creativity of the Babb and Schendel show. One of the things that can irritate me about reading reviews, and in particular m ... (read more)

Report this review (#2600261) | Posted by ProgthankfulRich | Thursday, October 7, 2021 | Review Permanlink

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