Heart’s Ann Wilson has released a booming new solo single, “The Hammer.”
The track is a classic blast of big riff hard rock that’s all headbang and no nonsense, save for a clever organ-led bridge to offer a brief, ethereal respite. “When the hammer comes down,” Wilson bellows, “Binding, binding/Saying again what’s been a million times said/Bury your truth and suffocate your head.”
Wilson wrote “The Hammer” with guitarists Tyler Boley and Craig Bartock, and recorded the song last fall in Seattle. “We had a great time recording this one!” Wilson said in a statement. “The whole experience was great! The band felt just as passionate as the lyrics!”
“The Hammer” marks Wilson’s second single of 2021, following “Tender Heart,” which she released in January. Last year, one week before the 2020 election, Wilson released a cover of Steve Earle’s “The Revolution Starts Now.” Back in November, Wilson also revealed that a Heart biopic was in the works, with Carrie Brownstein attached to write and direct.