Hellhammer was a band that solely lasted two years, however had a profound affect on excessive metallic. Solid within the early 1980’s, this was Tom Gabriel Fischer‘s (aka Tom G Warrior) first band that turned numerous heads however not fairly for all the fitting causes.
With their native Switzerland on the time extra targeted on extra conventional heavy metallic, Hellhammer was largely shunned by file labels, critics and promoters. As such, the band was by no means really capable of carry out dwell wherever of their now storied existence.
In more moderen years Tom G Warrior has put collectively a tribute band, entitled Triumph Of Death, that performs homage to the unique Hellhammer songs. The band has been capable of play plenty of festivals and has lastly garnered a substantial amount of help some forty years after their formation.
The band is poised to release their first ever live album, Resurrection of the Flesh, that was recorded over three festivals in 2023. We spoke with Tom G Warrior about Hellhammer and the legacy of Triumph Of Death.
Are you able to inform us what bands have been you listening to within the early eighties that influenced the sound of Hellhammer?
Properly, the rapid influences have been bands like Angel Witch, Discharge, and Venom. Largely bands from the New Wave of British heavy metallic, which on the time, in fact, represented the entire revolution in our scene. It was a metamorphosis within the Nineteen Seventies, arduous rock into one thing extra aggressive… extra trendy on the ears of again then. And, in fact, it fascinated us. A few of these bands have been fairly heavy and wild. Mainly the prototypes for the later excessive metallic. And that is actually what we beloved. That is what we had a ardour for.
How did you get launched to heavier bands like these in Switzerland on the time. I perceive there wasn’t numerous heavy or aggressive music on the market. How did you uncover a few of these bands?
There was like none of it in Switzerland. And it is a good query as a result of it was really fairly tough to come up with these bands. You’ll typically hear about these bands from associates. Mates who had traveled to the UK and located among the singles. There have been a handful of file shops whose homeowners had good connections to the UK. They might import among the singles typically only one piece at a time, and in the event you have been fortunate you have been there on the proper time, and you’ll you’ll see a single a of a band that you just had by no means heard of.
You principally had to take a look at the on the image of the band. You would need to guess…this seems like a cool band… this seems like a heavy band… and also you due to this fact found that. There was additionally tape buying and selling, in fact, when individuals would ship round lists with bands, and they’d say the title of the band, the title of the demo, after which it might say, “heavy,” or “melodic,” and so forth. You would need to undergo these lists. It was a way more concerned course of than these days the place Spotify is principally telling you “this music is an identical to the music you are listening to.”
You needed to discover out all the pieces your self. And, by the way in which, most likely crucial single 7″ single that I discovered on the time Venom‘s first single In League with Devil. I could not take heed to it, in fact, within the retailer, however I regarded on the on the picture. It advised me “to spend; it should be cool… They appear so excessive.” So that you needed to. You needed to actually belief these items precisely.”
So that you and folk like Martin Eric Ain determined to choose up devices and begin to play largely due to the music you have been listening to? What else was happening that made you say, “Hey, let’s begin a band!”
We have been complete music fanatics. Music was actually our life. The people who find themselves essential to Hellhammer‘s existence… Steve Warrior, with whom I fashioned the band, after which later, Martin Eric who changed Steve after which me. All of us had a really problematic background in our youth in a technique or one other. All of us carried a certain quantity of frustration, ache and aggression in ourselves, and after we discovered one another we have been lastly capable of devise one thing to launch these emotions and launch them constructively. And that was, in fact, Hellhammer‘s music. As soon as we discovered one another we have been capable of take these feelings; these drastic feelings, and write songs about them, and put the aggression, the heaviness, the desperation, into these songs.”
Was there any particular cause why you actually weren’t capable of play these songs dwell again within the early eighties.
Properly, there’s principally two causes. One cause is that there wasn’t actually an excessive metallic scene on the time. There was a handful of bands on the worldwide scale. Possibly three that performed this type of music. There wasn’t actually an excessive metallic scene, and for the years of the time this wasn’t actually thought-about music, I imply, take a look at the opinions that Hellhammer obtained, that early Venom obtained; all so unfavorable again then. The most well-liked band, I believe on the time was AC/DC. Many different bands tried to match Ronnie James Dio, so far as vocal vary was involved, and so forth and there is, in fact, nothing improper with that, however bands like Venom and us, and even Motörhead, did not correspond to that course in any respect, and all performed one thing that was most likely a lot nearer to punk.
So far as how drastic it was, individuals initially rejected it. The second factor is that Switzerland was very provincial on the time, after which Switzerland was much more distant to something excessive. The largest band at time on the time was Krokus who had simply launched Steel Rendezvous, and made their first steps into one other nation. So all people in Switzerland was worshiping Krokus. All of the bands tried to repeat Krokus. All of the promoters have been in search of bands that gave the impression of Krokus to prepare concert events with. No person would contact us with a stick. We tried to play concert events, however no person needed it.
Now, in fact, everybody needs to go see Triumph Of Death. Issues are so totally different now, proper?
Yeah, I solely needed to be affected person for 40 years. That is advantageous. (laughing)
Are you able to inform us a bit bit concerning the transition from Hellhammer to Celtic Frost?
Properly, we have been very self-critical younger individuals, and we needed to turn into higher. I imply, on one hand, we have been actually into excessive music, Discharge, and Venom, however we additionally beloved subtle heavy metallic and we knew that we solely had a future if the if we improved as musicians. We labored very arduous on ourselves and after two years of Hellhammer there was a key second after I wrote the music, “Visions of Mortality”, which was the final music ever written in Hellhammer and Martin and I listened to that music.
We carried out it throughout rehearsals as Hellhammer and we thought this not feels like Hellhammer. It’s totally heavy. It is excessive, in a method. However it’s additionally barely extra subtle. And we determined, that is the sort of course we need to go in. We needed to take the heaviness, however put one thing else on prime of it. So we felt that Hellhammer started to limit us in our pursuit and we determined to begin with a clear sheet of paper, actually the place we sketched the title of our new band and the idea in a single night time, Could 31, 1984. We fashioned Celtic Frost that method.
Are you able to inform us the way you got here along with the opposite musicians that you’ve on this the on this dwell file?
Properly, you realize, having been in Celtic Frost for a few years and no stranger to difficulties between human beings who work carefully collectively and are very opinionated…have very robust artistic opinions and perhaps one or two human flaws too, and, in fact, I do not exclude myself. So after I fashioned Tryptikon, after which later, Triumph Of Death, I used to be very cautious to seek out individuals who had a sure human maturity and that they have been good musicians that wouldn’t take us without any consideration.
However I needed to have individuals I can belief, who’re trustworthy individuals, who’re in into this for the fitting causes. To not acquire fame or cash, however who’re into it due to an timeless ardour for music. I needed individuals I can belief on each degree. Generally it takes a short while to seek out these individuals, however I am extraordinarily proud of it who we’re in Triumph Of Death, and the lineup has been has been constant for 3 or 4 years now. I foresee no adjustments. I actually hope there isn’t any adjustments. I believe it is a very, very robust line up for this type of venture.
Are there any locations particularly that you’d like to see Triumph Of Death carry out?
We have been given an enormous reward by the viewers…and infinitely grateful for the audiences who make this attainable. It could be preposterous to should have any calls for. You recognize, we have performed in South America, North America. We have performed in Australia and throughout Europe. After all, Japan is a few place that each musician likes to play it as a result of it is a very uncommon and fascinating space.
So, I imply, Japan is principally the final space the place we’ve not performed. But in addition within the areas we the place we’ve performed, there are a lot of, many cities we’ve not appeared at, however you realize we’re on the mercy of promoters and audiences, and I do not need to be insatiable. I am very grateful for what we’ve been given, and that I am merely letting issues occur as they occur.
What’s subsequent for you? After the discharge of this file are you going to be engaged on extra Triumph Of Death initiatives, or one other Triptykon file?
“Properly, Triumph Of Death is an ongoing aspect venture and that is a lot enjoyable. It does not actually devour a lot of my time. It is music that exists. It is quite simple music, and naturally, as I mentioned I’d, I’ll play with it so long as individuals need us.
The massive one lumbering factor that we’re all taking a look at is, in fact, a brand new Triptykon studio album. Proper now we’re not accepting every other initiatives. We’re not making every other plans. We actually we need to do that album. That is the mountain in entrance of us that we will surmount. And as soon as this album is finished, then we discuss additional issues.
Have you ever been engaged on something particularly with the HR Giger property?
Yeah, that is my different life. I am nonetheless the co-director of the Museum. We additionally established the Giger Basis in the end, which is meant to safeguard the physique of his works or the long run, even previous our personal demise. After all, I am nonetheless closely concerned with something that goes on in on the Giger Property, which, to me is once more an enormous honor and it is a strategy to repay for what Giger gave us when he turned our mentor.”
Resurrection Of The Flesh comes out November 10 and can be pre-ordered here.