Hammerfall

One of the leading lights of the European metal resurgence in the mid- to late 1990s, Sweden's Hammerfall helped to bring melodic power metal back to the forefront of a scene that was struggling to find its footing amidst the alt-rock/grunge boom. Founded in Gothenburg in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak -- the dissolution of that band would also help launch another influential group, In Flames -- Hammerfall took some time getting off the ground. Many of its then-members were doing double duty with more established bands -- drummer Jesper Str+¦mblad and gui...