The Bastard (album)
The Bastard is the first album by the American progressive/heavy metal band Hammers of Misfortune, released in 2001. Critical reception. AllMusic wrote: "Nothing less than a three-act heavy metal opera with role-playing vocals sung by the band members, the album draws on a whole range of metal influences—from Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden to Mercyful Fate and Opeth—and ties them together with some Celtic folk touches to create a sound that, while it does feel a little '80s nostalgic, is actually pretty original." "Loudwire" thought that there's not "much of a  musical precedent for the group’s fearless brand of blackened prog-metal, made all the more stunning and unique by distinct vocal styles for each character and even folk music ingredients." "SF Weekly" declared that "Hammers of Misfortune's well-orchestrated melodicism, kaleidoscopic riffs, quirky time signatures, and striking vocals are grandiose and metalriffic—and that's no myth."