Iron Maiden will return to North America this summer. Their ‘Book Of Souls’ world tour opened in Florida last February playing 14 sold-out shows in the USA and Canada along with a further 58 concerts in 34 other countries around the globe.

After ripping through Europe this Spring they’ll touch down in Bristow, VA on June 3 with Swedish occult doom cult Ghost.

The full list of dates are at www.IronMaiden.com

Steve Harris commented; “We are really looking forward to returning to North America for a full tour. We had always planned to go back there and to the UK as last year, due to the global nature of the tour and the period it took, we just didn’t have time to cover them properly and we do still like to get to fans in as many places as possible! So this year we’re able to reach many more cities in America, including a return to places Maiden haven’t played for many, many years like Lincoln Nebraska, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City and Oakland, California. We also welcome playing in Brooklyn for the first time. We will, of course, be bringing the full production with us including all the Eddies and the Maya-themed stage sets. … Read More

Better by name and better by nature, the occult clergy known as GHOST are back with their new album ‘MELIORA’, but have they left their underground spirit behind on album number three? The NAMELESS GHOUL doesn’t think so, and tells LOUISE BROWN that their rebellion against religion, society and the constraints of the scene that birthed them inspires them even more than ever

When we put Ghost on our cover of issue #4, two years ago, we already talked about them in terms of being “our band”, but “not for long”. The mysterious entity, who began their mission in 2010 with a 7” on the cult underground doom label, Iron Pegasus were quickly signed to Rise Above for their debut, ‘Opus Eponymous’ and the rest, as the cliché goes, is history. Going from strength to strength the band were hailed as a favourite of members of Metallica and Foo Fighters and signed onto Slayer’s management company. They left the underground in their dust, but not its ethos, not its attitude and certainly not its rebellious heart.

With a third album ‘Meliora’ (latin for “better”, an apt name indeed) out this summer, sounding more avant garde tinged AOR than true doom, we met … Read More

It’s apt that issue 4 of Iron Fist came out in that twilight zone between the beginning of Spring and Easter, a time of death and rebirth.

Because that’s what this issue feels like. When we came up with the idea for Iron Fist we knew we would give it a shot at three issues, see what the reaction was and who knew? We might not have even made it this far. But you, the readers, have been so supportive and it’s thanks to you that there is an issue 4, and will be an issue 5 and beyond. We owe you. Remember this is as much your zine as ours so get yourself onto our Facebook page and tell us what bands you want to see interviewed in future tomes.

This is also the most personal issue of the mag so far. On January 22, The Devil’s Blood announced they were calling it a day, and as one of my favourite modern bands I was obviously crushed by the news. But after talking to their founder and architect Selim Lemouchi, he offered the opportunity to give Iron Fist the most definitive interview about their split and give us some hope about … Read More

Their second album quickly became eBay gold. Their first gig was sold out in minutes. They’ve been invited personally by Electric Wizard to play with them at Roadburn Festival. Who the fuck are UNCLE ACID AND THE DEADBEATS and what’s behind the hype? 

With songs like ’13 Candles’ and ‘Ritual Knife’, last year’s hot album, ‘Blood Lust’, by mysterious cult Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats perhaps came at the wrong time for a modest, shy musician from Cambridge who didn’t want any fuss made over his band. The man who we know only as KR didn’t set out to be an occult rock sensation, nor did he want to be the new Ghost, but in the mad scramble for anything resembling the nameless ghouls set in motion a frenzy that is unseen in today’s apathetic music world. Blame our coverstars if you want. No band, not in years, have warranted that much press hounding or label envy. But Ghost, like KR’s psychedelic hard rock mob, grew from the underground. They were both small, demo bands, making music only on their own whims, but they caught a zeitgeist and things went bat-shit crazy.

Ghost were first, in 2010, and then all those … Read More

Doro’s got a contender for most famous bum in metal. Recently the social networks have been in awe of the designs (and derriere) of Canadian seamstress Sharon Ehman and her label Toxic Vision. Inspired by King Diamond, Venom, Bathory, Iron Maiden and Saxon we had to track her down and talk to her about her love of denim and leather.

Hi Sharon, when did you begin to start tinkering with your own designs and why? “Everyone has the choice to create their own world or live in someone else’s. There was never a specific moment when I sat down and articulated what I was going to do for the rest of my life, it just happened naturally. At 17 years old, I knew I had a hunger to create something of my own. Toxic Vision is the world I have created for myself. I think having the courage to break the mould is a very powerful tool that will inspire others to live their lives for themselves. Many people fear the cauldron, they dip their fingers into it and back away from the heat. I believe you should fully submerge yourself and hold your breath to the very end.”

What is it that … Read More