From being one of the most hated early thrash bands to one of the most cult, Italy’s BULLDOZER forged their own path throughout the ‘80s, burning the rule books along the way. From being signed to Roadrunner, almost collaborating with King Diamond and inspiring The Prodigy. GUY STRACHAN relives those days of wrath with frontman AC WILD

Before the release of ‘Reign In Blood’, thrash metal was generally treated as a bad joke by much of the mainstream media. Bathory, Voivod, Hellhammer, Sodom and even Slayer themselves received at least one vicious slaughtering from at least one major metal magazine during their tentative years, but there was one band who, perhaps more than any other, was on the receiving end of continual, indescribably harsh criticism (such as Kerrang!’s “the worst band ever”) that commenced with their debut 7″ and taking until the band’s fourth LP before they finally received some grudging respect outside of their fan base. That band was Italy’s Bulldozer who, after calling it quits as the ‘80s ended, surprisingly picked up the baton again in 2009 with the release of ‘Unexpected Fate’. “We had several requests from fans but Andy [Panigada, guitars] and I were conscious that we could … Read More

Hitting us with a last minute contender for album of the year, the latest offering from Uppsala hard rock legion Noctum, ‘Final Sacrifice’, has been the soundtrack to this issue. It’s way more Mercyful Fate than people accuse their neighbours In Solitude of, but with their own twist of classic heavy metal and doom intricately weaved into addictive and masterfully crafted songs. If you’re lamenting Ghost’s move away from the classic rock template and into disco territory then here’s your salvation. So we’re surprised when bassist Tobias Rosén admits that before the band started in 2009 he didn’t play any instrument. “We all went to the same school and since I wanted to start my first band I asked David [Indelöf, guitars] if he was up to it and well, here we are,” he says. Five years on he’s mastered the four strings, telling Iron Fist that, “The dedication, desire and danger that heavy metal brings fuels me in a way that I’ve never experienced in any other aspect in my life.”

About the new album, he also admits that, “I was sitting down listening to ‘The Wall’ by Pink Floyd and read ‘Black Cat’ by [Edgar Allan] Poe and just … Read More

With albums from Atlantean Kodex, Argus and Age Of Taurus riding high in our albums of the year lists, and of course the final ever album from the true masters, Cathedral, it seems that traditional doom, steeped in the roots of heavy metal, is, once again, genre du jour, and now Esslingen’s Mountain Throne are joining the ranks with their debut album ‘Stormcoven’ on Cyclone Empire. Forming in 2009 guitarist A tells Iron Fist that he, “always wanted to have a band playing this ancient kind of metal” and had been writing songs in that vein for years. Drummer J joins A in the doom band Mirror Of Deception, while cracking singer F and bassist S are in the power metal band From Beyond, so the cachet is hot for this German four-piece. When asked what attracted them to the traditional doom genre, A says firmly, “It’s the choice of champions really, isn´t it? There is a sense of a tradition… knowing where things came from and how they developed. Real heavy metal and classic hard and heavy rock are incredibly soulful. In real metal you definitely have that spirit. For me, this magic is epitomised in the songs of … Read More

Virginia biker doom punks SATAN’S SATYRS have been one of the standout bands of 2013, espousing the same traditional values and old school spirit as Iron Fist. So, it was no surprise that our boss Will Palmer signed them up for his new label BAD OMEN. With a new album ready to go in early 2014, DAVE SHERWOOD talked to CLAYTHANAS about the creation of a new breed of wild beast

Some of you are probably thinking “Satan’s Satyrs? What? Who?” And rightly so. Well, continue reading and you’ll know more about them than those already in the know. With their second studio album soon to be unleashed by Bad Omen records in early 2014, Satan’s Satyrs are still an unknown force within the heavy metal community. However they go beyond heavy metal, beyond doom, beyond punk. All the elements that in fact create their monster sound. The bringer of evil, Claythanas (or Clayton to his friends), describes the band as “almost like a spectacle.” And this is not far from the reality of things. Fixated on the heavy side of ‘60s and ‘70s rock music and the darker side of NWOBHM, Satan’s Satyrs bring to the table a prestigious element … Read More

Even if they only had their first ever rehearsal back in December 2012, Possession are already making a stir in the underground with their debut demo ‘His Best Deceit’. Pressed initially on tape (at 666 copies of course) and now available on CD courtesy of Invictus Productions, this quartet led by Mestema on vocals are completed by Viriakh (bass), I.Dveikus (guitars) and PzKpfw (drums).

Performing a hybrid of thrash, black and death with shrieking vocals that betrays none of its Belgium roots, Possession are adamant about how “spontaneous” the whole thing has been from day one. “We recorded our demo live in the studio because we didn’t feel like spending hours overdubbing minor sound issues and mistakes,” specifies Mestema. “Instead of that, we thought that the bestiality and the energy of our music were far more important things to capture. We think this example clearly shows the way we see our band: we try to work seriously but we refuse to let some details turn into some exhausting pain in the ass. We wouldn’t call ourselves thrash or even black thrash but still we can understand why some people tend to label us as thrash. At the end of the … Read More

For a band with a reputation for a colossal sounding live show, the first thing about Shooting Guns’ second psychedelic doom opus ‘Brotherhood Of The Ram’ that grabs you isn’t its heaviness, but the pure grime and grit that emanates from its vinyl grooves. Then again, bucking trends seems to fit this instrumental quintet well: their self-released debut ‘Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976’ was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize (Canada’s equivalent of the Mercury), and ‘Brotherhood’ sold out its first pressing instantly.

“The tracks dictated volume and filth,” explains guitarist Chris Laramee. “When I got the test pressing home, I thought there was something wrong with my stereo. I’d also dropped it in the road before I got it home. The mastered version was dirtier than the final mixes, which is always a pleasant surprise. The material at hand deserved a rough slap and we gave it as big a shot as possible.”

Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in the middle of the Great Plains and far removed from any like-minded scene, Shooting Guns’ isolation, along with an obsession with doom, psychedelic rock, krautrock and space rock, has yielded a unique hybrid sound, which Laramee is quick to point out is … Read More

Flight is the latest collaboration to emerge out of Norway’s ‘Kolbotn Thrashers Union’; a comical term invented some time ago to support the mass of talent in this mystic part of Norge. Flight shares its members with those in Condor, Gouge, Purple Hill Witch, Mion’s Hill and Mabuse. Bass player and co-founder, Jonas Bye tells us about the formation of the band: “We always drink beer and listen to Judas Priest. I guess the idea of Flight came naturally because we weren’t playing in a heavy metal band at the time. It wasn’t really a conscious choice.” After having the pleasure of listening to Flight’s un-released rough demos, it is safe to say they are far more enriched in the rocky pre-NWOBHM sound. Jonas elaborates on their less-common played style of heavy metal; “We play what feels the best for us and we try to experiment a bit in that frame. It’s not like we try to make a blueprint of ’77 heavy metal. We are gripped by influences from all over. Nobody except Iron Maiden can be Iron Maiden”.

Talking with Jonas about the lack of distinctive band names today, unlike the original and self-explanatory bands such as Saxon … Read More

‘CHASING THE DREAM’ might be the name of their new album, but SKULL FIST  singer JACKIE SLAUGHTER has been living the dream since he moved to the big city of Toronto from his hick-town home aged 19. Yeah, he may have broken a few bones along the way but is showing no signs of slowing…

“I tried to do this handrail, and I hadn’t skated in a while so I somehow thought I was better than I was. I snapped a bone in my neck, right where it holds onto your head… Man, people always make that sound when I tell them.”

Fuck. Of all the hardcore things we’ve written about in Iron Fist that’s gotta be one of the grimmest, but we deserve it, after all we did ask the question; “So what exactly happened to delay the latest Skull Fist album?”

In true, care-free (some might say careless) abandon, Skull Fist founder, frontman and guitarist Jackie Slaughter is doing this interview by phone, while biking to work. “Biking, as in Motorbiking?” He laughs; “C’mon, I don’t have a motorbike. I hurt myself skateboarding, imagine a motorbike!”

Still, we’re not sure health and safety killjoys would recommend cycling while being interviewed, especially in downtown … Read More

Johnny Touch emerged from the graffiti-stained streets of downtown Melbourne, Australia. Comprising of various street-toughs from Stargazer, Cauldron Black Ram and Beyond Mortal Dreams, Johnny Touch is the heavy metal embrace for hooligans who, above all things, love heavy metal. If you like Riot, early-Ozzy, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Racer X and Dio, then chances are you are going to like Johnny Touch.

“Heavy Metal is important and defining in so many ways,” explains founder and drummer Denny. “Over 30 years of tradition, it is so important; the culture, the comradeship, the denim and the leather.”

Earlier this year and in the midst of recording the debut album, ‘Inner City Wolves’, bass player Inphiltraitor instigated an indefinite delay after finding himself under the wheels of a semi-trailer truck.

“This happened on the eve of recording his bass lines for the new album! He is currently undergoing rehab and will be home before the year’s end. We are currently putting together new songs and have whittled away at whatever we could for the album.” This has not quashed future plans for the band, as they set their sights on rival gang territory New Zealand. “Bigger stage shows, bigger hair, bigger crowds, bigger breasts. That’s it, and all.”

But … Read More

Pinpointing a certain sound to a geographical place has become almost impossible, mainly thanks to the internet and how it globally manipulates trends. So, it may be with some skepticism that people would meet WHIPSTRIKER, a Brazilian band. If someone told you that some of the most brutally honest metalpunk came from Rio, albeit tinged with the elixir of the metal gods, you’d probably tell them the next classic TNBM record would come from rural Ireland. However, living in Rio seems like living out a Discharge lyrics sheet, and Whipstriker mainman VICTOR took time out from his hectic recording schedule to talk about metal and life in Rio’s favelas. Historians can write what they like in their textbooks, but musicians (usually) tell the truth in their songs…                                                                                                                          

How did you get the name Whipstriker exactly? Victor Whipstriker: “I really don’t remember. I … Read More