Hammer – Trapped

OE06076

UPC: RESHAM23
Release Date: 2025-08-01

There have been several bands in the rock/metal space that have used the name Hammer over the years, which is not surprising considering that when you think of the tool words like “force” come to mind.  The group that bears the name Hammer for this review hails from Edinburgh, Scotland and released their self-titled debut back in 2020 right as the COVID pandemic was shutting everything down.  On that debut the group showcased a rawer sound that channeled a lot of modern groove/thrash metal, giving them a foundation to build off down the road.  With a new singer in their ranks as of 2023, they have done just that on sophomore album Trapped, which brings in a bit of additional death and other extreme metal elements while retaining the heavy grooves from before.  It’s a noticeable step up in both writing and production, and while Trapped does fall into a bit of a pattern by the end there’s plenty to like here for those that want a heavy hitting record from start to finish.