Swedish saviors of heavy metal, HammerFall, recently released a second single, “Venerate Me”, featuring a special guest appearance by none other than the legendary King Diamond, alongside a new visualizer. The track is cut from their twelfth studio album, Hammer Of Dawn, set for release on February 25 via Napalm Records.

Speaking with Chris Akin, guitarist Oscar Dronjak revealed how the collaboration came about.

Dronjak: "I'm a huge Mercyful Fate / King Diamond fan. We all are from our teenage years. We've listened to them since the '80s. King Diamond is one of those... if you like King Diamond, you don't just like him. You LOVE him! You love everything about it. That's just the way it is. I don't know why that's the way it is, but that's the way it is for everyone. When I wrote 'Venerate Me', I had this part and I thought: 'If I do this, this is probably what Mercyful Fate or King Diamond had this song back whenever, this is how they would have done it.' It was just in the back of my head. 

Fast forward to our recording. I sat in the chair and I said more than half joking, 'Wouldn't it be cool if King Diamond sang this part instead of Joacim?' not thinking this was ever going to happen. Then our other guitar player, Pontus, who's a sound engineer as well that worked with King Diamond for years, he said, 'I'm sure if I ask him, he's going to say yes.' I was like, 'Are you fucking kidding me? Is there actually a chance, you think?' Then I started thinking, 'Is there really a possibility of this happening?' So then he called him later that night, and King said, 'Yes. Of course.' I talked to him a lot on the phone, explaining what I... well, actually I didn't have to explain... actually, I sent the part and said, 'This is what I hear. Can you sing the part? Do whatever you want, but this is what I hear.' He tried to explain to me how he wanted to sound, and how he wanted his voice to sound in the mix and everything. We talked a lot about that. I understood this right away. King Diamond's voice - that is his trademark. Everybody recognizes that. He was very particular in terms of how he wanted to come across. He didn't want to just do it and then send off the files go 'Do whatever the hell you want with it.' That was not the case at all, and I 100% appreciate that. I totally respect that. So we tried to include him as much as we could. We wanted him to be happy with the end result."

“Venerate Me” continues to clearly show that HammerFall is in top shape. Expectedly, singer Joacim Cans doesn’t fail to leave a mark with his gripping vibrato and ever-powerful vocal projection that - in combination with strong guitar work and on-point drumming - make “Venerate Me” an outstanding yet trademark HammerFall hymn.

Founding member and guitarist Oscar Dronjak on “Venerate Me”: “The second single is here, and I’m very, very proud of it! The music was written during the darkest, most uninspiring days of the pandemic and still came out as one of the strongest on the whole album. Joacim’s fantastic lyric idea makes this track really stand out, and the special guest appearance towards the end really pushes it over the edge!”

Singer Joacim Cans adds: “The song is over loaded with enchanting melodies and a very catchy chorus. Lyrically one of my greatest efforts dealing with the fact that we die twice!  First when we take our last breath and second when someone says your name for the last time. Say my name and I will never die!”

Watch the Visualizer for “Venerate Me”, created by Patric Ullaeus, below:

“Venerate Me” marks a special anniversary – Oscar Dronjak’s 50th birthday! HammerFall’s guitarist has dedicated most of his 50 years to the metal scene, starting as a teenage guitarist in death metal bands and emerging as one of the most known guitarists in the world of heavy metal today with his trademark sound and legendary hammer guitar. After the title track, "Hammer Of Dawn”, “Venerate Me” is the second single taken from the new album.

As one of the main forces in heavy metal, HammerFall have dominated not only the Swedish album charts, but album charts across Europe throughout their extensive career, while earning gold status thrice. HammerFall's previous album, Dominion, charted at #4 in Germany, #2 in Switzerland as well as #2 in Sweden. Faced with the daunting task of following up to Dominion, an album that fans and critics hailed as one of the bands strongest releases, HammerFall collectively met the challenge head-on and have delivered what many early listeners are predicting as the best metal album of 2022 and a high point of the band’s catalogue.

Hammer Of Dawn will be available in varying formats in various territories:

- Ltd Deluxe Box, incl CD Digisleeve, Hardcover Photobook, Plectrum Tin, Hammer Key Chain, Bottle Opener - strictly limited to 500 (Napalm Webstore exclusive)
- CD Digisleeve
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- 1LP Gatefold Marbled Orange Transparent/Black - strictly limited to 300 (Napalm Webstore exclusive)
- 1LP Gatefold Crystal Clear - strictly limited to 300 (EMP exclusive)
- 1LP Gatefold Curacao - strictly limited to 300 (Levy X & Ginza exclusive)
- Bundle CD + Shirt (outside North America only)
- Digital Album

Pre-order here.

Hammer Of Dawn tracklisting:

"Brotherhood"
"Hammer Of Dawn"
"No Son of Odin"
"Venerate Me"
"Reveries"
"Too Old To Die Young"
"Not Today"
"Live Free Or Die"
"State Of The W.I.L.D."
"No Mercy"

"Hammer Of Dawn" video: