Viking Metal from the USA? Yes, and cool? You will be surprised, but yes - there is! And why not, after all, quite a respectable proportion of the population there is English and even Dutch-German origin, and Germans and Scandinavians - siblings. Moreover, all these doubts dissolve, when you hear a cool fast melodic viking black metal with super screaming and with a powerful almost operatic clean vocals in the tradition of the Swedish power metal. And the image of the boys did not issue them as typical American metal. So I ask you to love and favor them, and strongly suggest to listen to both albums of Hammer Horde - a new star, in my opinion, in the sky ok Viking Metal world. In the meantime, check out my interview with singer Thomas Sturniolo and guitarist/clean vocalist Derek Smith.

                    

                    -Hail! How is the weather in Ohio?

                    

                     Derik: Amazing for this time of year! 70 degrees and plently of solar flares to go around.

                    

                     Tom: Yeah! It's practically summer here already. Warm weather this early in the year isn't typical for Ohio, but I'll take it!

                    

                     - Tell us, please, a brief history of the band.

                    

                     Derik: After the break up of my prevouis band, I took a year off from playing music because I just needed a break from the constant rehearsals and shows. Meanwhile that band wasn't really going anywhere with the amount of effort being put in. I then decided on getting back with my drummer (Jayson Cessna) to do a studio project with me based on a viking/black metal theme. I've always been a fan of the Immortal/ Dissection stuff and had a big appreciation for bands like Manowar and Bathory (viking era).

                    

                     With this type of material I felt like I could let the songs breathe a bit more and let the hooks sink in, as apposed to the old band where we tried to be as technical as possible with a limited knowledge of song writting. Cessna and I began working on half of the UTMO album and then decided to take the band to the next level and recruted Ryan Mininger on 2nd guitar. We began finishing up the UTMO songs and then recruted Tom on vocals and Ben on the bass.

                    

                     - How did you come to a desire to play the Viking black metal?

                    

                     Derik : Like I mentioned I always loved the Immortal and Dissection stuff. And the epic bands with lots of melody have always inspired me from the very beginning.

                    

                     Tom : I'll agree with that. Actually with the time apart from each other, after our first band broke up, we found that we had gotten into the same types of bands without even talking to each other about them. So when we reconnected, it was a natural transition into our current style because we were all big fans of the genre.

                    

                    - In my memory, you are the first American Viking metal band, especially with such a high and professional level, are there any more similar bands in USA?

                    

                     Derik: I've heard Oakhelm mentioned in other interviews, I personally havent heard anything by them as of now.

                    

                     Tom: Also, everyone should check out Dark Forest from Canada. They definitely do their part to help strengthen the viking metal force in North America. Those dudes rule.

                    

                     - How does the metalheads perceive you in the U.S.? Are there only metalcore and deathcore around? How do you treat yourself to this style?

                    

                     Tom: I don't care for metalcore or deathcore at all. I find them to be a major rebellion from the classic, melodic song writing style that I personally prefer. The scene and style turn me off and I haven't really taken the time to give it a proper chance. I know that whatever I've heard, I pretty much hate so, I probably never will.

                    

                     Derik: HAHA! There is a reason you don't get much viking material from the states. The local scene doesnt get it much at all. We have a good gathering of people who are into it, but the American brutal death/ metalcore crowd writes us off instantly when we show up in our stage gear, haha. Some of those guys need to relax. They say it's a gimmick to dress up but I'm sure if we walked up on stage with designer jeans and flashy metalcore shirts, they would love the music. What happened to the old days where a death patch next to a Judas Priest patch was acceptable?

                    

                    - What kind of music are you listening to? I think you're very partial to the power-metal...

                    

                     Tom: I do enjoy power metal actually haha. But I constantly switch it up with black metal, classic heavy metal, and some melodic death metal. I also listen to acoustic folk music and classical from time to time. I'm always looking for new bands to check out.

                    

                     Derik: I've always been into the classics, King Diamond/Fate, Iced Earth, Fates Warning, candlemass etc. I like alot of metal, anywhere from death, immortal, dissection to bands like manowar and hammerfall. Gotta plug the essential Ensiferum, wintersun, nomans land, and forefather!

                    

                     - Tell us about your new album, Where and how is it recorded?

                    

                     Derik: Me and Ryan just hooked up the amps in his kitchen and just started jamming and recording riffs. Nothing was really pre determined for this album like it was on UTMO. We just sat back, jammed and wrote music. This approach proved to work very well and I would like to continue this approach for the future. We showed Jayon the riffs, he wrote his drums around it and helped rearrange certian riffs. Tom's kinda like the "yay or nay" guy, so if he hated it, he let us know right away and demanded a change haha.

                    

                     Tom: Haha! Yeah pretty much. I have always felt like more of a metal fan than an actual musician. Plus, having not written most of the music myself or played any instrument, I feel I can listen as a fan and criticize what they have written without any personal bias.

                    

                     We recorded our album in Akron, Ohio. The guys over at Dimmworks Studio recorded our album and put their heads together to help us achieve the final product.

                    

                    

                     - What about are the lyrics on it? Is there a general concept?

                    

                     Derik: I'll let Tom handle the lyrics haha. I'm all about the musical side of Hammer Horde.

                    

                     Tom: This time around I tried to tell a more personal and more realistic story about people that are affected by war and tragedy. That's really the only concept that holds the songs together lyrically. I wanted to cover the human thoughts and emotions that go along with death, battle, triumph and loss.

                    

                     - Who painted the cover? What is it depicts, and why such a small Indian???

                    

                    Derik: I though the same thing haha.

                    

                     Tom: Kris Verwimp painted our album cover for us. He's done work with viking metal bands such as Arkona and Manegarm, as well as countless others. The reason the native american is so small is because in the story the viking explorers encounter a young native boy. Kris designed the cover on his own after listening to the song Vinlander.

                    

                     - What do you, by the way, think of the American Indians? In Ohio they have any reservations?

                    

                     Derik: I have total respect for the Amercian Indians. Most of the reservations are out west.

                    

                     Tom: I agree. They went through some really heavy shit and unfortunately suffered a great deal at the hands of English settlers. The song Vinlander is based on a story that I was told by a friend. I am not certain if it is based on any actual events, but I found it to be very interesting and compelling as a fictional depiction of the Viking's settlement in North America.

                    

                    

                     - Say, do you expect this year's December Ragnarok?

                    

                     Tom: Oh you mean with the whole Mayan calendar/End of the world rumor going around? haha I don't put much faith in things like that, but it would be a very interesting turn of events if it were true.

                    

                     - Generally, are you serious about Scandinavian paganism for yourselves, or what? What do you think about Christianity, Islam and religion in general?

                    

                     Tom: The overall interest in Scandinavian paganism or other beliefs of that region are strictly a hobby of mine. I think for certain types of people it is easy to find a common interest or kinship with a warrior-based belief system, whether you are from the region or not. Geography doesn't dictate what ones heart can believe or pursue. The Norse culture had a huge impact on our modern world and I find the overall study of "viking times" fascinating.

                    

                     People can believe whatever they like as long as they don't make it anything more than a personal belief. At this point in my life I really don't follow any major religion. People need to stop trying to own the globewith their silly social-based prayer groups.

                    

                     Derik: To each their own, just don't preach to me. I don't follow religion at all, more important daily tasks require my attention.

                    

                     - Tell us about your videos, whether are they expensive and who are the people with you in it?

                    

                     Derik: we sent out a facebook letter to all our friends in the area to be in the video, they even had like a monthly beard growth blog going on haha.

                    

                     Tom: Yeah, we got really awesome local support for "In the Name of Winter's Wrath" and "Midgardian Revelry". Ryan, our other guitar player, actually owns and operates his own film business. It was a major shortcut for us to avoid any outside involvement. Ryan was the major force behind filming and editing our videos and the entire project was handled strictly by Hammer Horde.

                    

                     - Will be the tour in support of the album?

                    

                     Derik: Hammer Horde has always been the working mans "do it yourself" type of band. We all have personal lives and jobs that make touring a low possibility at the moment.

                    

                    - Are you already preparing the next stuff?

                    

                     Derik: As of now nothing is being arranged. I have some riffs here and there but that is about it for me.

                    

                     - And finally, a few words to our readers.

                    

                     Derik: "Support music, not rumors" ( Chuck Schuldiner R.I.P.)

                    

                     Tom: We are just 5 humble guys writing metal music that we love and and we are very pleased and thankful for all the support. Keep it metal, guys! Thanks a ton for the interview, Demether.

                    

                     Please, write your top 5 of best music albums of all time:

                    

                     Derik: Not in any particular order King diamond : Them, Death : symbolic , Iced Earth: Night of the stormrider, Windir: Arntor, Dissection: storm of the light's bane.

                    

                     Tom: Dissection: Storm of the Light's bane, Death: Symbolic, King Diamond: Them, Rhapsody: Symphony of Enchanted Lands, Windir: 1184

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