In this issue of Iron Fist we celebrate the legacies and careers of two bands responsible for the progression of extreme music as we know it; CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM. Both celebrate 30 years of existence this year and both are still dabbling in the dark arts; Tom G Warrior with TRIPTYKON and Mayhem with their new album ‘Esoteric Warfare’.

In our cover story, Thomas Gabriel Fischer talks to Jim Martin about what drove him to create Hellhammer and the early Frost demos and how those same inspirations are channelled into his current work, while Kim Kelly talks to Necrobutcher and Attila Csihar about the formation, and dogged survival, of one of the most important bands still playing and creating heavy metal music today.

Talking of dogged survival, we also talk to maidens of metal, DORO and Ann Boleyn of HELLION about how they started their respective bands, Warlock and Hellion, and how nothing will get in their way as they continue to make music three decades after they begun. Elsewhere in the magazine we talk to AT THE GATES about their forthcoming album and reveal details of new works by 40 WATT SUN, GEHENNAH, Gaz Jennings (ex-Cathedral) and Phil Swanson (ex-Hour … Read More

THE TOWER’s guitarist August considers rock music “to be a zealously syncretic religion, a holy tradition that includes but is not limited to the metal community.” Consequently the Uppsala, Sweden, quartet’s debut ‘HIC ABUNDANT LEONES’ (‘here are lions in abundance’) effortlessly captures a pure guitar-led homage to all the best parts of rock music from the past 40 years. DARREN J. SADLER talks to three quarters of the band about the making of this future classic.

Tell us about the reason why you have called yourself The Tower. August (guitar): “The Tower has a very dramatic symbolism, as the tower of Babel, the tower in the Tarot. As such it describes a process that is at the heart of our band and also of rock music in general; the alternation between tension and release in the music, the hubris of a rock star rising to the top, and the soteriological catharsis of collapse and rebirth inherent in every good crescendo. Apart from that the Tower is also a place. The archetypal rehearsal room outside of space and time, where the spirits and Bacchants convene, the ivory tower of the plectrum-wielding disciples of Apollo, and the fortress that gives me shelter.” Erik (vocals): “We all are … Read More

“The Tower is a musical and spiritual expression stemming from the need to express and articulate the otherworldly, but also the need to groove and need to make common things magical.” Sweden is utterly relentless in its output of traditional hard rock, and the newest band bringing the summer of love (love of the devil, that is!) vibes to the Iron Fist stereo is The Tower. “Let that boy boogie-woogie; it’s in him and it’s gotta come out,” screams drummer Tommie. “We see ourselves as a cult, gang or family, and a strong bond is necessary if one is to move into the other worlds, and also the world of music. The Tower embraces the timeless, and thus we have no idea how long we have been doing this. The myth says we started in 1938, but our friends say we begun in earnest last summer. We see life as a magical theatre, and it gives us plenty of inspiration. We are also very influenced by old blues records and Link Wray, The Doors and Hellhammer. Fuzzed up guitars, ’60s bass and pounding drums. Soulful cacophony. We are working hard to capture the vibe that we create, and the dirt, … Read More