Venice, Italy’s HammerTime is a new name, but the DNA should feel familiar. Featuring members of Fulci, Jorelia, and Stone Cold, the band came together in mid-2025 to channel a more traditional, metal-leaning take on hardcore. “I had been working on some songs for a while that didn’t seem fitting for Stone Cold,” guitarist Rich explains to No Echo. “So I decided to just record them and then find some members later.” What started as a solo writing exercise quickly evolved into a full band built from trusted collaborators within the Italian scene.
HammerTime’s sound leans hard into metallic hardcore with a classic heavy metal backbone. “Like if Bulldoze was heavily influenced by Bolt Thrower and Manowar,” Rich says—a description that tracks with the band’s focus on punishing riffs and no-frills aggression.
That approach is front and center on their debut release, Life Sentence, a fully DIY effort in which the band handled everything in-house. “Drums and vocals were recorded by our vocalist, Edo. I did guitars, bass, mix, and master, and our bassist Lollo handled the layout,” Rich notes. The band also tapped artist Sandy Rezalmi—known for work with Full of Hell and Acid Mass—for the artwork, rounding out a release that feels cohesive from top to bottom.
HammerTime arrives at a time when Italian hardcore is thriving. “Shows are packed with young kids, the energy and passion are very strong, and new bands are popping up,” Rich says, pointing to acts like Jorelia, Fool Front, Stone Cold, Chevalier, Silver, 3nd7r, and Substrata as part of the current wave.
With their debut out, the band is now shifting toward the stage, with their first run of shows already locked in—including dates in Milan, Venice Hardcore Fest, and Sherwood Festival. For HammerTime, the foundation is already set—it’s just a matter of bringing it to life in front of a crowd.
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HammerTime on social media: Instagram
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