INTERVIEW: STORMHAMMER IN CONVERSATION WITH HORST TESSMANN
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
“We are a band that just love playing live,” explained bassist Horst Tessmann of the German heavy metal band StormHammer. “But we took the time to really get this new album right. We wanted to step back into our style with a bit more thrash metal to round out this album. We are very happy with it.”
StromHammer are about to release their ten-song album ‘Wrath Of The Hammer’, and it is pretty much everything you’d want from a power metal record: a chanting, gothic start with symphonic depth, heavy, loud, with big guitars, power chords and songs full of drama!
“There are also some keyboard parts in there as well,” stated Horst Tessmann. “And of course, our secret weapon, the vocals from our dynamic front man, Manuel Nox, as he is a real entertainer and a trained singer. His voice provides the power to our new songs.”
StormHammer have established themselves as a powerful force in the European metal scene, combining traditional heavy metal intensity with melodic power metal energy and epic songwriting. The band’s music blends aggressive guitar work, melodic leads and powerful bassline rhythms with storytelling lyrics inspired by personal experiences, fantasy themes and the timeless spirit of heavy metal.
“The band wanted an older school sound like our album ‘Welcome To The End’. We wanted that German metal sound as well with the melodic, the anthemic and the modern elements as well,” mused Horst Tessmann. “With the new album, we want to show exactly who StormHammer are as a band today. We didn’t want the album to be purely melodic power metal. StormHammer has always had a raw side, and we wanted to push that further by bringing in thrash elements, modern metal and even some 1990s punk roots without losing the band’s heavy metal identity. We think we have done that.”
“What is special about the album is that we recorded the drums live to get that authentic sound,” said Horst Tessmann.
StormHammer have been known for delivering strong riffs, soaring vocals and atmospheric compositions that reflect the spirit of classic heavy metal while embracing modern influences.
“We went into this album with the idea that we didn’t want to play it safe. We mixed in elements of thrash, symphonic and classic metal while keeping it true to StormHammer’s power metal roots. The fans will hear StormHammer in a way they haven’t heard before.”
‘’The recording process started in March/April 2025 and there were some delays,” revealed Horst Tessmann. “But the postponements meant that we relooked the recording process. Also, recording with Alex Krull was fantastic because we shared the same vision for how these songs should sound. He delivered a powerful and outstanding production. ‘Wrath Of The Hammer’ combines traditional metal elements in a way that feels natural and energetic fresh. The older I get, the faster and heavier I want the music to be.”
‘’We are about to play some live shows,” Horst Tessmann stated. “It is hard to get together for practice when the band members live in Germany, Austria and England. But we are playing a festival in Munich. Then, we hope to tour in autumn around Europe. It would be great if we could get to Australia to play live and maybe sometime in the future it might happen.”
“What we are planning to do is make another album,” explained Horst Tessmann. “We are not going to wait. We have lots of fresh ideas and we are going to make them into songs. We do not want to wait so long between albums, and the plan is to have the new record ready in 2027. It is a lot of pressure, but we think as a band we are ready for it.”
Until then, StormHammer deliver the power, emotion and the heavy metal adventure in ‘Wrath Of The Hammer’ and its full of melodic power metal, traditional heavy metal guitar riffing, and epic songwriting rooted in the European metal tradition. The addition of thrash-driven riffs, classic melodies and progressive elements expands the band’s sonic palette while maintaining their unmistakable identity. If you love heavy metal, then this album is worth investigating.
‘Wrath Of The Hammer’ is out on Napalm Records on 17 July 2026.
