Metal History Through Fanzines

Rage (GER)

Loud ‘N’ Proud #1 (East Germany) 1990 (auf Deutsch)

Loud ‘N’ Proud #1 (East Germany) 1990. Editor: “Andreas Schoewe” (auf Deutsch)

“Das Erste Hard Rock und Heavy Metal Journal der DDR” – Nice historical gem here. I was told (and it is also stated in the contents/credits) that this was the first hard rock/metal zine to come from the former East Germany (Rostock-Deutsche Demokratische Republik or DDR/GDR) prior to reunification. It appears it might be true, because for some reason this issue has a number of photos ‘redacted'(?), so perhaps it was censored before it was released? Who knows. Anyways, great snapshot of the German scene in the late 1980s with some Noise Records bands and others including Accept, B.O.R.N., Bonfire, Defcon, Hardholz, Kreator, Lanadrid, Mephisto, Noisehunter, Rage, Running Wild, Scorpions, Titan, U.D.O., Vice and a review of the X-Mas Metal Meeting in Dusseldorf  on December 19, 1989, that featured Manowar, Saxon, Fates Warning, Sabbat and Lizzy Borden, plus album reviews. (Thanks to N. Barsch for sharing).

 

 

September 11, 2017 | Categories: Accept (GER), Fates Warning (US), Kreator (GER), Lizzy Borden (US), Loud 'N' Proud (GDR), Manowar (US), Noise Records (GER), Rage (GER), Reviews, Running Wild (GER), Sabbat (UK), UDO (GER), Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Thrash Em All (Poland) 2/1989

Thrash Em All  (Poland) 2/1989 (in Polish) Editor: “Mariusz Kmiolek”

Another issue of Thrash Em All from Poland. Again, not really a “zine” I know, but for historical purposes, it is still a pretty cool insight into the east block scene. Features a mix of Polish bands and Western (I wish I could read that MOD interview…!) Anyways,  interviews and features on Bulldozer, Ciecie Kata, Cliff Burton, Despair, Rage, Gomor, MOD, Massacra, Deathrow, Napalm, Napalm Death, School of Violence, Piotr Mankowski, Sabbat, Smirnoff (YES, the BAND!? who are still active), Samael and more…

 

October 6, 2015 | Categories: Bulldozer (IT), Deathrow (GER), Demo Reviews, Despair (GER), Exodus (US), Live Reviews, Massacra (FR), Metallica (US), Midas Touch (SWE), MOD (US), Motorhead (UK), Napalm (US), News, Playlists, Polish Scene Report, Rage (GER), Reviews, Sabbat (UK), School of Violence (US), Smirnoff (POL), Thrash Em All (Poland) (Polish), Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Battlefield #6 (GER) 1986 (auf Deutsch)

Battlefield #6 (GER) 1986. Editors: “Armin Nolzen” and “Bernd Backhaus” (auf Deutsch)

Speed/thrash/crossover classic zine from Germany, a mid-80s DIY beast with interviews and write-ups on many great bands in their demo-days/first album-era – including Detente, Death, Onslaught, Heresy, Concrete Sox, Holy Terror, Lethal Aggression, Assassin, Poison (Ger), Excel, Desexult, Kreator/Destruction/Rage live review, Negazione, Sacrifice, Schizo, Voivod, Heathen, Raw Power and more (THX B.B.!).

September 26, 2013 | Categories: Assassin (GER), Battlefield (GER), Death (US), Desexult (DEN), Destruction (GER), Detente (US), Excel (US), Holy Terror (US), Kreator (GER), Lethal Aggression (US), Live Reviews, Negazione (IT), Onslaught (UK), Poison (GER), Rage (GER), Raw Power (IT), Reviews, Sacrifice (CAN), Schizo (IT), Thanatos (NL), Voivod (CAN), Wehrmacht (US) | 2 Comments

Totentanz #2 (Germany) 1988 (auf Deutsch)

Totentanz #2 (Germany) 1988 (auf Deutsch) Editor: “Arno Brettraeger” (+Mitarbeiter: Thomas Hanzen)

A nice one from Germany (thanks much to B.B. for this great classic from the late 80’s!). If you can read German, you are in luck, if not, still some great content..check out the early Nuclear Blast ad for example, back when the label was punk (!) Features/interviews with the likes of Assassin, At War, Coroner, Deathrow, Solitude, Living Death, Revelation, Rage, Poltergeist, Tanakard, Voivod, and much more…

July 19, 2013 | Categories: Aaarrg Records (GER), Assassin (GER), At War (US), Burnt Offering (US-IL), Coroner (SWZ), Deathcore (GER), Deathrow (GER), Desexult (DEN), Inhuman Conditions (GER), Living Death (GER), Nuclear Blast Records (GER), Poltergeist (SWTZ), Rage (GER), Revelation (US), Reviews, Solitude Aeturnus (US), Surgeon (GER), Tankard (GER), Totentanz (Ger) Auf Deutsch, Toxic Shock (GER), Voivod (CAN) | 1 Comment

Metal Massacre #1 (Germany) 1984

Metal Massacre #1 (Germany) 1984 (in German/auf Deutsch). Editors: “Dieter Machleid” and “Mario Erceg”

A relic from the German heavy metal scene circa 1984. I did not see an actual date printed anywhere, but judging by the albums featured, I can safely say this was put together in the latter half of ’84, and might have seen an early 1985 release. Printed “auf Deutsch,” it covers a healthy number of German bands at the time, as well as international, including: Avenger (PRE-Rage), Grave Digger, Iron Maiden, one of the German Overkills (yes, there were two, popular name!), Running Wild, Savage (UK), Steeler (GER), Stormwitch, The Rods, Tokyo Blade, Trance, WARLOCK(!) and more. If you can not read German, have fun with the imagery…or use their playlists as a reference for your vinyl-hunting ‘must have’ exploits- cheers and thanks to B.B. for the contrib!

June 15, 2013 | Categories: Avenger (GER), Fact (GER), Grave Digger (GER), Iron Maiden (UK), Metal Massacre (GER-auf Deutsch), No Bros (AU), Playlists, Rage (GER), Reviews, Running Wild (GER), Savage (UK), Steeler (GER), Stormwitch (GER), The Rods (US), Tokyo Blade (UK), Trance (GER), Warlock (GER) | Leave a comment

Thrash Metal #2 (Spain) 1988 (En español)

Thrash Metal #2 (Spain) 1988. Editor: “Mariscal Romero” (En español)

Certainly not to be confused with other mags/zines with the same name, this was a pro-published magazine out of Spain from the late 80’s. The publisher was a company called “MC Editions” that had several publications, selling magazines like this and others in bookstores at the time. For the most part,  there was nothing really ‘underground’ in it, but as a historical/cultural artifact its pretty killer – features and interviews with Agnostic Front, Anthrax, Coroner, Death, Flotsam and Jetsam, Kreator, Leeway, Sabbat, Rage, Nuclear Assault, Slayer, Onslaught, Sodom, Suicidal Tendencies, Testament, Toranaga and Risk; plus additional focus on Spanish bands Fuck Off, Crom and Leviatan.

December 17, 2012 | Categories: Agnostic Front (US), Anthrax (US), Coroner (SWZ), Crom (SP), Death (US), Flotsam and Jetsam (US), Fuck Off (SP), Kreator (GER), Leeway (US), Leviatan (SP), Nuclear Assault (US), Onslaught (UK), Rage (GER), Risk (GER), Sabbat (UK), Slayer (US), Sodom (GER), Suicidal Tendencies (US), Testament (US), Thrash Metal (SP), Toranaga (UK) | Leave a comment

Metal Forces #20 (UK) 1986

Metal Forces #20 (UK) 1986. Editor: “Bernard Doe”

Once more, it’s a given that Metal Forces was certainly not a fanzine, yet it still deserves archival status. (As previously stated) the importance of the magazine for the development of the global underground and all ’extreme’ genres can not be understated – they covered many notable bands before any other press did, and were a reliable go-to source for news in the pre-internet era. Here I have issue #20, and to some extent I was forced to eliminate the posers from the scans, because as we know, SBMS has never supported poser bands and never will!!!!!!! (Just kidding…well, not really). This issue was put out at the end of 1986, so it features the news about Cliff Burton’s death, and even has a review of his last show with Metallica in Stockholm, Sweden (along with Anthrax) in the “Frontline” live reviews. Also there are live reviews from the Crumbsuckers/Carnivore, Destruction and Kreator. Interviews/features include Abattoir, Possessed, Destruction, Kreator, Overkill, and more, in addition to a fanzine list, penpal addresses, playlists, and news.

June 22, 2012 | Categories: Abattoir (US), Adverts, Anthrax (US), Carnivore (US), Kreator (GER), Metal Forces (UK), News, Noise Records (GER), Overkill (US), Playlists, Possessed (US), Rage (GER), Readers Poll, Slayer (US), The Crumbsuckers (US), The Mentors (US), Under One Flag (GER), Venom (UK), Zine Reviews | Leave a comment

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