"Several of the songs on Hammer Down are contributions from founding members Chris Stapleton and Mike Henderson, both of whom have stepped down from active touring, but whose distinctive songwriting has helped define the group since their start in 2008.

"[3] The Washington Post writes, "On Hammer Down, the quintet's first album with its new lineup, the SteelDrivers stand out as one bluegrass group that embraces the genre's rough-and-tumble, working-class roots.

"[7] Cybergrass' review states, "The SteelDrivers’ brand of bluegrass – intense, dark, poetic, and inescapably human – is a refreshing reminder of the timeless power of string band music, and is captured perfectly on the new Hammer Down.

"[8] My Kind of Country's review says, "Every song on the album was co-written by either a present or former SteelDriver, and lead vocalist Gary Nichols’ gruff but soulful voice is nicely complemented by the harmonies of fiddle player Tammy Rogers and bassist Mike Fleming.

Many of the songs have a Celtic flavor to them, sounding a lot like some of the recordings that The Chieftains made with a variety of Nashville artists"[2] Track information and credits verified from the album's liner notes.