San Francisco's Hammers of Misfortune, currently one of the most praised acts in the metal underground, have tapped into something timeless, unique, and masterful since their inception in 2000. Their mix of traditional metal with NWOBHM, classic and obscure prog, '70s rock, and Broadway musical and theatrical elements has won the band critical acclaim for their three milestone releases, The Bastard, The August Engine, and The Locust Years. 
 
Hammers of Misfortune's latest effort is something of an experiment for songwriter John Cobbett--his most ambitious undertaking as a musician yet. While the guitarist has always harbored the desire to craft an epic double-album, Fields / Church of Broken Glass is actually comprised of two distinct full-lengths packaged together and priced as a single album. 
 
With new characters in the fold--male singer/guitarist Patrick Goodwin, female vocalist Jesse Quattro, and bassist Ron Nichols--Hammers of Misfortune heads in a new direction. Fields / Church of Broken Glass is both more vintage-sounding, with a clear '70s rock influence, and more prog-oriented. This is the band's most challenging material to date, reaffirming the fact that Hammers of Misfortune is among of the most unique and timeless acts in metal today.