Hammerheart is the fifth studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It continued the previous album Blood Fire Death's transition away from black metal to what became recognized as Viking metal, and is considered a cornerstone work of the genre.[2] A music video was made for "One Rode to Asa Bay."
Quorthon dedicated the song "One Rode to Asa Bay", about the Christianization of Scandinavia, to C. Dean Andersson, who had earlier sent some of his books to Quorthon. The village's name in the song, Asa Bay, comes from the pseudonym Asa Drake which Andersson used in some of his books.[3]
AllMusic called the album an "unqualified triumph for the pioneering Swedish act."[2]
Personnel
Bathory
Quorthon – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, special effects
Kothaar – bass guitar
Vvornth – drums, percussion
The credited names "Kothaar" and "Vvornth" are pseudonyms used by various guest studio musicians, who played anonymously on several Bathory albums from 1988–1996.
Production
Black Mark Production – executive production
Quorthon – arrangement
Quorthon and Tomas "Boss" Forsberg – production, recording, mixing
HammerHeart Brewing Co. is a brewery located in Lino Lakes, Minnesota whose name and branding was influenced by the album. According to co-founder Nathaniel Chapman, “All of our beer names are inspired by Norwegian lore and we want to keep that attitude.”[5] The themes of the brewery and its beer are focused on Norse and Celtic mythology, and heavy metal music.[6]
