We love a mixtape here at Iron Fist. The ritual of choosing the track, pressing play and record at the same time, perfectly timing songs to fit on one side of a C-90, doodling your own hand-written cover. Days were endlessly passed doing this in our youth. Bringing back the tradition we ask some of our favourite musicians to make us a tape and let you know, via the magic of YouTube, what they picked for us.

In the first instalment, JB Christoffersson of Iron Willed warriors GRAND MAGUS picks twelve songs that inspired his band’s latest album ‘SWORD SONGS’ in a mixtape called ‘SWEDISH STEEL’.

1. BATHORY – ‘Shores In Flames’
This is the opening song on BATHORY’s masterpiece ‘Hammerheart’ and one of my favourite songs ever. No one combines atmosphere with power like Quorthon did.

2. DISSECTION – ‘Xeper-i-Set’
The Reinkaos album was very controversial when it came out. Personally I think it’s a fantastic album with brilliant playing and songwriting. This is probably the fastest and most aggressive track on that album and it’s ferocious.

3. WOLF – ‘The Bite’
When it comes to proper heavy metal in the modern age, I think that WOLF is one of the best bands and they are very underrated. This is from one of their best albums, ‘The Black Flame’. The Bite!

4. THE HAUNTED – Trespass
The guitar-playing on this album as a whole is just phenomenal, this track has some of the most ripping muted riffing ever. Marco kills the vocals too.

5.NECROPHOBIC – ‘Unholy Prophecies’
The Nocturnal Silence is a true Swedish classic. This is one of my favourite tracks. Hail to Blackmoon.

6. AMON AMARTH – Death in Fire
I love Johan’s vocals on this track and this is pure power all the way through. Awesome riffs too!

Side B

1.UNLEASHED – ‘The Longships Are Coming’
Legends. Enough said. My favourite death metal band of all. The longships are coming!!!!!!!

2. DISMEMBER – ‘Skinfather’
This is one of Dismember’s most brutal tracks in my opinion and you gotta love that title.

3. ENTOMBED – ‘Say It In Slugs’
From ‘Uprising’, fucking killer riff and groove. Love the guitar sound, sounds like something is seriously wrong and about to self-destruct.

4. VOMITORY – ‘Regorge In The Morgue’
Brutal death metal done by Vikings!

5. MARDUK – ‘With Satan And Victorious Weapons’
Probably the hardest working platoon in the black metal world. This is just a brutal track.

6. NIFELHEIM – ‘Gates Of Damnation’
The brothers know their shit. This is proper dirty, gritty, malicious metal. Open the gates of Damnaaaaaaaaation!