Returning with their latest call-to-arms, Texas metal warlords Ignitor are once again battle-ready with the release of their new album, “Horns and Hammers”. The album is out now in Europe, Asia, and Australia via Metal On Metal Records. The label will be selling it at Keep it True Rising Festival IV in Wurzburg, Germany, October 4-5.
Vinyl and CD versions wil be distributed through Revolt Vinyl Records in North and South America in November. This version will include a bonus track of the Saxon classic “Machine Gun”, featuring guest appearances by Ross The Boss (Manowar, Dictators), Marc Lopes (Metal Church, Let Us Prey, Ross The Boss) and Gabriel Guardian (Immortal Guardian). Look for the companion video of that song very soon. This version will soon be available for streaming and purchase on all digital platforms.
The vinyl version of Horns and Hammers will be released on Metal World Records in Europe.
Another storm-the-gates, metal onslaught, “Horns and Hammers” delivers all the dramatic power and fury that landed previous albums “Haunted by Rock ‘N’ Roll” and “The Golden Age of Black Magick” in the hallowed realms of Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, Raven, Dio, Accept and other legendary keepers of the metal creed.
From the title track’s speed-metal war cry and the Maiden-esque “Imperial Bloodlines” to the cowbell-driven “Shattered Crosses” and the 70s-inspired heavy metal of “Ferocious the Martyrs” (featuring guest keyboardist Gabriel Guardian of Immortal Guardian) the 11-track “Horns and Hammers” is a mighty mix of classic heavy metal spiked with NWOBHM, thrash, power metal and the atmospheric textures of prog-metal and fantasy.
“We raised the bar high with our last two albums so we couldn’t settle for anything less than a full-on metal assault,” said founding guitarist Stuart “Batlord” Laurence. “We’ve always honored our influences, but we’re also very insistent that our music – first and foremost – sounds like Ignitor. With Horns and Hammers, we’ve covered the spectrum of metal and taken Ignitor to a whole new level.”
Fronted by the soaring vocals of Jason McMaster (Watchtower, Dangerous Toys, Broken Teeth), Ignitor’s strength is further forged by guitarist Robert Williams, bassist Billy “Chainsaw” Dansfiell and drummer Pat Doyle. Whether charging and pounding like clashing titans (“Dark Horse”, “Chaos Maximus Eternal”) or luring the listener into gothic tales of doom and deceit (“Suicide Anthem”, “Taken Up With Serpents”), Ignitor delivers with shuddering impact.
“Robert brought a ton of songs and riff ideas to the table and Billy had some great ideas that blossomed into full-blown songs,” Laurence said. “Once we started jamming with Pat’s pummeling backbeat, we knew we had something special.”
“As the arrangements started coming together, I found myself completely immersed and inspired to come up with the lyrical themes and characters to carry the songs to completion,” McMaster added. “I’m really proud of the band’s individual and collective contributions, and I think we all agree that Horns and Hammers is a triumph by any measure.”
The album’s stunning cover art – featuring a medieval warrior and his mighty steed surveying a hellish killing field – comes courtesy of renowned fantasy/sci-fi artist Claudio Bergamin whose credits include Judas Priest (“Firepower”), Burning Witches (“The Witch of the North”), Cassius King (“Field Trip”) and Klassik ’78 (“Phantoms”), among others.
Produced and mastered by Stuart “Batlord” Laurence at Emphatic Audio in Austin, TX, “Horns and Hammers” was mastered for vinyl by Cris Burns. “Hell Shall Be Your Home” was recorded live in Austin TX at Kick Butt Coffee in 2019, and engineered by Ernie Basaldua with mixing by Stuart “Batlord” Laurence.
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1. Horns And Hammers |
*Note: “Hell Shall Be Your Home” appears on The Metal On Metal Records version.
All songs written, recorded and performed by Ignitor, except *“Machine Gun,” originally written, recorded and performed by Saxon, Carrere Music Ltd 1980.
Cover art by Claudio Bergamin.
