Review by Adam M on May 14, 2019.

This album has the imprint of John Arch and Jim Matheos all over it, though it features a number of other excellent musicians as well.  Arch’s characteristic high pitched and nasally croon nicely fits over the top of these tracks.  There is a wonderful atmosphere that the album title nicely reflects in the wintery tone of the songs.  There is a definite throwback to the older Fates Warning material, but nicely put within a more modern context. 

The songs here are tight and well constructed pieces that run for a reasonably long run time to get their point across.  The glory times of Fates Warning have been updated for the present time and are done more effectively than even the band Fates Warning are capable of these days.  There is an extensive use of dramatic dynamics to make things as interesting as possible.  The guitars are done nicely and have a lot of shifts and changes associated with them.  However, it is John Arch’s voice that is the biggest high point on the album.  He sounds like a man half his age on these songs and his voice only accentuates the songs instead of dragging them down.  Could this album be even better?  Yes.  Despite being progressive, the songs could be even more so and more intricate than they are.  There is still a reasonable amount of complexity to be found here.  Also, the songs aren’t quite as memorable as those from the Awaken the Guardian era and take more time to wrap your head around. 

The experience is infinitely worth it, however, as this is one of the best albums of the year.  It has the right atmosphere to pull the listener in at any time and makes for a grand listen that comes to an epic close with Kindred Spirits.  With a few improvements the band could be even better and produce some of the most exciting music of this generation.  Regardless, Winter Ethereal is an excellent release and one that must be checked out by fans of John Arch and Jim Matheos and the early material by Fates Warning featuring Arch.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 2, 2019.

Since exactly three years, the incarnation of heavy metal is dead. But its spirit lives on and there is absolutely no end in sight. Lemmy's music is still omnipresent and that's only logical in view of songs such as "Brave New World", the climax of Hammered. Those of you who think that they haven't heard the ultimate metal chorus so far, listen exactly to this track and the search is over. The neck breaking catchiness of this number has the potential to drive you insane. A strict up-tempo smasher with an excellent riffing and lyrics that could not be more typical for Lemmy. Lines like "being poor is worse than having AIDS" speak volumes. Not to forget the dynamic solo part and, of course, Lemmy's well known boozy voice. This track has to be played on every celestial Motörhead concert (or did you really think that the Grandmaster of Rock has stopped his activities only because of the fact that he has left us?).

In direct comparison, "Brave New World" tramples everything else of this work into dust. But having forged one über-motörsong does not exclude the offering of further good pieces. The screaming riff of "Down the Line", the very good flow of "Voices from the War" and even the pretty strange, somehow soft and simultaneously harsh vocal line in the chorus of "Walk a Crooked Mile" has a strange charm. Right from the beginning, all these songs prove evidence that Motörhead still sound fresh, impulsive and spontaneous. Of course, the experienced warhorses know their trade, but the joy of playing shimmers though each and every composition. The throbbing bass lines fall in love with the casual or vehement guitar riffs and it seems as if bass and guitar sound coalesce with each other in order to create a unique and powerful sound, full of energy and enriched with a healthy amount of negativity. Apart from this, the tight drumming dictates the rhythm consequently. I am still convinced that the band pic on the inner side of the tray portraits Klaus Meine and not Phil Campbell, but maybe my German eyes love to fool me.

The songs show the band (with or without Campbell) from its rocking side ("Mine All Mine") and its metalized side as well. "Red Raw" seems to be the little brother of "Burner", one of their straightest songs ever which was released on Bastards. "Shut Your Mouth" lies between these poles and is built upon a riff that seems to originate from the cellar of an Australian family called Young. If you like songs of this clan, for example the great "Overdose", you will also enjoy this piece. In other words, Motörhead dish up their usual program, but with a big number of excellent riffs. Only "Dr. Love" can't keep the pace and the worthless outro consists nearly only of spoken words. It doesn't matter. The very powerful production fits the musical approach perfectly and so the listeners get blown away in a very appreciated manner.

Just like more or less any other long-standing formation, Motörhead did not only release fantastic records, but Hammered belongs to those works that ensured them a firm place in my heart. It guarantees 45 minutes of filthy fun and unlike its spiritual fathers, at least "Brave New World" has been made for eternity. So, come on, dear fellows, let's raise our glasses and celebrate Motörhead! This makes it easier to say the truth without an overdose of melancholy: Lemmy, we miss you. And Philthy Animal, Fast Eddie Clark and Würzel. And, by the way, Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy. And Malcolm and Bon... shit, the list is much too long.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10