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Hamerex

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Hamerex are a 5 piece Heavy Metal band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

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Hometown	Wakefield, United Kingdom
Genres	Metal, Hard Rock
Band Members	Steve Blower (Guitar/Backing Vocals); Chris Moules (... » more
Achievements	» more
Upcoming Shows	None

Contact Information:	Artist / Band Member Steve Blower hamerex@hotmail.com 07784487730
# Years Experience Performing Live:	6
# Live Perfomances Past Six-months:	6
Market Draw:	Wakefield: 0-30
Venue History:	Snooty Fox - Wakefield, We Rio's Leeds - Leeds, We
Opener Experience:	Powerquest; Asomvel; Conquest Of Steel
Similar Artists:	Iron Maiden; Metallica; Megadeth
Discography:	Rites Of Passage LP—2011; The Lycan EP—2010; Into War EP—2009; The Wicker Man (Cover) Single—2009; If It's Too Loud You're Too Old Demo EP—2008; The Best Of Live 2005 LP—2006; The Gates Of Hades Demo EP—2006; Demo 2005 EP—2005

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About the Artist

Hamerex are a 5 piece heavy metal outfit, founded back 2004 by Steve Blower who looks to the roots of metal from the early 80's and combines it with different aspects of metal.

Soon to follow was Chris Moules who applied for the role of vocalist with the...

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Music

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Achievements

Video Finals Grand Prize Winner September 2014

Hard Rock Videos Winner, October 2014

Hard Rock Videos Winner, September 2014

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Press Coverage

Raised Horns Festival 2005 - Raised Horns by Hamerex Website
The doors to the Thatched House opened promptly at midday and the inaugural Raised Horns Fest was set to open with local band Niliath taking the stage. Unfortunately and without any comment or contact of any kind, Niliath did a no show and the day was off to a bad start. It started slowly too, for at this early time barely anybody was in attendance except a couple of bands (Hamarex, Luntara & Mantra) and a few fans good enough to travel with them. So as the clock struck half past one, the fest finally opened with Hamarex who had travelled across the Pennines from Wakefield. A few people had milled in by now and Hamarex put on a great display. An hours worth of old school metal very much in the vein of Iron Maiden. Excellent riffs and a strong baseline made up for the singer who through no fault of his own wasn't the most audible. Towards the end of the set standards slipped ever so slightly and a lot of ear screeching feedback could be heard but they made the best of an early set and impressed all who watched. Hamarex leave Stockport with a hard earned 6 out of 10. The show continued with Kent band Luntara, replacing the drum kit for a beat box Luntara add a new flavour to the day and a nice variety to the occasion. By now the boys from Allerjen plus a few others have shown up and the crowd begins to grow. Those in attendance are enthralled by Luntara's catchy beats and captivating lyrics and peaked with the ever popular Mind rape. If that wasn't enough, suave looking suit wearing Dan, the security man goes down a treat too. Luntara with a fantastic set get 7/10. The Yorkshire invasion continued next with the sludge laden stoner metal band from Scarborough, Mantra. This trio of musicians pick up a lot of friends with this set and guarantee themselves a place on the Raised Horns January mini tour. Very much along the same lines as Black Label Society or Raised Horns favourite The Inbreds, Mantra have heads banging within seconds with fantastic riffs and one of the most awesome young drummers on the scene. Watch this space because Mantra is going to take the scene by force. A hard earned and thoroughly deserved 8/10 for the Scarborough trio. Local boys Bison Hammer (Formerly Orchid) hit the stage next. Bison Hammer have brought a decent following and the venue is starting to fill up nicely. With a slightly screamo edge to their style Bison Hammer sound good but have a hard job topping the previous band. But it's a decent set with catchy riffs and strong baselines earning the Bison Hammer boys 6 out of 10. Check Bison Hammer out at The Thatched House, 15th January, presented by Raised Horns. Next up is one of the true highlights of the day, and Raised Horns was proud to present for the first time ever in England, hailing from Glasgow, the mighty Attica Rage. The now pretty much full Thatched House stands on in awe as the Scottish four wow them with their terrific old school melodies and a refreshing blast of head banging goodness. How to end an already astounding set? Simple, play your best song, in this case Back To The Old School and then to finish, Iron Maidens most famous song, Fear Of The Dark. Its their first time here and Rage make a grade A impression. Attica Rage, 8/10. Time to get heavy, very heavy in fact and it doesn't get much heavier than Liverpool's finest In Pain Die. Ferocious vocals, grinding riffs and bone crushing aggression that some of the other bands lacked. In Pain Die aren't the most popular on the band on the day but a good set none the less. 7/10. So with two bands to go step up the band of the day, the local boys playing their local venue, the awesomely talented Sevenyearsdead. A big thank you and all our thanks go out to SYD after on the same day, singer Jez and guitarist Pete suffer a tragic family bereavement yet still muster up the strength to hit us with the set of their careers. By now the place is jammed full and SYD blow everyone away. All the favourites ring out into the rafters as well as a few newbies which will feature on a new SYD album hopefully to be released in 2006. A simply stunning hours set with SYD, as always. 10/10 And so the day draws to a close and Raised Horns Fest has come from a slow start to a great success with a packed venue, great bands and an excellent atmosphere, and to top it off its another Raised Horns favourite Allerjen. Another heavy display from the Allerboys, with their thrash metal style tinged with a melodic doom metal feeling. Theres something for all Transformers fans with Until All Are One and Fire In The Sky; as well as Damnation Festival Severed Promotions Mike Hyslop giving vocal contribution for Nowhere and Courage Will Find You. Its a fun filled set withsome great songs. A hard earned 9/10 for Allerjen

The Gates Of Hades Demo - British Metal by Hamerex Website
Written by Demise Of Sanity Saturday, 11 November 2006 Hamerex formed in August 2004 after having had the names Hellbound, Skab and Metal Fear. At this time Hamerex consisted of Steve Blower - Vocals/Guitar, Tom Parkin - Lead guitar, Mel Wales - Bass and Shane Cartwright - Drums. A couple of months later Mel Wales left the band, and Elliot Fleet joined at Christmas. After a short break, the band reunited again, without Elliot, to write new material and recently in 2006 the band completed their current lineup with the addition of Rob Butcher to the ranks. It was with this line up that Hamerex recorded their current release. The Gates of Hades is their third e.p, following on from their two previous efforts from 2005, the self titled "Hamerex" demo and rather amusingly for a band in their early years, "The Best of Live 2005 The first song opens up with a thrashy riff sounding rather like those bands from the 80's Bay area heyday. It sounds rather like something that Anthrax might have produced, catchy groovy and riff laden. The vocal kicks in and to be honest it sounds a bit flat and out of tune to me. As the song 'Live Forever' carries on, the middle 8 delivers a change of pace to a heavier riff and I find my self nodding my head in approval. A short twin lead break, followed by a very competent guitar solo is reminiscent of Iron Maiden, who the band list as one of their main influences. The song ends rather abruptly and moves swiftly into the next track "The Headless Horseman" accompanied by the sound of retreating horses hooves. The lyrical content of this track is the part that most appeals to me, being very carefully thought out. "The headless horseman rides through the night" and also "They heard the screams going on outside, they found their heads" are excellent lyrics and evocative, reminders of times gone by. The riffs in this track are much heavier and really thrashy in nature, with some nice little runs and solos. I imagine this one will be a favourite song when played live. Its one of the standout tracks on this release, along with the next one. Demons begins in a more sinister style with a kind of death type growling vocal and a slow down of pace which quickly moves on into a much faster riff. There is a lot that is good about this track, the guitars in particular, backed up with a solid rhythm section provided by Elliot Fleet and Shane Cartwright. Although I feel that the bassline is a little quiet in the mix. The thing that lets it down in my opinion, is the lack of variation in the vocals. The line is similar to all the other tracks, and essentially sang in a monotone. What it lacks is passion, energy and conviction. The Seas And The Skies is a bit slower than the rest of the songs. But still using that typical Hamerex style which is good in one way and bad in another, as it doesn't give the cd any variation. The final track Gates of Hades starts up with a really chunky, heavy riff accompanied by a drum beat , then the guitars kick in with a heavy and different style immediately grabbing my attention. Once again, lyrically brilliant. "The gates of Hades are open, the path to the underworld" is good as it gives me visions of two gates opening for a Greek warrior and behind the Gates lay darkness, and who knows what after that? But focusing on the music, after the initial excitement that this track may offer something different, I settle back in disappointment as the pace, pattern and rhythms of the track follow the same lines as all the others. The vocal on 'Seas' is a little more aggressive, and a bit more interesting but once again formulaic. I have to say if there's anything that lets the Ep down it has to be the vocals, but they certainly aren't the worst I have ever heard, just lacking in tone and variation. As the band continue to write, and hone their skills, this will hopefully improve. Overall, I would say that Gates of Hades has a lot going for it. The production is good, certainly for a demo and there clearly is some skilled musicianship on display, particularly from the two guitarists Steve and Tom. Their old school influences are undoubtedly on display, but without appearing to be a complete rip off of the originals. Gates of Hades shows Hamerex as a band to keep an eye on, with some evident potential, and a band who would certainly be worth checking out live . Gates of Hades is available to download, free of charge from Mp3.com. Check it out and listen for yourself. Live Forever The Headless Horseman Demons Seas And The Skies The Gates Of Hades Chris Moules -Vocals Steve Blower - Guitar Tom Parkin - Guitar Elliot Fleet - Bass Shane Cartwright - Drums

Tour Of Insanity 2006 - Metal Team UK by Hamerex Website
Saturday 1st July 2006 - The Lockwood, Huddersfield: Icarus, Hallowed Point and Hamerex Saturday 01st July was the first date of “The tour of insanity” which kicked off in Huddersfield, the home town of both Icarus and Hallowed Point. The turn out wasn’t bad, although it only takes a handful of people to make the Lockwood pub look like it’s packed out! Hamerex opened the show and despite being the opening act seemed to play the longest set, causing Hallowed Point to cut their set short. Having seen Hamerex a couple of times in 2005 with ex – bassist Elliott, I at least had something to compare them to. I suppose in all fairness they haven’t gotten any worse, but they certainly haven’t improved at all in the 7 months since I last saw them. Chris appeared to be struggling at times with his vocals although warmed up a little towards the end of the set. I think that with a little voice coaching and a lot of practise, they could have a decent singer in him, as he clearly has power and energy in his voice, but he just isn’t hitting the notes or using his voice as well as he could be doing. While they have some undeniably catchy songs which have great potential, the entire band looked bored throughout their set with very little energy flowing on the stage. If Hamerex hope to progress, they must seriously work on their stage presence and invest in some voice coaching for Chris! 4/10 Next up were Hallowed Point. This was their first ever gig with their new line – up since undergoing a complete change of direction, image and name earlier this year. Being the first time seeing them as Hallowed Point, I really wasn’t sure what to expect, especially as they were playing without a bass player. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this thrashing trio. The music was tight and well rehearsed. Andy’s vocals are aggressive and put me in the mind of Schmier (Destruction). They play hard, they play fast. Their music conjures up images of mosh pits full of sweaty, long haired, ripped-sleeve, patched jeans and leather clad 80’s thrashers in a dirty, dingy, metal club! Their style is very raw with some elements of death metal sprinkled in for good measure, although not enough to detract from their clear thrash sound. If you like your thrash raw, you will love these guys! Of course, this was only the beginning and there is still much room for improvement, but they certainly heading down the right path! Definitely one for the Destruction, Dark Angel, Sodom fans amongst you. 6/10 Icarus, were the headliners of the evening, although, for the majority of their tour dates they will be opening. To look at them, you would not imagine lead singer/guitarist Chaps to be in a heavy metal band, as he has such a clean cut, even trendy image so it’s understandable how they attract so many ladies to their gigs! As soon as they start their set it is apparent that he is more than just a pretty face and he is perhaps one of the most talented young guitarists around and he isn't afraid to show off his fancy fretwork! It's nice to see a band having a laugh up on stage too as they sing parodies about getting attacked with ice cream to the chorus on their song “Brainfreeze”. One thing about Icarus, is that I wouldn’t say you have to be into a certain style of music to appreciate them or their performance. They are one of those bands who can appeal to people of all ages and from all walks of life. Their set comprises a healthy mixture of original songs and covers including Iron Maiden’s “Phantom of the opera”, Alkaline Trio’s “Radio” and a Black Sabbath medley. Their original songs take classic hard rock, along with modern metal and a dash of punk and throw it all into the blender! My only real criticism of this band is that I don’t think their own songs particularly stand out, although they are still very young and have plenty of time to experiment with their sound; and they certainly have talent on their side! 7/10

Wakefield Battle Of The Bands 2006 - Kate Honeyman by InnScene Magazine/Hamerex Site
Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ talks about paths in life that diverge, that by opting for an unknown avenue it may alter our destiny ‘I took the one less travelled by, and that made all the difference’. Well, two bands from out of Wakefield travelled different roads on March 18th to take part in the second heat of the Battle of the Bands (held at the Snooty Fox). ‘Your New Antique’ from Huddersfield (some say centre of the universe!) and ‘Trailer Park Trash’ from Sheffield, both played basting sets to win a place in the next round. ‘Your New Antique’, an indie guitar band, reminiscent of The Editors/The Killers possessed a strong vocal lead, accomplished musicians and they looked the part. Their material was well constructed and they deservedly are on the road to the final. ‘Trailer Park Trash’, a raucous, in your face, musical experience. Form my money ‘spat in the face of the opposition’ metaphorically speaking (on second thoughts spitting’s par for the course for a metal band). Front man had great stage presence but songs became samey as content preoccupied with male private parts!!!!! Also, why do metal/punk bands have no respect for women as they refer to the fairer sex as bitches? Putting my view about overt sexism on one side, Trailer Park Trash certainly took a ‘road that made a difference’ when they travelled from Sheffield as they join Your New Antique on the journey to the final. This event was organised by local Battle Metal Promotions organiser Claire. The ultimate prize will be a spot at this year's Clarence Park Festival. The Wakefield Music Collective voluntarily promote, organise and staff this free live music festival which takes place annually (subject to funding of course) on the last weekend in July. The other bands in this heat were Hammerex, Mid Air 91 and Thrown Together. Hammerex instigated great crowd participation and proved to be competent metal warriors. Sadly just pipped at the post as only two bands go through to the next round. Mid Air 91 and Thrown Together showed great enthusiasm but not much experience and sadly were not in the same league as the other three bands. However, it was great to see young bands taking part and who knows what hours of practice will produce. Maybe their path will be a different one in next year’s Battle of the Bands. Please get in touch if you want a gig/band review, or an event is happening at your venue. Call Kate on 01924 298721.

07/07/08 Snooty Fox, Wakefield - L.O.S. by Hamerex Website
Saturday 7th June 2008 - Snooty Fox, Wakefield: Pitiful Reign, Solitary Mass, Let 'Burn, DreamCatcher, Hallowed Point, Narcotic Death, Oblivion Gene, Hamerex and Unforgiven Rapture. There’s no shortage of choice for the metal fan today, with Rock Of Ages happening over in Leeds while some choose to venture into the capital for the annual Deathfest, although as people begin to file in to catch the daytime bands and get in a full drinking sesh it appears that the organisers have nothing to worry about. Opening these all day events is an unenviable task, and following a deafening soundcheck, Huddersfield act Unforgiven Rapture are the ones to set the ball rolling. While they kick off to a ropey start as the band struggle to keep it together, they appear to warm up and the focus shifts onto some technical death metal guitars that have me thinking of Decapitated, proving that while still inexperienced, there’s potential there. It is nice to see Hamerex have actually seen the light and realised that aping Iron Maiden’s every move isn’t the way forward, and they’ve developed a style that’s a little less derivative. Chris has plenty of charisma and isn’t afraid to use the stage (as well as the rig, the bar and anywhere else he may roam) to his full advantage; it’s good to see his vocals are starting to match up to his mien as they sound gruffer, at one point reminding me of Mille Patrozza (Kreator). As he deserts the band and wanders off into the crowd leaving the guitarists to rip out some harmonies, it becomes evident that Hamerex are definitely heading down the right path. Having heard their demo a couple of times, I find that a few of the songs played by Oblivion Gene ring out with an air of familiarity which I find myself warming to. There seems to be a certain level of uniqueness here in the songwriting as they strike a fairly even balance between melody and heaviness. There’s a good deal of anger showing through in the vocals, which sound clean despite the guttural delivery. As the bass kicks out plenty of bottom end, there’s a Hellhammer (Mayhem) feel to some of the militaristic drum beats that are coming from the back of the stage. With their confidence increasing, the potential for this band is looking more certain. A last minute cancellation from Reth came as a disappointment although filling their shoes are Wakefield natives Narcotic Death, for whom I have a hard time believing that today is their gigging debut. Their musical output at times seems suitable for the Enslaved grounds of battle, with some Viking metal riffs and strong drumming and even some elements of thrash mixed into the chaos. The real eyebrow raiser here is the vocals of the frontlady who has a fantastic harsh croak that more than makes up for her wooden stage presence. This will no doubt come along nicely with experience and in time these could become a force to be reckoned with. (LH) I last saw Hallowed Point two years ago when they didn’t have a complete line up, and to be honest, they were just an unarranged rabble. With a name like Hallowed Point you’d expect them to sound like Slayer, but they are far from it. I have to say there is still nothing too different in their songs. I must compliment on the vocalist and the way he moves around the stage as the front man is meant to. Another thing that stood out for me was that you could hardly see the rhythm guitarist, due to the lead guitarist being stood at the front blocking everyone, but despite that, as far as rhythm guitarists can go, he was good. Hallowed Point have definitely come on in leaps and bounds since the last time I saw them. There is room for improvement, both musically and in terms of playing live, although this was their first gig with this line up. (DJ) Following a tea time respite, Dreamcatcher appear on stage ready to ease the crowd back into the spirit of all things metal. Theirs is of the progressive-power variety and they have that clinical, polished edge that’s necessary to pull it off. Being over a year since I last saw this band, the vocals are sounding much stronger although there’s still a struggle with hitting the right note every now and again. The guitarist’s fingertips whiz over the fretboard, while the keyboards add that added bit of atmosphere. I’m reminded a little of Vision Divine by their sound. With a large gathering outside during their set it’s clear that Dreamcatcher aren’t to everyone’s tastes, although for those with a proclivity toward the more melodic they went down a treat. It’s time to crank it up a notch as the Bradford battalion of Let ‘Em Burn assemble in the stage area, ready to teach the kids a thing or two about how this thrash metal thing is done. With frontman Jay still not fit to be fighting on the frontline, no-one was sure how long he would last, today being their first gig since December. Still they gave a blinding performance which earned them the biggest and craziest pit of the day for the stomping ‘War Slut’ and the final attack of ‘Trenchfoot Terrance’. If a band can get so many thrashers to willingly remove their shoes in a pit, you know they’re good! Having seen Solitary Mass three months or so ago, I had a rough idea what to expect. Back then they appeared a little rough around the edges and performing on a stage smaller than the average coffee table never does much for any band. Since then it appears that they have ironed out some of the kinks in their sound as their sludgy death metal comes across a lot tighter and seems to strike with more impact than before. A band definitely worthy of the main support slot. With the event drawing to a close and a certain ex Iron Maiden frontman playing at Rock Of Ages there was always a risk that some folk would skedaddle before headliners Pitiful Reign hit the stage, and after the good crowd that had amassed for Let ‘Em Burn, the pit for Pitiful Reign was, err…well, pitiful! These Hull thrashers are the kind of band that really seem to bounce off crowd reactions, and for this reason tonight I was left with the feeling that their set could have ultimately been better. Still, the five piece thrashed their brains out and sped their way through a damned fine set for the metal maniacs left in attendance, rounding the day off to a close. Overall this was a well organised and successful all dayer, which in case you were wondering, raised £392.50 for Cancer Research. Same time next year? (LH) Luci Herbert & Dale Jones

25/4/08 The Parish, Huddersfield - L.O.S. by Hamerex Website
Friday 25th April 2008 - The Parish Huddersfield: Grieve, Unforgiven Rapture, Hamerex And Infernal Affliction. I only caught the last two songs for Infernal Affliction. Not my thing and the vocals were too screamo for my liking but for a very young band a first gig they it was not a bad effort at all, and they got a good crowd reaction. Having seen Hamerex many times and not being impressed with them in the past tonight came as a bit of a shock. You have to understand they have had some serious line up issues with lazy guitar players, and drummers who played too fast that they couldn't care less. But at last these guys are Hamerex as they should be. They kicked in with Into War with some very classic style Maiden riffs and Chris's vocals are at a level which he is finally comfortable with and not trying to be anyone but himself. They followed with My Judgement Day which is quite an old number. They played through their set with ease and also looked to be enjoying themselves and they were very tight, making it an enjoyable set, finishing off with Waste Away. Next was the band I really wanted to check out. Unforgiven Rapture are again another young band and these guys are opening for the Legions Gig in June. They are influenced by the likes of Machine Head and Lamb of God and to be honest not quite what I am into but still made a good effort. They do need more experience yet, however the singer was strong, had plenty of attitude and plenty of energy on stage. They played a few songs of their own and ended with Lamb Of God's Black Label which isn't a song I know. Last up was Grieve who is another band I have seen many times. A very tight band but haven't really changed much in the last couple of years. They started their set with You Will Listen and played a new song next called Liquid of Pride (not sure if that is correct). Both Chaps and Dom are good guitar players and can play fast and furious, but some times Chaps vocals can be a little weak. However they do work well with the last two songs of the set which was Pantera's Fucking Hostile and the early song of their own and one which I do like Iron Gates. All in all a good night but Hamerex was the best band of the night. I will collect the bribes later. Haha. David Heward

Into War E.P. by Louciferspeaks.com
I've been looking forward to listening to this EP for a while, and now - after listening to it several times - I'm ready to share my thoughts on it... The EP opens with "Into War". It's traditional sounding Metal with a superbly gritty edge. While some bands/songs that fly the Tradional Metal banner are content to sound like they've just stepped out of 1982, this track isn't afraid to take a slightly more modern approach to the genre. "Screams and Pain" is full of galloping riffs and a shedload of opportunities for you to bang your head and throw horns. I'd heard "Echoes of Hatred" on the band's MySpace before receiving this EP. Obviously it sounds pretty much the same here - which means it rocks! Oddly enough, I'm not as keen on it as I am the title track, but it still manages to pack a decent sized punch. The solo in "Desert Skies" is worth taking note of - these guys can definitely play! The EP closes with "Midnight Hour", an almost omninous sounding track that you can almost imagine marching in battle to... or perhaps launching a midnight assault would be more appropriate! There are some great bands around at the moment playing Traditional Metal... and Hamerex are definitely one of them. Track List 01 Into War 02 Screams And Pain 03 Echoes Of Hatred 04 Desert Skies 05 Midnight Hour 8.9/10

The Lycan E.P. by Spirit Of Metal
Do you remember the old days, when you could buy a 6-pack of cheap beer for 99 cents with your fake ID, sneak it into your bedroom, and then put an 8-track tape of Motorhead into your stereo? Most of you are probably too young to remember the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), which spread out internationally in the early 1980's, to help boost metal music out of the creative rut that it was in. Hamerex seems to be a NWOBHM retro band and they also hail from Great Britain. The album title, The Lycan, means the werewolf. The first track, Aftershocks Of death, starts with an intro resembling that on the song "Am I Evil?" by Diamond Head. After that, the song sounds like Di'anno era Iron Maiden. In fact the first 3 songs on this 4 track EP, were built on a template of early Iron Maiden song structures. What vocalist Chris Moules lacks in range, he makes up for with his emphatic yelling melodies. He's got a strong voice and it works well with this music. The string section is domineered by the bass plucking of Andy Firth, whose approach sounds a lot like that done by Steve Harris with Iron Maiden. I wouldn't have known that there are 2 guitarists playing on these first 3 songs, just by listening to the music. The guitars need to stand out more, with a much stronger presence, with guitar leads that actually lead, and dominate their music. They also need to develop some stunningly intense guitar solos that hit the fans like a smashing blow over the top of the head or a swift kick in the ass. The 4th and final track on this EP is Desert Skies. This song stands apart from the first 3 tracks and seems to serve as a grand finale, because it's a much better song than the preceding presentations. It's a song that finally shows off some really nice guitar arrangements. There are a lot of very flashy guitar leads that bear a striking resemblance to the guitar style of Ritchie Blackmore. The song sounds a lot like post-Dio era Rainbow. Two of these 4 songs were also on a couple of their previous releases, but I have a hunch that they were probably re-recorded on this production. The Headless Horseman also appears on their 2008 demo, "If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old". The song Desert Skies also appears on their previous EP, Into War. Why have they only written 2 new songs for this release? I recommend that these lads take on some homework assignments, in the way of song writing, to help boost the band out of the creative rut that it is in. Bands with this approach are a dime a dozen, so they've got to figure out a way to stand out, unless they want to sound like another Iron Maiden tribute band. This release doesn't offer anything unique or ground breaking, but it's still an enjoyable listen, with its toe tapping, and head bouncing rhythms.

Into War E.P. by Metal Observer
Seriously this is amongst some of the worst Heavy Metal I’ve heard in a many a long year. That they come from the UK is particularly upsetting for this scribe. I am aghast as to just who would listen to this dutiful yet risible homogenous barrage of semi-rip off guitar riffs, lack lustre solos and a lead singer who is without a doubt the poorest vocalist I have had the displeasure of listening to. Opening with the lengthy and utterly demoralising ‘’Into The War’’ this is not the best introduction for a band who look to carry the torch for SAXON, PRIEST and MAIDEN when they hang up the gloves of steel. It is so samey and devoid of any character that it physically and mentally hurts. Not to be outdone the irony of ‘’Screams And Pain’’ is not lost on me but it has been lost on the band. This is not good. On any level. The band has gone through more members than I care reading about and it’s not hard to explain why. ‘’Desert Skies’’ shows a modicum of decency but that has all but been washed away on all the other tracks. All in all I will not be holding out for HAMEREX to be fronting a charge for Heavy Metal in the UK. Ever.

Into War E.P. by Metal.de
HAMEREX from England have been - in a good way - up to mischief since 2004 and indulge classic Heavy Metal with NWOBHM influences and extraordinary vocals that almost belong to more crude variations of Metal. As they are self-published and with the different standards for sound and production that apply in the underground, I'd like to skip to the important part: the songs! This is where the British quintet how what they do best. "Screams And Pain", that follows the well-made opener "Into War", has cutting riffs and aggressive vocals. The next song, "Echoes of The Hatred" is of a more epic nature, but rocks quite well and has a certain appeal to it. In closure, "Midnight Hour" provides a full dose of original Heavy Metal with hymn character. Their biggest flaw is the very muffled and bumpy sound, which can definitely be done better these days, even without a large budget. Friends of traditional chords and especially devoted ungerground fetishists should at least give it a good hear, because from a technical and composition perspective, HAMEREX are definitely interesting, even if not the next big thing. Score 6/10

Into War E.P. by Lords Of Metal
The first tones of this demo does not promise to much. A guitar intro which is similar to the slow guitar parts in the Maiden classic ´Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner', but played so false that it really hurts to listen to. Then the band continue in simple metal tunes, with a singer which has a truly dramatic voice. Especially in the second song 'Scream And Pain´ it gives a good laugh. It has taken a long time before I heard such a poor voice. The guitarist is also pretty bad and has truly a timing problem. No, just stop it and find another way to spend your precious time I would say because this is leading to nothing. 34/100

Armageddon Festival 2009 by Hierophant Nox
I’m not sure when I’d scrawled ‘Armageddon Festival’ across my calendar for this late November weekend, but by the time it actually came around I’d forgotten what it actually was, which was kind of cool, because it gave me the chance to get excited about this impromptu all-dayer all over again. Stuka Squadron and Conquest of Steel on the same bill is about the best night out I can think of, and I always enjoy going to the Snooty Fox (if not Wakefield itself, sorry Wakefield). Of course by the day I was pretty ill, hence no daredevil live photography for this event, for which I apologise. There is also a big time-space continuum problem in Wakefield, which is that the local hotel has a checking in time of 3pm, which is when the first bands always take to the stage at the Snooty Fox, and as I prefer not to sleep rough in these environs, I’m afraid I only caught the tail-end of local death metallers NARCOTIC DEATH but I would urge you to check them out because they’ve clearly put a lot of hours into their doomy but driving sound, and Alex is a voice to be reckoned with. www.myspace.com/narcoticdeath616 Shortly after this I stopped failing entirely, grabbed a beer and settled in for HEAT-RAY. Hailing from Hull, these guys have a really charismatic stage presence, and rattled through a bunch of catchy yet bone-crunching heavy metal tracks that raised the temperature in the room by a good few notches and can’t have failed to win them some new fans. “The Night Witch” packed a lot of power, but the prize has to go to “The Last Ride”, which is both stonking (if that’s a word) and poignant at the same time. Guitarists Adam and Dave are easily skilled enough to pull off all of the tricks that their heroes made famous, meaning that Heat-Ray not only rumble and shred away with irresistible momentum, but are also possessed of some pretty mean leads. “Very Bad Things” made me laugh (you can see Heat-Ray yourselves to find out why), as did a break-neck cover of “Creeping Death”, Metallica being a touchstone for the band stylistically, during which vocalist Paul felt the need to make a trip to the bar. Hey… sometimes beer can’t wait. Cracking songs and a lot of charm – thumbs up from the Hierophant corner. www.myspace.com/heatraymetal IRON VOID were next to take the stage – I’d been hearing good things about them for a while, and this performance only confirmed such rumours, with their sludgier, doomier take on proceedings hitting exactly the right spot. Their classy song-writing and their obvious passion for their chosen style were abundantly in evidence, and they’re one of those bands whom you enjoy live, but also make a mental note to yourself to check out in more detail later, not unlike, ironically considering their past line-up, The Lamp of Thoth. “Final Resting Place” is a chuggy, memorable highlight, but “Gates of Hell”, and “Demon Drive” are equally good, and “Own Worst Enemy” is plenty insistent enough to trigger some neck-snapping. If the crowd aren’t entirely sure of who St Vitus are for an excellent cover of “Living Backwards”, well… nevermind the crowd. Another cracking performance from a band that make the evening palpably heavier. www.myspace.com/ironvoiddoom Who we are, what we’re doing, when the break is and what might be the meaning of life are momentarily obscured when a band doesn’t show up (let’s return the favour by not naming them) but eventually we’re all go again, and we’re watching SANITY FALLS, a progressive-alternative-stompingly-heavy four piece from Leeds. That’s about as good a description as I’m going to get, because this act were pretty refreshing – riotous, spiteful female vocals spark against quick, blunt, downtuned riff work and a hail of percussion. It’s not a ‘fashionable’ sound, which goes in its favour, and while I might not personally choose to sit down and listen to them on a regular day, Sanity Falls have a lot of live energy, and this is a great set to watch. “We are the Dead” is my favourite track from a well-chosen showcase. www.myspace.com/sanityfalls Next up are HAMEREX – guitarist Steve has been the driving force behind the organisation of this event, so it really is time that he got to enjoy himself and rip up a stage. This is the set to turn proceedings solidly back to heeeavvvyyy metttaaallll, Hamerex boasting a thunderous, thrashy sound that isn’t afraid to make full use of a fretboard. The band are tight and give the impression that they’ve been together for just about always, and we get to hear “Desert Skies”, “Gates of Hades” and “Waste Away” all sound particularly good. Onstage, there’s a flurry of headbanging and guitar heroism, and Chris is yet another engaging front-person for this evening, getting properly into the spirit and dragging the crowd along with him. In all, a lot to be pleased with in this comfortable, competent set. www.myspace.com/hamerex I like watching other people’s faces as STUKA SQUADRON’s martial introduction sets in, and the blood-drinking ones burst out of their (metaphorical, for now) coffins and command the stage. There’s always something of a shock and awe effect, with the audience trapped like a particularly squishy vermin in the headlights, thinking ‘oh dear god, fight or flee?’ just before the awesome heavy metal riffing starts and they get irresistibly sucked (har har) in. The fact that I’ve seen them three times in the last few months says less about my fandom, although I do loves ‘em, and more about this band’s work ethic, and considering the Lord Pyre has swooped in all the way from the Netherlands to take part in tonight’s proceedings, that shows no sign of slacking. It’s an accomplished performance tonight – if James is nervous knowing that all his folks ‘back home’ are watching, it doesn’t show, and everyone looks excellent. The Fox’s sound system lets their galloping guitar work and catchy bass lines have full effect – ‘newie’ “Tales of the Ost” from the forthcoming release of the same name sounds superb, definitely as catchy as previous outings, whilst “We Drink Blood” and “Lovecraft” are played with skill. “One-Eyed God King” sounds even better than usual with this much volume, and, as usual, sticks in my head for days to come. The Stukas are short a guitarist at the moment which, actually lends them a bit of lean-and-meanness, but really they’re a bombastic kind of a band, and more is always better. www.myspace.com/stukasquadron I’m just about finished by the time CONQUEST OF STEEL are sharpening their blades, but some gentle cajoling from the aforementioned webmaster and Mr Begley convinces me I won’t die immediately if I stay upright for another hour or so, and I’m damn glad, because Conquest of Steel just get more and more excellent. They’re pushed for time, the Snooty Fox’s very residential neighbours demanding an early-ish curfew, a problem which Dan suggests we remedy by all killing one neighbour each. Is he joking? Maybe. He’s got a big sword… I haven’t seen Conquest for a couple of years, since they played with Municipal Waste in Liverpool, and since then they’ve gained an album, “Storm Sword”. They manage to fit in an early track from its listing, which helps to bring the release to life for me on later listens driving home – I hope they will be touring it more extensively next year. The stand-out for me was “I Am Legend” because I love everything about that song – fantastic chorus from Dan, brilliant, racing riffs and a measure of ridiculousness that is utterly transcending by its sheer true metal spirit. “Taste the Metal” is another awesome track, and there’s no more suitable closer than “Only the Devil can Stop us Now”. There’s also a very poignant moment in this set with the band’s performance of “Holy Diver”, dedicated to Ronnie James Dio who is this stage known to be in hospital – hopefully he could hear Dan’s excellent and passionate vocal from all the way over there. Conquest of Steel are exponentially tighter than everyone else, and it’s a real treat to see them in a relatively small venue, for the price of a couple of beers. For once, we are very spoiled up here in Yorkshire. www.myspace.com/conquestofsteel Overall, this was a great event. It could have done with a higher attendance at times, but oh well - those who didn’t shift their arses down to Wakey for this one missed out. Congratulations and thank you to Steve and all of the staff at the Snooty Fox – long may it reign. Oh, and by the way, when we were walking back to the hotel, the working men’s club next door had a club singer belting out “You Are My Sunshine” (GODAWFULLY) at great volume, ten or fifteen minutes after Conquest had to pull the plug. Some definite double standards in the community which should be sorted out at swordpoint!!! Ellen Simpson

Into War E.P. by Metal Team UK
This Wakefield band are making a great attempt at the bandwagon trend of re-creating traditional metal, which is not a bad thing if it is done well. But, there is a definite modern edge to this EP, which all becomes clear as soon as Chris Moules starts to belt out the lyrics. ‘Into War’ has a heavy groove thrash rhythm at mid-pace. The funky bass line during the main solo makes your ears prick up; at nearly 7 minutes this song is quite long and the second part of this solo definitely has more easy structure to it. This track is full of surprises, and the traditional metal section here is monolithic, apart from the last few seconds of Maiden-esque instrumental that just sounds disjointed; it’s as if one track has finished and another has begun. ‘Screams and Pain’ has more direct trad metal inspiration, reminding me of Blaze Bailey or Lost Legion, maybe due to the low register performance of the vocals but there is some aggression thrown in for good measure. I do like the arrangements and ideas that are thrown out; there is a lot of Maiden worship, especially in the guitar solos. One thing I do notice is that it sounds as if it has been recorded in a different studio to that of the opening track. I tend to find that the vocals are very loud in the mix (especially on ‘Into War’). The guitars, for want of an easy description, have a lot of treble which makes them appear thin, especially during solos where the string plucking can be heard clearly. They could do with beefing up, though the bass is heavy and loud. While there are moments where the timing and key goes a little off, you cannot help like the band for a down to earth, honest, self-financed EP. ‘Desert Skies’ plays homage to ‘Point of Entry’ Judas Priest, simply by the guitar tone in the main riff and is one of the better executed of the EP’s tracks. Closing track ‘Midnight Hour’ sounds as if a key change would be better to cope with the vocals, as they are very low and strained, but having said that you cannot helps nodding along to the infectious melody. This EP is a good attempt at traditional British metal. There could be some improvements in the execution and production overall, but it gives you an idea of what the band is all about and where they are going. Yet another band join the ever-growing list of “rivet heads and earth dogs” flying the flag for British metal. http://www.myspace.com/hamerex Paul Maddison

The Lycan E.P. by Louciferspeaks.com
Hamerex are a Traditional Metal / Power Metal powerhorse. They are ‘Heavy Metal’ in the truest sense of the term – influenced greatly by their favourite bands, but never becoming a direct clone. The songs here are well structured and the band make excellent use of the guitar solo and heavy as fuck riffs. The vocals are clean, powerful and assertive. The EP opens with “Aftershocks of Death” which, while good, didn’t quite grab my attention on first listen. “The Headless Horseman” was another story – the chugging riff makes it insanely addictive. It’s what the repeat button was made for …and that guitar solo! AWESOME! “The Lycan” is a traditional metal track through and through! Kicking off with a eerie wolf howl, before heading into an almost Iron Maiden-esque riff. For me, this track isn’t as strong as “The Headless Horseman”, but it’s still worth a listen. The EP closes with “Desert Skies” – a song that was also featured on their previous EP. It’s a good track and it’s always great to hear it again Like many bands, Hamerex aren’t going to win any prizes for being the most original band to walk the Earth, but really – who is these days? If you’re into traditional metal, you could do a lot worse than Hamerex. Buy the EP, put it on, turn it up as loud as you can and headbang like you’ve never heard of whiplash! Hamerex may have a journey ahead of them before they set the world on fire, but with this EP and it’s predecessor (“Into War”), they are definitely heading in the right direction. Rating: 80%

The Lycan E.P. by MetalTeamUK.net
I had the pleasure of reviewing this Yorkshire band’s last EP, ‘Into War’, last year and since that release the band have spent some quality time in the studio developing their sound and working on new tracks. This is much beefier and more precise to that previous release but the band still need to find a better studio to record in with more dynamics. The sound is still thin on the drums and the guitar tone has a lot of treble in it, but as mentioned earlier this is a vast improvement on their last release and there is promise here. Musically Hamerex are a British band playing British heavy metal; cool, right? I think so. Chris Moules’ vocals are powerful – they sound gruff but he’s still very much singing through his throat. ‘The Lycan’ trades many guitar solos and licks. It is very Maiden inspired, there is a slight change in the guitar tone between players, but when the dual attack comes in it is quite pleasing, it has to be said. Learning well from the masters of British metal I do tend to find similarities with a lot of classic bands, simply by the arrangements and production, which is no bad thing for sure. ‘Aftershocks of Death’ starts this EP and introduces the listener to a fist raising upbeat piece of metal, a short piece of music that ends just as it all becomes clearer and you are really getting into the arrangement. ‘The Headless Horseman’ rips its way up and down the fretboard, twisting its galloping rhythm and making you feel like you’re truly on a horse galloping at speed. Overall a much improved release. I still have to check these guys out live should they travel around this wondrous land a bit more on the live circuit, but from what you hear on ‘The Lycan’ this is a British band doing everything a metal band should do. http://www.myspace.com/hamerex http://www.myspace.com/swerveltd Paul Maddison

Rites Of Passage by Louciferspeaks.com
Hamerex are back – and they finally have a full-length album. Not that I haven’t enjoyed their EPs, it’s just that (for me) a full album really helps to prove a band’s worth. On “Rites of Passage” Hamerex play their brand Traditional Heavy Metal with confidence and no short supply of talent. Despite this being the band’s debut album (as far as I know – please feel free to correct me in the comments box below if I’m wrong), Hamerex aren’t new to this. They’ve been perfecting their craft for years and on this album they’ve almost reached the pinnacle. I do feel that there’s still some work to be done. In my opinion, some of the songs could do with more of a hook or something to pull you in, but on the whole this album is everything that I hoped it would be. Alongside brand new tracks there’s also a few familiar faces – “Aftershocks of Death”, “The Headless Horseman” and “The Lycan” have all made a welcome return from “The Lycan” EP (which is fantastic, since I love that EP). The newer tracks have a lot to live up to, but they are able to stand their ground. “Stalker”, for instance, is a gritty little number that shows quite a dark side to Hamerex and I can imagine that “Hypnotise” with its… er… hypnotising rhythm would do a good job at giving you whiplash. But, as far as I’m concerned, things really come together for the title track and “To The End” – those songs make me all kinds of happy! If you’re looking for Traditional Heavy Metal with an edge, look no further. This album should be officially released in December… so get ready to buy it… or shove it on your Xmas list… if you do that kinda thing. Rating: 86% facebook.com/hamerex

Rites Of Passage by Stu's Reviews
01.Aftershocks Of Death 02.The Headless Horseman 03.Stalker 04.Hypnotise 05.The Lycan 06.Rites Of Passage 07.Army Of Darkness 08.To The End 09.The Gates Of Hades 10.Waste Away Steve Blower (Guitar/Backing Vocals) Chris Moules (Vocals) Andy Firth (Bass) Darren Kelsall (Drums) Joe Wilson (Guitar/Backing Vocals) 'Aftershocks Of Death' has a great intro very reminiscent of Diamond Head's 'Am I Evil', some solid drumming kicks this opening track along at a nice pace and some pretty awesome riffing going on there too. Wonderous old school thrash rhythms punctuate 'The Headless Horseman', i have also got used to the Roddy Stone style vocals in fact this could be a Viking Skull song!!!! 'Stalker' kicks off with some nice bass work before launching into a doom paced rocker with the riffs coming at you at such a rate you cant sit still for a second. 'Hypnotise' pounds like a battering ram (Judas Priest pun intended), classic british heavy metal nuff said! Now 'The Lycan' is a fucking great song, but the vocal is a little strained at times, sounds like the singer is trying to sing too high and it does kill it a bit. An epic 8 minutes of superb music starting with some great acoustic guitar then heading off into pounding riffage and gutteral vocals.At times 'Rites Of Passage' threatens to move well and truly into doom territory but it keeps a thrash edge, making for a good well balanced mix. 'Army Of Darkness' is a dark brooding song, but again i think the vocal is slightly off, though i think thats because they have put on some kind of vocal fx. I have to say as soon as i hit play on 'To The End' i got Hatebreeds 'I Will Be Heard' in my head, this is quite a hardcore/metalcore song, good but seems slightly out of place with the rest of the tracks. 'The Gates Of Hades' has some more great riffing in it, and all in all gets the album back on track. Finally we have 'Waste Away' yet another great song, mid paced well mixed (The drum pedal work comes through a treat!) awesome guitarwork, but again i feel some work needed on the vocals. All in all this is one helluva album and proof that the best metal still comes from this side of the Atlantic, my only drawback is some of the vocals. Rating : 9/10

Into War E.P. by Stryke Virtual Metal Magazine
HAMEREX - INTO THE WAR (EP) - Independent - Imported - Rating: 5.5 This British band was founded by guitarist Steve Blower, in 2004, and is proposed to mix the metal roots of the early '80s, with different aspects of metal. For that Steve has Chris Moules (vocals), Joe Wilson (guitar), Andy Firth (bass) and Darren Kelsall (drums). Into The War behind the songs that will be used in the group's first album scheduled for release in 2011, a second EP called The Lycan was launched with the same purpose in 2010. The EP has five songs, the recording is not great, missing body on drums, has a dry sound, without a lot of bass, the guitar is turned to the timbre of the thrash metal vocals and mixing bleed into the more guttural and other music for the hard . I do not know if my level of demand is very exaggerated or even if I'm getting old, the fact is that very much remains on the road Hamerex. Screams And Pain" is based formulaic, but it is not all bad, "Echoes Of Hatred" attempts to blend guitar melody with doom metal, "Desert Skies" now falls to the side of hard rock, without much inspiration. Well .. I think I even wrote too much for an EP that did not add much. (Bob Riot) MySpace: www.myspace.com / hamerex

Rites Of Passage by Heavy-Metal Spotlight
I must admit, how I came to know of Hamerex was a little blurred in my memory - a friend of mine remembered hearing a band which "started with H and ended with X". He then proceeded to find this band, and, within a couple of days, I got asked to review "Rites of Passage" the band's debut full-length, by the band themselves. And that is exactly what I plan to do... I get the immadiate impression that Hamerex are one of those bands, of which there are too few, who play traditional metal, but in a modern way, and without submitting to the demand to be "retro". The band seem to be playing heavy metal because it's what they want to do, and not for any other reason, and it's certainly apparent in the bands sound; the songs seem very wholesome, organic, and solid. Hamerex's sound rests on the more extreme edge of traditional metal, and there's certainly elements of more extreme genres, a good few parts of songs are clearly heavily thrash-influenced, and the vocals are frequently on the harsh side - definitely heavy metal in the vein of Venom, as opposed to say, Judas Priest, and the murky (although not necessarily bad) production of the album seems to add to this notion, although the murkiness is certainly a positive, as opposed to a negative effect, complimenting the somewhat blunt, tough sound of the songs. The band's sound has a pleasingly unique character, and I've not really heard anything quite like it. It reminds me of things like Venom, and Blaze Bayley's more recent solo work, but it still distinct from both of these things. For one thing - Hamerex seem to create an epic sound in their material, without resorting to synth, or to excessive technicality, in a way which not many bands can, and a lot of the songs, "The Lycan" for instance, seem imbued with a certain energy which is very uplifting, despite the lack of elements which traditionally amount to an "epic" sound. The whole album has some instantly memorable guitar parts and lyrics, which can only be good, and I'm sure is a sign of sturdy songwriting. Personally, I'd reccommend Hamerex to anyone who was after some good old fashioned, take-no-prisoners heavy metal. All in all, I find that, if there is one style which most metalheads can agree on, it's this; no-nonsense, down-to-earth heavy metal - metal in what might be regarded as in it's purest form. It certainly ticks a lot of the boxes of a good metal album. I give the album 7/10.

Rites Of Passage by Valkyrian Music
Band: Hamerex Album: Rites of Passage Release year: 2011 Genre: Thrash/Heavy Metal ‘Rites of Passage’ is the debut album from British heavy metal band Hamerex. Some of the tracks have been released previously as EPs and demos. There is an evident Slayer influence here, particularly in the vocals and the guitar riffs on tracks such as ‘The Headless Horseman’ and the guitar solo in ‘Hypnotise’. Luckily for Hamerex, they actually make this work. The highlights include ‘The Lycan’, which features a catchy guitar intro, great solos and an equally catchy chorus making it destined to become a mosh-pit favorite and ‘The Gates of Hades’ with its catchy guitar riffs. The only disappointments are the title track and ‘Waste Away’ which both suffer from a case of mismatched backing and lead vocals which resemble howling at times. Good news is that the rest of the music is so good you can actually look past this. 3.5/5 Iza Raittila

Rites Of Passage by Global Metal Network
Yorkshire boys Hamerex waiver their next assault of classic Heavy metal with their latest release 'Rites Of Passage', with a cascade of riffs and drumming to entice the most frantic of mosh-pits, Hamerex are igniting the old traditions and bringing them to the masses as a trophy of the evolution of Metal music. 'Rites Of Passage' brings a whole new stance on the meaning of original and traditional, this is by far one of the most impressive rejuvenations of old style metal to be unleashed, a sheer class of absolute proportions. For fans of Iron Maiden, Kaine, Van Halen. [8] RHYS STEVENSON

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