HAMMERFALL: '(r)Evolution' First-Week Chart Positions Revealed

"(r)Evolution", the new album from Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL, has registered the following first-week chart positions:

Sweden: #1
Germany: #4
Czech Republic: #4
Switzerland: #5
Finland: #10
Austria: #13
France: #67
Belgium: #84
Netherlands: #105
UK: #110

"(r)Evolution" sold around 1,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release.

Commented HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak: "Following on the heels of the #1 in Sweden, '(r)Evolution' is laying siege to charts in Europe! Entries in Germany, Switzerland, Austria are the highest there ever! And, for the first time, a HAMMERFALL album found its way to the UK charts as well, #110 in the regular chart and #10 in the Rock Album chart.

"Thank you so much for the support, the Templars of Steel have spoken and the world will have no choice but to listen!"

HAMMERFALL's previous album, "Infected", sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in 2011. The CD debuted at No. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

The first single from "(r)Evolution", "Bushido", was released on July 18 digitally as well as on vinyl. The song sums up the band and its history perfectly, seeing as "bushido" means "the way of the warrior" in Japanese.

Comments HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak: "This album has more single quality songs than anyone we've ever done before, as evidenced by the fact that pretty much the only single choice we all could agree on was 'Bushido'. It captures the essence HAMMERFALL as much as any other song we have ever written, and it is one of the absolute strongest efforts from our camp, ever. It's filled with energy, hunger and pure adrenaline, and if you don't like this one, you have no love for HAMMERFALL heavy metal!"

With "(r)Evolution", HAMMERFALL takes things back to the roots in many ways, as the band once again worked with producer Fredrik Nordström, who helmed HAMMERFALL's two milestone releases "Glory To The Brave" and "Legacy Of Kings" during the group's early years and thus played a major part in the development of HAMMERFALL.

The music for "(r)Evolution" was recorded in March and April at guitarist Oscar Dronjak's Castle Black Studios. Singer Joacim Cans then went to the United States for vocal recordings, once again working with James Michael (SCORPIONS, MÖTLEY CRÜE),who previously collaborated with HAMMERFALL on "Infected". The album was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström and Henrik Udd at Studio Fredman.

"(r)Evolution" represents yet another reunion of sorts for HAMMERFALL, who hired cover artist Andreas Marschall, the "father" of HAMMERFALL's mascot Hector, to design the artwork for the new CD.

"(r)Evolution" track listing:

01. Hector's Hymn
02. (r)Evolution
03. Bushido
04. Live Life Loud
05. Ex Inferis
06. We Won't Back Down
07. Winter Is Coming
08. Origins
09. Tainted Metal
10. Evil Incarnate
11. Wildfire