Swedish metal legends Hammerfall bring the thunder down under on first Australian tour
Swedish power metal legends HammerFall have set sail for our shores for their first-ever Australian tour, kicking off on the west coast at Metros Fremantle on Tuesday, January 14—with tickets on sale now. Since forming in Gothenburg, Sweden, and releasing their debut album, Glory To The Brave in 1997, HammerFall have achieved multiple international number ones, gold certifications, sold-out tours, and won passionate fans across the world. BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with bassist Fredrik Larsson to find out about the enduring power of Swedish metal, their most recent album, Avenge the Fallen, and what fans can look forward to at their upcoming shows.
You’re heading our way for your first-ever Australian tour! Why was now the time to finally bring your music to Aussie fans on a full tour?
We went for a one-off gig ten years ago, but that’s the only time we’ve ever been to Australia. A bit weird, admittedly, but I think the main reason is that we’ve never had a booker with good connections down there. Having someone who believes in bringing you over makes all the difference.
And what were your memories of that one-off Melbourne show when you came here last?
We were in the country a day and a half, if memory serves, so we didn’t get much of a chance to experience anything. I mostly just walked around a bit. This time, I’m very much looking forward to doing some touristy stuff; it will be great!
I’m a bit worried about the jet lag, though, to be honest, as that seems to hit you worse the older you get. And going east is always much harder than going west. That’s when not being a regular coffee drinker comes in handy, I guess, as the caffeine has a lot more of an impact on me (laughs). We will do our best to experience Australia as much as we can!
You’ll be arriving with new material from last year’s record, Avenge the Fallen. How was this record different from your previous albums, and have you been able to perform the new songs live much yet?
We’ve done a few songs over the summer festivals and added another one to the autumn tour we did. On the Aussie tour, we will do a fourth one from the album, as well as some fun surprises we haven’t done on this tour previously.
And are there any particular songs, new or old, that you’re looking forward to bringing to the stage?
Very much so! We’re extremely excited to be doing our own headline shows again after having done a few runs as special guests the last couple of years. We’ve got some fun stuff planned, although exactly what you will find out when we play, and this being our first proper Australian tour, is the perfect start to 2025!
The quality and quantity of metal music coming out of Sweden have been remarkable for some time now. What do you put that down to?
There are many contributing factors for something like this, of course, but I think it’s mostly down to two big things. Firstly, the opportunity to play an instrument from an early age, organised by the city councils in Sweden, has given everybody a good start in music. Almost everyone in my class in third grade played the recorder. Then, from fourth grade on, you could choose a different instrument. I chose the trombone and played for four years. Then I realised I had a very strong desire to play along to the music I was listening to and switched to the guitar. Almost everyone from my generation has a similar background with the city music school, although the instruments varied.
Secondly, there is a current among bands in Sweden to be set apart, to have something of their own, a unique sound. If you look at Finland, for example, they have thousands of bands, but most of them share the same DNA, so to speak. Whereas Sweden has tonnes of bands that have found their own niche, their own way of doing music, which makes them sound unlike anything else. The innate desire to stand out, to “do your thing,” to not conform, I think is the main component for the multitude of artists extremely successful worldwide hailing from Sweden.
What’s next for HammerFall for the rest of 2025? And will we have to wait so long to see you again?
We have lots of festivals lined up, starting in the beginning of May. As for the autumn and winter, I don’t exactly know yet. We shall see. But at the moment, I am not looking past the next thing, which is Australia. It will be a fucking blast! Us returning is very much in the hands of the fans. If this tour is a success, we will come back. If it’s not, well …
But I have faith in the fact that the Templars of Australia will not disappoint. Either way, we will stage the greatest heavy metal party we can each and every night, as is our custom. Be there to enjoy it or regret it the next day. See you next week!
