Metal History Through Fanzines

Sepultura (BZL)

Slayer #5 (Norway) 1987

Slayer #5 (Norway). 1987. Editor: “Metalion”

Fifth issue from long running, legendary Norwegian zine/”mag”…as only Metalion could deliver. Timely and historic features/reviews and interviews with Annihilator, Bathory, Black Uniforms, Mutilator, Aggression, Incubus, Kreator, Massacre, Mayhem, Mefisto, Messiah, Morbid Angel, Mutilator, Napalm Death, Nuclear Death, Obscurity, Poison (GER), Sabbat (YES!), Sadist, Sadus, Satan’s Holocaust, Schizo, Aggressor, Sepultura, Slaughter Lord, Slayer, Sodom, Soothsayer, Tribulation, Vulcano, Wehrmacht, and more…(thanks S.L.!)  ALSO SLAYER #5 and #7 ARE BOTH UP IN THE PDF DOWNLOADS SECTION NOW.

October 1, 2014 | Categories: Aggression (CAN), Annihilator (CAN), Demo Reviews, Incubus (US), Kreator (GER), Massacre (US), Mayhem (NOR), Mefisto (SWE), Messiah (SWZ), Morbid Angel (US), Mutilator (BRZ), Napalm Death (UK), Nuclear Death (US), Obscurity (SWE), Poison (GER), Reviews, Sabbat (UK), Sadus (US), Satan's Holocaust (GER), Schizo (IT), Sepultura (BZL), Slaughter Lord (AUS), Slayer (US), Slayer Zine (NOR), Sodom (GER), Soothsayer (CAN), Tribulation (SWE), Uncategorized, Vulcano (BRZ), Wehrmacht (US), Zine Reviews | 2 Comments

Phoenix Militia #7 (UK) 1987

Phoenix Militia #7 (UK) 1987. Editor: “Bill Steer”

Many thanks to Bernd B. again for a great contribution! This time it is the mega-classic from Bill Steer’s teenage years  –  be sure to check out the sincere and insightful editorial (btw this issue was photocopied and stapled 3 times from the front, which made it a very delicate operation to scan without splitting the pages, so some page-scans are unfortunately right on the border of the text). This issue features Bill’s influences heavily, stemming from both crossover/punk and metal, such as a very early demo-era incarnation of Napalm Death (before Bill was in the band), Hellbastard, an early interview with Jason Newsted (right after joining Metallica), Rapt, Desexult, Larm, Poison (GER) Anthrax, Discharge, Mace, Cryptic Slaughter and Extreme Noise Terror, plus write-ups and reviews on many others.

[edit Sept.27, 2016,  a note from a reader: just to give proper credits..Bill originally did a zine called “Violence & Force”, probably only 1 issue circa 1985. Pheonix Miltia/FTC was Pek and Middie’s creation..which they started in 1983 as a H.C. Punk zine but started covering Metal from the 5th issue on, Bill joined them at this point an maybe contributed the most in the later issues, but he didn’t start this fanzine.]

August 27, 2013 | Categories: Aggression (CAN), Anthrax (US), Celtic Frost (SWZ), Cryptic Slaughter (US), Demo Reviews, Desexult (DEN), Discharge (UK), Extreme Noise Terror (UK), Fanzines, Hellbastard (UK), Live Reviews, Mace (US), Metallica (US), Napalm Death (UK), News, Phoenix Militia (UK), Playlists, Poison (GER), Possessed (US), Repulsion (US), Reviews, Sepultura (BZL), Voivod (CAN), Zine Reviews | 4 Comments

Impulso Repulsivo #1 (Chile) 1989 (Español)

Impulso Repulsivo #1 (Chile) 1989 (Español). Editors: “Andrés Padilla” and “Cristian Gonzalez”

Another zine from the vibrant Chilean scene of the late 1980’s, also another one that Andrés Padilla had a hand in (presently of Grinder Magazine and the Underground Never Dies! book). Packed with interviews and reviews, a good cross-section of the scene at the time, in Spanish, but the layout is classic as well (even if you can not read the text). Features Acid Reign, Apparition, Atheist, Bloodfeast, Cynic, Deceased, Grave, Immolation, Revenant, Merciless, Nihilist, Morbid, Revelation, Sadus, Sepultura, Skeletal Earth, Soothsayer, Verbal Assault, and many more.

April 14, 2013 | Categories: Acid Reign (UK), Apparition (US), Atheist (US), Atomic Aggressor (CH), Autopsy (US), Blood Feast (US), Cynic (US), Deceased (US), Grave (SWE), Immolation (US), Impulso Repulsivo (CH) Español, Mega Mosh (GER), Merciless (SWE), Nihilist (SWE), Num Skull (US), Order From Chaos (US), Revelation (US), Revenant (US), Reviews, Rumble Militia (GER), Sadus (US), Sepultura (BZL), Skeletal Earth (US), Soothsayer (CAN), Uncategorized, Verbal Assault (US) | 1 Comment

Grind Zone #1 (Italy/Spain) ? 1994 (En Español)

Grind Zone #1 (Italy/Spain) ? 1994. Director: “Claudio Cubito” (En Español)

A somewhat mainstream Italian publication, translated into Spanish for Spain (and published by a German conglomerate!), yet containing many cult underground acts in their prime. This goes to show just how far the ‘underground’ was from being really underground by 1994 – only to collapse back into obscurity more or less by 1995-96. Features and interviews with Entombed, Cathedral, Asphyx, Burzum, Tiamat, Samael, Gorefest, Anathema, Amorphis, Cynic, In Flames, Doomstone, Dark Tranquillity, Expulsion, Misanthrope, Osmose Productions, Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Peaceville, Roadrunner, Death, Eucharist, Impaled Nazarene, Absu, Phlebotomized, Sadness, Schizo, Cradle of Filth, Mind Riot, Black Shine, and Sadist.

January 2, 2013 | Categories: Absu (US), Adverts, Amorphis (FIN), Anathema (UK), Asphyx (NL), Blackshine (SWE), Burzum (NOR), Cathedral (UK), Century Media Records, Cradle of Filth (UK), Cynic (US), Dark Tranquility (SWE), Death (US), Doomstone (US), Earache Records (UK), Entombed (SWE), Eucharist (SWE), Expulsion (SWE), Grind Zone (SP/IT), Holy Records, Impaled Nazarene (FIN), In Flames (SWE), Lucretia Records, Mind Riot (FIN), Misanthrope (FR), News, Nuclear Blast Records (GER), Osmose Productions (FR), Peaceville Records (UK), Phlebotomized (NL), Roadrunner Records (US), Sadist (IT), Sadness (SWZ), Schizo (IT), Sepultura (BZL) | 1 Comment

Blowing Thrash #3 (Chile) Sept/Oct, 1986

Blowing Thrash #3  (Chile) Sept/Oct, 1986. Editor: “Anton Reisenegger”

The third issue from 1986 (#2 is below), also put together from Anton Reisenegger of Chile’s cult early death metal outfit Pentagram (and currently in Lock Up). His first in English, it features another mini-Chilean national report, KILLER interviews with SOD (Scott Ian), Detente, Sepultura and more interviews and/or (mostly) features on COC, DRI, Massacre, Morbid Angel, Watchtower, Wehrmacht, Master, Anvil Bitch, Holy Terror, Cryptic Slaughter, Death Angel, Agnostic Front, Voivod, Necrophagia, Volcano, Overdose, Blood Feast, Deathrow, and more.

September 17, 2012 | Categories: Aggression (CAN), Agnostic Front (US), Anvil Bitch (US), Blood Feast (US), Blowing Thrash (CH) (Español), Chile Scene Report, Corrosion of Conformity (US), Cryptic Slaughter (US), D.R.I. (US), Death Angel (US), Deathrow (GER), Detente (US), Holy Terror (US), Massacre (US), Master (US), Morbid Angel (US), Mordred (US), Mutilator (BRZ), Necrophagia (US), News, Playlists, Reviews, Sepultura (BZL), SOD (US), Voivod (CAN), Vulcano (BRZ), Watchtower (US), Wehrmacht (US) | Leave a comment

Blackthorn #4 (Denmark) 1986

Blackthorn  #4 (Denmark) 1986. Editors: “Esben Sorensen and Henk Leviathan”

Ahh, Nasty Savage in full Technicolor on the cover! This issue was limited to 2000 copies, and is printed on the “A4” size standard (I think) in Europe at the time, stapled, with a nice original full-color pic of a young Mille from Kreator on the back (taken live in Copenhagen by a guy named Peter Markham). Highlights for this issue include an insightful Voivod interview right around when “RRROOOAAARRR” came out (coupled with intimate photos taken by Monte Connor, who later would become a dude at Roadrunner Records), features on demo-era Sepultura, Legacy (Testament), Holy Terror, Annihilator, Massacre,  interviews with Canadian tyrants Exciter and Razor, as well as Netherlands’ Thanatos, and a number of reviews on rare and long forgotten underground releases. LASTLY- there is a Megadeth merch order form circa “Killing is My Business…” !

 

April 28, 2012 | Categories: Adverts, Aggression (CAN), Annihilator (CAN), Assassin (GER), Blackthorn Zine (DEN), Demo Reviews, Dream Death (US), Exciter (CAN), Holy Terror (US), Kreator (GER), Legacy (US), Massacre (US), Megadeth (US), Nasty Savage (US), News, Playlists, Razor (CAN), Reviews, Sepultura (BZL), Testament (US), Thanatos (NL), Voivod (CAN) | Leave a comment

The Book of Armageddon #4 (NY, USA) 1989

The Book of Armageddon #4 (NY, USA) 1989, Editor: “Ed Farshtey”

This week I have the fourth and final issue of Ed Farshtey’s “Book of Armageddon.” Ed was entrenched in the New York metal scene throughout the 80s to the 90s, from ‘heavy’ metal, to thrash, to death, and even ended up working at Roadrunner when they were signing all the classic death metal acts around 1990. This issue features Armoros  (who had a pre-Strapping Young Lad Jed Simon), as well as a lengthy interview with Dark Angel right as “Leave Scars” dropped. Speaking of Dark Angel, there is a review of the classic “Ultimate Revenge 2” show in Philadelphia…poor Raven!!!(among numerous other great live reviews). Also,  interviews with Gargoyle, pre-“Beneath the Remains” Sepultura (where they discuss their 7-album (!) deal with Roadrunner), Voivod!, and the underrated Prime Evil.

I had a chance to catch up with Ed this week, so here is a bit from him, in his own words…also check out the interview with him from Metalcore zine here.

“I started the Book of Armageddon in 1985 with my friend Mark Sokoll. Back then we just began contacting different bands we were into, like Death, Celtic Frost, Bathory and Dark Angel, just for the hell of it. Then, when a bunch of them actually got back to us, we decided to put out the zine. The Book of Armageddon was available around the city, in places like It’s Only Rock and Roll, Bleecker Bob’s, Venus Records, Butterfly, Slipped Disc on Long Island, Generation Records, etc, and I would also send them out of state, to places like Ace’s Records in Tampa and Wild Rags in LA.

I would sell them at shows, like back in the day at L’Amours in Brooklyn. We would show up there at like twelve in the afternoon, hang out all day and meet the bands. We would bring copies of the zine, and hope to sell them fast, because if we had to hold on to them all night they would end up getting ripped up. Nearly all the metal shows at the time would go through L’Amours, but there were a few other places like Studio 54, The Ritz, and Irving Plaza, and even CBGB’s would sometimes do a metal show. But at L’Amours it seemed every week there was a big metal show coming through.

By early 1990, I stopped doing the zine when I began working at Roadrunner Records. That was the best time to work at the label. I knew half of the bands that were getting signed then, like Malevolent Creation, Suffocation, Immolation, Sorrow and Gorguts. Those were excellent times, meeting bands like Pestilence and Sepultura, and getting to work with them too! ” – Ed Farshtey

October 7, 2011 | Categories: Adverts, Armoros (CAN), Atrophy (US), Dark Angel (US), Eviction (US), Gargoyle (US), Holy Terror (US), Live Reviews, MX Machine (US), Num Skull (US), P.M.S. (US), Playlists, Prime Evil (US), Realm (US), Roadrunner Records (US), Sepultura (BZL), The Book of Armageddon (US), Ultimate Revenge Part 2, Uncategorized, Voivod (CAN) | 2 Comments

METAL MELTDOWN ZINE (Maryland, USA) Apr/May 1989

Metal Meltdown Apr/May 1989. Vol 3, No. 1. (Maryland, USA), Editor: Jeff “Kluke” VanderClute.

Another issue from “the infernal wastelands” of Maryland -the best local mag we had in my opinion, one that introduced me to heaps of new music at the time. Typed, bound and (pro?) printed, this 1989 issue features a humorous, extensive interview with Wehrmacht, as well Metal Church (post-Wayne), Max from Sepultura (in unedited, Portuguese-accented glory-pre-Beneath the Remains), Dark Angel (with Gene Hoglan from Oct. 1988), Helstar, and none other than Ian Christe contributing a long, informative interview with Steve Martin from Agnostic Front.

 

August 9, 2011 | Categories: Adverts, Agnostic Front (US), Dark Angel (US), Helstar (US), Metal Church (US), Metal Meltdown Zine (US), News, Playlists, Sepultura (BZL), Wehrmacht (US) | Leave a comment

Deathcheese Zine #1 (USA) 1991

Deathcheese Zine #1 (USA) 1991. Editor: Brian Hellfarmer

This was a stapled, photocopied zine out of Oxnard, California, that also had Richard Johnson (Enemy Soil, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Drugs of Faith) as a writer/interviewer, and as such features not just my DC-area hometown band Abominog, but also some interviews culled from shows I attended back then, like the incredible ‘some tours were meant to stay underground’ tour in Nov and Dec 1990 (WASH, DC was DEC 7th, 1990) that featured Sepultura, Obituary, and Sadus. The interviews here with Sepultura and Sadus are from that tour and feature some timeless commentary. Also we have 2 separate interviews with Morbid Angel just before the release of “Blessed are the Sick.” Additionally there is a cool interview with James Murphy when he was in Obituary. A very text-heavy zine, but that is where the gold lies with this one!

May 22, 2011 | Categories: Abominog (US), Autopsy (US), Cannibal Corpse (US), Dark Angel (US), Deathcheese Zine (US), Demo Reviews, Godflesh (UK), Morbid Angel (US), Obituary (US), Sadistic Intent (US), Sadus (US), Sepultura (BZL) | 3 Comments