"Credited with being amongst the saviours of true heavy metal in the late 90s, power metal behemoths HammerFall are back to infect your sound system with high-pitched vocals, galloping riffs and a thundering double-bass kick synonymous with Sweden’s finest.

The marketing approach taken on Infected has a somewhat more modern edge to it with the logo being somewhat skewed, as if a product of the toxic wasteland that vocalist Joacim Cans sings about in Patient Zero.

Another notable omission is beloved mascot Hector failing to make an appearance on the album cover, replaced by a seemingly infected human mutant’s hand (the original concept was for a biohazard logo, disputed by Biohazard’s Evan Seinfeld – I didn’t realise the international symbol was the nu-metal band’s property). This has caused uproar amongst the HammerFall faithful and Hector has since graced the cover of the single for Send Me A Sign, along with the original band logo.

However, despite some unusual deviations in guitarist and chief songwriter Oscar Dronjak’s direction for the band, the sound is essentially a continuation of what we have always loved about the band. Fun lyrics complemented by fist-pumping music and guitar solos that would make the likes of Bill & Ted’s Rufus envious.

Although the band seem like they will never come remotely close to topping the unforgettable Glory To The Brave and Legacy Of Kings albums, HammerFall continue to deliver solid power metal and although HammerFall have added a few different types of spirits to the mix this time, the end result is still the same and will have you raising the metal horns up high.

In a world of the politically correct, fashionista, hipster, self-important many, HammerFall continue to wave the flag for the disinterested in conforming to a particular mould few, who instead know what they like and don’t need to be told to like it. Bang Your Head…Stand United….amen."