Hellhammer
Formed: 1982
From:
Switzerland
Last Known Status: Disbanded
Latest Hellhammer News
Below is our complete Hellhammer news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Displaying records 21 - 28 of 28 1 2 Last
Book On Norwegian Black Metal Due In May
American documentary photographer Peter Beste's book "True Norwegian Black Metal" will be issued on May 15 via Vice Books.
In the last two decades a bizarre and violent musical subculture called black metal has emerged in Norway. It has its roots in a heady blend of splatter movies, heavy metal music, Satanism, Pagan mythology and adolescent angst. In the early-mid 1990s, members of this extremist underground committed murder, burned down medieval wooden churches, and desecrated graveyards. What started as juvenile frenzy came to symbolize the start of a war against Christianity, a return to the worship of the ancient Norse gods, and the complete rejection of mainstream society.
Peter Beste has spent the last eight years working in the milieu of this insulated and secretive community. Beste's access and insight has been absolutely without precedent, resulting in an amazing photographic journey. Beste has earned the respect and trust of this impenetrable, suspicious and often elitist community. With each visit Beste saw more, photographed more and eventually accumulated enough material for this book. "True Norwegian Black Metal" is a visual testimonial to this subculture. Peter Beste and editor Johan Kugelberg have created a unique photographic narrative that explores black metal from a truly visceral perspective.
With extensive contributions from the personal archive of Jon "Metalion" Kristiansen, publisher of the original Norwegian black metal publication Slayer magazine, a unique opportunity is here presented to see original artifacts and ephemera from this secluded rock community, and to read accounts of these events in the words of the people who were actually there at the time.
"True Norwegian Black Metal" offers confrontational live performance photographs of a savage subculture set alongside the stark beauty and natural allure of a landscape often shrouded in darkness.
The book is comprised of:
* 160 pages of photographs of the following bands/individuals: Nocturno Culto and Fenriz of DARKTHRONE; Necrobutcher, Hellhammer, Blasphemer, and Maniac of MAYHEM; Samoth of EMPEROR; Frost of SATYRICON; ENSLAVED; Abbath of IMMORTAL; Gaahl, Infernus, King, and Kvitrafn of GORGOROTH; Nattefrost of CARPATHIAN FOREST; 1349; DIMMU BORGIR; ILDJARN; AURA NOIR; and many more
* Interviews/quotes from Frost (1349), Abbath (IMMORTAL), Fenriz (DARKTHRONE), Gaahl (GORGOROTH)
* Essay by authors and Jon "Metalion" Kristiansen, publisher of the original Norwegian black metal publication Slayer magazine, including 32 pages of original artifacts, photographs, ephemera, and personal accounts by black metal's key figures from Krisiansen's personal archive."
For more information, visit www.peterbeste.com.
Beste has scheduled a photo exhibition beginning May 8 at Steven Kasher Gallery in New York City, with London, Stockholm, Oslo, Berlin, Los Angeles shows to follow.
Peter Beste on Norway's NRK talking about his black metal pictures: More...
Hellhammer Post 'Blood Insanity' Track Online
With the release of "Demon Entrails" on February 26 in the U.S. the days of numerous sub-standard bootlegs of the classic HELLHAMMER demos "Death Fiend", "Triumph of Death" and "Satanic Rites" are finally over!
The track "Bloody Insanity" can now be streamed online at this location.
The new versions did not come without their fair share of controversy, as HELLHAMMER mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer states: "25 years after the recording sessions for HELLHAMMER's legendary demos, HELLHAMMER is still as controversial as ever. The print shop supplying our German vinyl manufacturer refused to print the gatefold sleeve, as well as the inner sleeves of the triple vinyl of the 'Demon Entrails' release, due to the satanic content. The print shop in question is the only one in Germany able to print the special kind of gatefold sleeve required by the format used for 'Demon Entrails'. As a result of this unexpected circumstance, the gatefold sleeve and inner sleeves are now printed in the UK." More...
Controversy Arises Over Hellhammer Artwork
Century Media Records reports:
With the release of Demon Entrails on February 26th in the US the days of numerous sub-standard bootlegs of the classic HELLHAMMER demos Death Fiend, Triumph Of Death and Satanic Rites are finally over!
However, the new versions did not come without it's fair share of controversy as Tom Gabriel Fischer states: “25 years after the recording sessions for Hellhammer’s legendary demos, Hellhammer is still as controversial as ever. The print shop supplying our German vinyl manufacturer refused to print the gatefold sleeve, as well as the inner sleeves of the triple vinyl of the Demon Entrails release, due to the satanic content. The print shop in question is the only one in Germany able to print the special kind of gatefold sleeve required by the format used for Demon Entrails. As a result of this unexpected circumstance, the gatefold sleeve and inner sleeves are now printed in the UK."
Demon Entrails has been specially re-mastered from copies of the original master tapes under the supervision of Fischer, and the demos now represent Hellhammer exactly as the band sounded when recording these songs in June and December of 1983. Drawing from a wealth of previously unknown historical liner-notes material and artwork as well as plenty of unreleased Hellhammer photos from 1982 to 1984, Demon Entrails features all lyrics and essays detailing the individual demo recording sessions.
Demon Entrails will also be available as an opulent oversized double CD media-book packaging and as a gatefold triple vinyl album. Both versions will feature a lavish booklet and a poster. These versions will not be available in stores and the only place to order them would be directly through www.cmdistro.com
The bare-bones lower-price CD version will be the only version made available to retail stores. To check out the artwork and some rare Hellhammer photos as well as discover more info on this release, visit the following official Hellhammer website at www.hellhammer.org or go to www.myspace.com/hellhammerband for further details.
Celtic Frost Mainman Speaks On Hellhammer
CELTIC FROST frontman Thomas Gabriel Fischer recently discussed the difficulties he and bassist Martin Ain have had in coming to terms with the legacy of their former band HELLHAMMER. Speaking to the UK's Zero Tolerance magazine about the forthcoming Century Media release "Demon Entrails", which brings together HELLHAMMER's legendary demos, the Swiss guitarist/ vocalist said: "It took many years, and for us to grow into older men, for us to actually be able to analyze HELLHAMMER properly and look at this band in the context that it deserves... The fact of the matter is that it took me years to feel at ease with some of the things that we wrote back then. The situation at the time was horrible. [My] youth defies description — there are things that happened then that I haven't told anybody, not even my ex-wife of 16 years. But I'm now 43 years old and it's taken that long for me to feel comfortable publicly talking about that. It was horrible at the time and my situation, and Martin's rather similar situation, led us to do some radical music and radical lyrics. And later when we became adults it was rather difficult for us to live with that legacy because we had yelled that desperation out of our bodies and become professional musicians. Then the press started to cover our work and then we were faced with the fact that everybody talked about this image and these lyrics. That wasn't very easy for us to accept and it took a long time for me to look at it, as I do now, as a period in my life that was very important to me and to be at ease with that. Now I have put all these lyrics in the reissue and commented on them and even though some of them are nothing to be proud about, I'm proud of HELLHAMMER as a whole. This was my reality, this was my life."
Issue 021 of Zero Tolerance magazine goes on sale on January 15. Joining HELLHAMMER inside are HATE ETERNAL, DEICIDE, FOREFATHER and ROTTEN SOUND, not to mention a preview of 2008, complete with a swash-buckling shipping forecast courtesy of Scottish pirates ALESTORM, a free 16-track covermount CD and much more.
Due on February 18, 2008, "Demon Entrails" has been specially remastered from copies of the original master tapes under the supervision of Tom Gabriel Fischer, and the demos now represent HELLHAMMER exactly as the band sounded when recording these songs in June and December of 1983. Drawing from a wealth of previously unknown historical liner notes material and artwork as well as plenty of unreleased HELLHAMMER photos from 1982 to 1984, "Demon Entrails" features all lyrics and essays detailing the individual demo recording sessions.
Here is the tracklisting information for the CD formats of the release:
HELLHAMMER - "Demon Entrails" 2-CD track listing:
CD 1: "Satanic Rites" Demo, December 2/3/4/7, 1983 (45:57)
01. Intro (0:58)
02. Messiah (4:18)
03. The Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation) (3:02)
04. Buried And Forgotten (6:01)
05. Maniac [re-recorded version] (3:46)
06. Eurynomos (3:10)
07. Triumph Of Death [re-recorded version] (6:58)
08. Revelations Of Doom (3:03)
09. Reaper [re-recorded version] (2:28)
10. Satanic Rites (7:18)
11. Crucifixion [re-recorded version] (2:45)
12. Outro (2:01)
CD 2: "Death Fiend & Triumph Of Death" Demos, June 10/11, 1983 (56:18)
01. Crucifixion (3:04)
02. Maniac (4:01)
03. (Execution) When Hell's Near (2:38)
04. Decapitator (2:07)
05. Blood Insanity (4:22)
06. Power Of Satan (4:11)
07. Reaper (2:06)
08. Death Fiend (2:35)
09. Triumph Of Death (5:15)
10. Metallic Storm (2:19)
11. Ready For Slaughter (3:36)
12. Dark Warriors (3:03)
13. Hammerhead (2:48)
14. Angel Of Destruction (2:58)
15. Bloody Pussies (4:59)
16. Chainsaw (3:58)
17. Sweet Torment (2:09)
"Demon Entrails" will be available as an opulent oversized double CD media-book packaging and as a gatefold triple vinyl album. Both versions will feature a lavish booklet and a poster. There will also be a third, bare-bones lower-price CD version.
To check out the artwork and some rare HELLHAMMER photos as well as discover more info on this release, visit www.hellhammer.org.
Hellhammer Album Details Revealed
The following message has been posted by Celtic Frost:
With the release of "Demon Entrails" on February 18, 2008 the days of numerous sub-standard bootlegs of the classic Hellhammer demos "Death Fiend", "Triumph of Death" and "Satanic Rites" are finally over! Currently also working on a book dealing with the history of Hellhammer, founder Tom Gabriel Fischer points out the importance of this release:
"The release of these demos is very significant to both Martin Eric Ain and me. No matter how one looks at Hellhammer, this was our first recorded music so many years ago, and it represents the radicalness of our own lives at the time. These demos became the foundation to everything we later created in Celtic Frost. Hell reigned on earth."
"Demon Entrails" has been specially re-mastered from copies of the original master tapes under the supervision of Tom Gabriel Fischer, and the demos now represent Hellhammer exactly as the band sounded when recording these songs in June and December of 1983. Drawing from a wealth of previously unknown historical liner-notes, material and artwork, as well as plenty of unreleased Hellhammer photos from 1982 to 1984, "Demon Entrails" features all lyrics and essays detailing the individual demo recording sessions.
Here is the tracklisting information for the CD format of the release:
Hellhammer – “Demon Entrails” 2-CD Tracklisting:
CD 1: "Satanic Rites" Demo, December 2/3/4/7, 1983 (45:57)
1. Intro (0:58)
2. Messiah (4:18)
3. The Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation) (3:02)
4. Buried And Forgotten (6:01)
5. Maniac [re-recorded version] (3:46)
6. Eurynomos (3:10)
7. Triumph Of Death [re-recorded version] (6:58)
8. Revelations Of Doom (3:03)
9. Reaper [re-recorded version] (2:28)
10. Satanic Rites (7:18)
11. Crucifixion [re-recorded version] (2:45)
12. Outro (2:01)
CD 2: "Death Fiend & Triumph Of Death” Demos, June 10/11, 1983 (56:18)
1. Crucifixion (3:04)
2. Maniac (4:01)
3. (Execution) When Hell's Near (2:38)
4. Decapitator (2:07)
5. Blood Insanity (4:22)
6. Power Of Satan (4:11)
7. Reaper (2:06)
8. Death Fiend (2:35)
9. Triumph Of Death (5:15)
10. Metallic Storm (2:19)
11. Ready For Slaughter (3:36)
12. Dark Warriors (3:03)
13. Hammerhead (2:48)
14. Angel Of Destruction (2:58)
15. Bloody Pussies (4:59)
16. Chainsaw (3:58)
17. Sweet Torment (2:09)
"Demon Entrails" will be available as an opulent oversized double CD media-book packaging and as a gatefold triple vinyl album. Click here to view each version. Both versions will feature a lavish booklet and a poster. There will also be a third, bare-bones lower-priced CD version. To check out the artwork and some rare Hellhammer photos as well as discover more info on this release, visit the official Hellhammer website at www.Hellhammer.org or go to www.myspace.com/Hellhammerband for further details!
Hellhammer Launch 'Burial' Site
In connection with the February and spring 2008 releases of "Demon Entrails" and "Only Death is Real: An Illustrated History of Hellhammer and Early Celtic Frost", an official HELLHAMMER burial site has been dug at www.hellhammer.org. Visitors will find, among other things, an appropriately detailed eulogy written by metal journalist Bernard Doe, a decisive discography with cover art and nearly a dozen rare and hi-res photos that capture the band's raw energy. Feel free to pay your respects to a band that forever changed the landscape of heavy music and continue to influence musicians across all genres. More...
Celtic Frost Frontman Talks About Hellhammer Book
CELTIC FROST mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer has issued the following update:
"In the course of the past three weeks, while working on the manuscript of the HELLHAMMER book, I ventured twice to the godless rural settings of Hellhammer's rise in the early 1980s. I encountered an area that had been changed, to the point of being mangled, by greed, ignorance, and egotism. This was hardly a revelation. I had always been made aware by the local inhabitants that they felt I was vastly mismatched among their mental and behavioral structures.
It was an experience of distinctly mixed emotions and recollections to visit the places where, so many years ago, we enwrapped ourselves with the darkness of Hellhammer's music in order to seek distance from a world we detested and refused to surrender to. Now, it all seems dead. The aura of these locations, once so pronounced, has all but disappeared, in spite of the inherent personal history. The building under which we rehearsed, the paths we walked uncounted times, the spots in the forests where we took our earliest photographs, they are all lifeless now, and there exists no trace of the untamed fire that once affected everybody and everything around us. And yet it is alive within ourselves."
Hellhammer To Release "Demon Entrails"
From the forthcoming book "Only Death is Real - An Illustrated History of Hellhammer and early Celtic Frost", by Tom Gabriel Fischer:
Hellhammer was much maligned, both during its existence and for years afterwards. It was maligned not only by much of the press and most of the metal audience, but also by me and several other former band members. It was, for a long time, difficult for most of us to come to terms with Hellhammer's often chaotic and radically varied legacy. Moreover, it was frequently very challenging to come to terms with how others interpreted Hellhammer and how they referred to and expanded upon what we had once created.
It took years for the accumulated unease to subside. It took years to disassociate ourselves from the perceived stigma, and to be able to properly evaluate Hellhammer within our own, very personal context. What many others knew long before me took quite a while for me to identify: that it was perfectly fair and overdue that we looked at Hellhammer realistically and in a manner sufficiently dignified to do justice to the work of a number of very unique people who shared the same vision at a very unique point in time.
There exist countless Hellhammer demo bootlegs, but they all utterly fail to capture the true aura, to represent the band as it actually was. They have been compiled from dismal multi-generation copies of the original tapes, and they are invariably riddled with factual and historical errors or outright lies. Former Hellhammer members Tom Gabriel Fischer, Martin Eric Ain, and Steve Warrior have decided to rectify this situation once and for all. "Demon Entrails" is the first official release of the legendary Hellhammer demos "Death Fiend"/"Triumph of Death" and "Satanic Rites" since the original limited cassette editions in 1983.
This release has been specially re-mastered from copies of the original master tapes under the supervision of Tom Gabriel Fischer, and the demos now represent Hellhammer exactly as the band sounded when recording these songs in June and December of 1983. Drawing from a wealth of previously unknown historical material and artwork as well as hundreds of unreleased Hellhammer photos from 1982 to 1984, "Demon Entrails" will also feature all lyrics and essays detailing the individual demo recording sessions.
"Demon Entrails" will be released as an opulent oversized double CD and as a gatefold triple vinyl album. Both versions will feature a lavish booklet and a poster. There will also be a third, bare-bones low-price CD version, designed to cater to markets which will not carry the standard CD due to its irregular size.
The release is scheduled for February 2008, through Prowling Death Records/Century Media.