Iron Claw: The Lost Echoes of Scottish Proto-Metal - INTERVIEW

 

In the darkest margins of heavy metal’s birth, where official history barely scratches the surface, the name Iron Claw emerges as one of the most enigmatic pieces of British proto-metal. Formed in Scotland in the late 1960s, their raw, heavy, and ahead-of-its-time sound makes them a fundamental band for understanding the evolution of hard rock into more extreme forms. However, their legacy was not built on official albums from their golden era, but on lost recordings, recovered tapes, and a legendary bootleg known as *Clawstrophobia*, which over the years became a cult object. Their story is also deeply tied to the early influence of Black Sabbath and to a scene that still did not understand the impact of what was being born. In this interview, we explore their journey, the material that was left forgotten, their breakup, and the rediscovery of their legacy decades later, through the voices of the protagonists themselves.

How was the band originally formed, and what musical influences shaped your early sound at that time?

The idea to start a band originated when I reached my 21st birthday … I wanted to make a record and have it released! This was in the summer of 1969, in those days there was no internet, no “do it yourself” methods to bring a recording out, you had to have a band of sufficient quality playing wise to hopefully get a record contract. At the time I was assisting in managing a local band called “Amplified Heat” who were the only band in the Dumfries, Scotland area playing blues-rock covers… I was also regularly recording “Amplified Heat” at the time, which influenced my decision to start a band of a sufficiently high standard to gain a recording contract... I’d heard some local teenagers over some months that summer (who had asked to “have a shot with real equipment”) at Amplified Heat local gigs who had impressed me with their ability and I’d taken a mental note of them. So the origins of what ended up as “Iron Claw” began in the summer of 1969 when I recruited Jimmy Ronnie (gtr)(15) and Iain McDougall (drums) (15). It doesn’t take a genius to work out who was in charge of everything, (financially, equipment supply and  music style) I was 21 and working and they were still at school! So we worked hard as a 3 piece at the start doing covers of harder, more challenging blues rock numbers … I also recorded the rehearsals in order to eliminate errors during the learning of covers (a hard task-master I suppose but I’d already learned the lesson that bands that make mistakes don’t advance their ambitions). I’d seen Led Zeppelin on their first tour of the UK  in July 1969 playing blues/hard rock and was blown away by their professionalism… (you could still buy tickets on the night for Zeppelin, they were just starting off!)… Then I saw Black Sabbath in Dumfries in November 1969 and (after speaking to them and learning that they were writing their own songs) the penny dropped and I started to focus on doing original material as well as covers...
 

To begin with, how do you remember the early years of Iron Claw and the Scottish music scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s? 

The Scottish music scene was run by agencies in the late 60’s/early 70’s who were only interested in pop/soul music, certainly no one who played rock or original music, so it was a hard struggle to keep Iron Claw going, (again, no internet to build a fan following, no radio or tv exposure unless you played pop/soul) so any support had to be gained by playing live (if a venue put you on!) or hiring your own venues. Financially, it fell down to me to keep the band  going.
 

Much of Iron Claw’s early material was never officially released during your active years. What was the recording process like, and why were those songs left archived?

Our first recording was in Edinburgh on a four track machine with two originals (“Sabotage” and “Mist Eye”) in late summer of 1970, we had won a 3 hour recording session as a prize in a local contest held in Dumfries. This whetted my appetite so I splashed out a month’s wages to record in London in December 1970 in a 4 track studio, recording 8 originals in an 8 hour session (recording and mixing!). Of course, getting it signed up and released at the time was a whole different problem! So the material remained unreleased back then. The bootleg 

“Dismorphophobia” became a cult item among collectors. How do you feel about that “unofficial” material eventually circulating and gaining recognition?

When Iron Claw split up in 1974, the band members scattered to various parts of the UK and I was left with the debts of the band to clear up which took me approx 4 years… in order to help raise some funds for this debt clearance I made some home made cassette tapes , only approx 60 tapes (Remains To Be Heard” which had 14 original Iron Claw tracks) and sold them to local Dumfries fans. One of the cassettes was  obtained by some German bootleggers. I’ve never found out how they got it or who from) and it was the bootleggers who released “Dismorphophobia” on CD… the sound quality was pretty bad though as it must have been about the third generation recording from a cassette. Needless to say I was astonished when the bootleg CD appeared in the late 90’s!… Later, the bootleggers brought out another bootleg CD called “Buried Alive” which combined some of the same recordings of Iron Claw with some recordings of the “Flying Hat Band” (Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest fame). To add to the subterfuge, the bootleggers pretended that the Iron Claw songs were from a new band called “Antrobus”… totally fake name and back-story...

IRON CLAW LIVE

What do you remember about the recording sessions included in “Dismorphophobia”, and how faithful are they to the band’s original vision? 

We recorded the whole set between 10am and 6pm on 5th December 1970… we had rehearsed heavily previous to that date so that we could do the material more or less in one take without mistakes… I remember the engineer saying he couldn’t tell one song from another on playback, so to me that was a good thing because it meant we had our own identifiable sound! We also played at full stage volume in the studio so it was really a faithful recording of the band then. Because it was an vinyl album’s worth of material I wanted one side really “heavy” with extended songs and the other side with shorter songs (hoping to use for a single would you believe!)

THIS IS IRON CLAW MOTHERTRUCKERS

The influence of Black Sabbath is constantly mentioned in relation to Iron Claw. How direct was that influence on your sound and songwriting? 

No denying they were very influential, but as I said earlier it was the fact that they told me they were writing their own stuff that was the real main influence… Also, unlike Led Zeppelin who were obviously “superstars” already when I first saw them in 1969, the Sabbath lads (they were all younger than me!) were real polite down-to -earth guys (just like normal folks!) that you could identify with. If they could write their own music then I could!

It is even said that you were among the first bands to perform Black Sabbath songs live. What was your early connection with their music like? 

I decided to cover some Black Sabbath songs in December 1969… they were so popular in Dumfries it seemed like a smart move to put some of their songs in our early sets! I then figured why don’t we do the whole album at the start of 1970 and it was a good way to start thinking of album writing...

 

IRON CLAW... In color! 

When the material was rediscovered and officially released decades later, how did you experience that late “rebirth” of Iron Claw? 

Because I still had the original tapes with a good sound quality, when Rockadrome approached me to release the early stuff I was happy to do that to get a better quality recording released. That would be in the early 2000’s… I was very pleased that more people could hear it properly then.

Why did the band originally split? And how was the comback en 2010?
 

The band split primarily because we’d been playing together for 5 years and in the process af “growing up” and maturing (ie the youngest members were 21 and wanting social lives, girlfriends, marriages) combined with the 1974 oil crisis (which meant petrol costs went up literally overnight from 15 pence a gallon to 100 pence a gallon) meant that I was losing money trying to keep the band going (I was still the only one with a regular job)… As regards the comeback in 2010, it was beset with problems from the start. It wasn’t easy to start again and expect to sound the same, there wasn’t the same relationships and it was more of a “can this be really happening?” feeling...

 

Let’s talk about what became your first official full-length album, A Different Game (2011), released by Ripple Music. Coming 40 years later, it’s naturally a very different record—more direct, less psychedelic, and more structured within hard rock and heavy metal. What do you personally take away or value most from that album? 

Personally, I was disappointed with the musical content… Ripple had said they wanted a “heavy” album and I was up for that but, as you say, it’s a very different album than the one I envisaged. My home studio was used for a whole year (and I was listening to the songs for a whole year engineering it!) so my perspective is a bit more critical… Also, it transpired it was NOT a good record deal I’m sorry to say, but I had nothing to do with that side of things (apart from closing down the contract). There was also a clash of personalities between some band members that didn’t help either… as usual I was left to sort out the difficulties (some things never change even after 45 years)...

 

Los dioses escoceses del Proto-Metal 

What motivated the idea of releasing a Black Sabbath covers project, and how did that creative process come together?
Thanks to the internet there is still some interest in the Iron Claw, so when Yunque Records asked if there were live recordings of Iron Claw from 1970 playing Black Sabbath covers, I still have the recordings from that era and had no problem in agreeing to it… As an aside, it amuses me that 56 years later, even local Dumfries bands are adding a Sabbath song to their set (56 years too late right enough) thinking they’re “cool” for covering a Sabbath song… 30 year ago they were slagging them to death!
 

From your perspective, which bands do you consider true pioneers of so-called “proto-metal” aside from yourselves? 

Difficult to pin that one down… Classical music has some brilliant “heavy” riffs, for example “Mars, The Bringer Of War”, the end of the “1812 Overture”… I like all kinds of music so I’ll bow to the knowledge of the cognoscenti of “proto-metal” I think… I’ll go for Holst and Tchaikovsky (amongst others) for starting it off!

Looking back, how would you like Iron Claw’s legacy to be remembered within the history of heavy metal and hard rock?

It’s amazing to me to hear young bands playing Iron Claw songs from the early era (eg Blood Ceremony, Sacri Monti, etc) which proves to me there was something good about Iron Claw… hopefully youngsters still hear it occasionally and appreciate it… If I may use a quote I wrote in the Rockadrome booklet that’s with the first CD…  “Times were hard, money was always tight, but sometimes the music was transcendental”...

Any final comments to the readers and long time fans of Iron Claw? 

I’ll be 80 years old at the end of next year (2027) and I don’t play live anymore (or have the desire to) but I embrace new technology which has enabled me to breath life into lyrics I wrote between 1971 and 1985 which I envisaged as possible Iron Claw songs (even after we’d split up in 1974)… The majority were too heavy to use in the 2010 reincarnation and certainly didn’t make the “cut” in the early 70’s, some are quite autobiographical, so I kept them back hoping to use them one day… I intend to release them in some format soon, I’m very happy to be still hammering out songs!

Mr. Alex Wilson... Soon to be 80! We salute you SIR!

Kiyotaka Tsurisaki and the beauty of the unbearable - Interview

 

To speak of Kiyotaka Tsurisaki is to enter one of the most uncomfortable and fascinating territories of contemporary documentary cinema. A photographer, filmmaker, and chronicler of the margins, his work has been marked by a constant obsession with death, violence, and those spaces where society prefers not to look. But reducing his work to mere visual shock would be a mistake. Behind the extreme images lies an aesthetic and human search that seeks to understand the fragility of existence through its most brutal manifestations.

His best-known film, Orozco the Embalmer (2001), took him into the depths of El Cartucho, one of the most dangerous areas of 1990s Bogotá, where he documented the daily routine of Froilán Orozco, an embalmer who spent decades preparing the bodies of victims of poverty, exclusion, and violence. Far from sensationalism, the film became a raw portrait of a Colombia marked by everyday death and, at the same time, a deeply human reflection on the dignity of the forgotten.

In this interview, Tsurisaki reflects briefly on his time in Colombia, his artistic philosophy, and the possible “ethical limits” of representing death through images.

Your work consistently addresses death, violence, and the harsh dimensions of human existence. How would you articulate your conceptual approach to death, and what motivates your insistence on representing it without aesthetic or moral mediation?

Reality is beautiful. Reality is magic.

Froilán Orozco foto de Kiyotaka Tsurisaki

“Orozco the Embalmer” is widely regarded as one of your most significant works. From a methodological and emotional standpoint, how would you describe the experience of producing that documentary?

Orozco was a beautiful man. He was a nameless saint on the street. I’m very proud to have been with him.

For how long did you reside in Colombia, and what factors led you to choose the country as a site for your documentary practice?

Extreme violence. Magic realism.

El Cartucho in Bogotá has become emblematic of urban marginality and violence. What memories do you retain of that place, and how did it influence your understanding of social exclusion?

Everything was fantastic there. El Cartucho was excluded, another world.

In addition to Bogotá, which other Colombian cities or regions did you visit, and how did these experiences contribute to your broader perception of the country?

Medellin, Cali, Cartagena, Uraba, Cesar, Meta, Amazonas. Colombia is a beatiful country. Colombia literally improved my esthetic sense.

Would you consider returning to Colombia to produce another documentary today? If so, what themes or realities do you believe remain insufficiently documented?

If I return to Colombia for film making, I want to make a narrative film.

Assassination / Bogota, Colombia 1995 foto de Kiyotaka Tsurisaki

Among the countries you have visited, which would you identify as culturally the most extreme or violent? What specific social or historical conditions contributed to that assessment?

The former Colombia.  La Violencia continued.

Do you perceive any cultural parallels between Colombia and Japan, particularly in relation to attitudes toward death, violence, or collective trauma?

Japan looks totally different country from Colombia, but in fact, Japan is one of the most tolerant country to gore culture

Alex Okendo (Masacre) - Bogota, Colombia 1996 foto de Kiyotaka Tsurisaki

Your film The Wasteland presents a global vision of destruction shaped by war, religion, and other forces that contribute to the degradation of the planet. How did this project expand or redefine your understanding of violence on a planetary scale?

“The Wasteland” is my witness of beauty on the death trail around the violent world of the decade from 9.11 to 3.11.

What has been the most extreme or unsettling situation you have documented to date? Was there a moment when you felt ethically or psychologically compelled to stop filming?

I was offered to make a snuff film in my early days. Then I was torn as an artist. As a result, I didn’t make it. I thank goodness for this.

Your work has frequently been compared to the tradition of Italian “mondo” documentaries, yet it maintains a distinct identity. How would you define your own documentary or photographic methodology, and in what ways does it diverge from those precedents?

I was influenced very much and really respect Italian shockumentaries. I actually positioned “Orozco el Embalsamador” as the last latin shokumentary of the 20th century (the first edition of “Orozco el Embalsamador” was completed in 1999). I see myself as a son of Jacopetti, so I mustn’t be an journalist, but an artist, and had to pursuit sincerity all the more.

Bone Cleaning Ritual - Samut Sakhon, Thailand 2004 foto de Kiyotaka Tsurisaki

Which artists, filmmakers, or authors have significantly influenced your practice? Are you familiar with the work of photographer Joel-Peter Witkin, and how do you situate his work in relation to your own?

As for filmmakers, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Yasujiro Ozu, althogh the catalyst for filmmaking was “Jaws”.  As for authors, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Yukio Mishima. Of course I was very influenced by Joel-Peter Witkin. I can’t possibly imitate him and I shouldn’t do. He is cold-headed, robust and gorgeous.

Your work has been the subject of criticism due to its explicit depiction of real bodies and violence. How do you respond to these critiques, and how do you define the ethical boundaries of your documentary practice?

Freedom of expression is sacred. My expression is to give a name to the nameless body on the street.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Kiyotaka Tsurisaki Facebook

Kiyotaka Tsurisaki Instagram

Kiyotaka Tsurisaki en MUBI

Cult of Death Metal: Mortuary and the Sound of the Mexican Underground - Exclusive Interview

 

Since the late 1980s, Mortuary has been one of the most important and extreme bands to emerge from the Mexican underground. With an aggressive, dark, and violent sound, the group helped define Latin American death/thrash through classics such as Where Death Takes Your Soul and Blackened Images. Far removed from trends and opportunism, the band has preserved its essence intact for more than three decades, becoming an essential reference point for Spanish-speaking extreme metal. In this exclusive conversation for BN FANZINE / MIDNIGHT FUNERAL ‘ZINE, Alberto Martínez speaks about the band’s beginnings, the Mexican scene, the evolution of Mortuary, their new EP Great Black Earth, and the dark vision that continues to fuel the spirit of one of the fiercest legends of the Mexican underground. Answers by Alberto Martínez, lead guitarist and founder of the band.

 

Mortuary was formed in 1988 from the union of projects such as Pestilence and Butchery. How do you remember that foundational moment, and what vision did you have at the time for the sound you wanted to create?

A: Well, we simply wanted to express our discontent with all the rules and social conventions of our time, and that was partly what drove us, or at least what drove me in particular, to be in a metal band that was aggressive, noisy, and irreverent.
 

Your demo Where Death Takes Your Soul (1989) is now considered cult material. What did that release represent within the Mexican underground scene of the late ’80s?

A: We weren't aware of or had high expectations regarding the results of our work; we only saw that over time. We were simply looking for a sound that would be annoying, that would drill into people's ears, and that would obviously be to our liking. Fortunately for us, that recording turned out to be one of the best examples of the new metal being made in our country, and especially in our city.

Blackened Images (1990) is regarded as a classic of Latin American death/thrash. Looking back, what do you think made that album so special, and what was its creative process like?

A: As I mentioned before, we weren’t aware of the results of our work. We weren't really aware that we were part of any movement or that we would be considered pioneers of any movement. What made our Blackened Images special? I don’t know, we simply wanted to express ourselves and we did it by writing an aggressive, noisy, and irreverent album.

On a lyrical and conceptual level, Blackened Images conveys a dark and powerful atmosphere. What themes did you explore on the album, and what external influences (literature, film, social context) shaped that direction?

A: Our lyrics and sound just reflect who we are and what we want to express through our music. We are obviously influenced by music, movies, literature, etc. but it mainly shows our way of thinking.

Throughout your career, you have maintained a strong identity rooted in extreme sound. How has Mortuary evolved without losing that raw and violent essence?

A: There’s obviously been an evolution in our mindset and in the sound we are aiming for, as well as in our approach to composing music, but beyond that, the essence and energy remain. I'm not obsessed with keeping classic or old school metal alive, it's simply that I try to maintain the image and sound that characterize Mortuary, and if that sound of ours is considered old school or classic, well, that's the opinion of those who listen to us.

Being part of the split Triumph of Death alongside bands like Samael, Acheron, and Beherit placed you within an international extreme metal scene. What was the experience of participating in that release like, and what did it mean for you to work with the Turbo Music label at that time?

A: I guess it was good to be part of that compilation. It gave the band good publicity.

Carcass / Samael / Acheron / Beherit / Mortuary / Death Yell - Split CD 1992

You were part of a key generation in Mexican metal. Which bands do you consider the most important from the classic Mexican scene?

A: There were many great bands throughout Mexico and I wouldn't want to leave any of them out, but those bands know who they are.
 

Following that, which current Mexican metal bands do you think are carrying the torch and redefining the scene today?

A: As I mentioned before, whether in the beginning or today, there were many great bands that started this and there are many that carry the torch today.

In 1994, you had the opportunity to open for Slayer in Mexico City. What was that experience like, and what impact did it have on the band?

A: It was exciting and motivating to share the stage with the band that had the greatest influence on us. Slayer was by far our favorite band at that time, and it was very satisfying and motivating for us to be invited to be part of that lineup.

You recently signed with Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. How did that deal come about, and what does working with an international label mean to you at this stage of your career?

A: Thanks to the 2021 release of a compilation CD by MCDT Company and HPGD Productions called “Death Metal Power from Beyond,” which featured several international bands with one original song each, the opportunity arose to work directly with HPGD Productions. This led to us deciding to have them release our EP, “Great Black Earth.”

EP Great Black Earth 2026 - HPGD Prods.

Your new EP Great Black Earth marks a powerful return. What can you tell us about the concept, sound, and energy behind these new tracks?

A: Well, it wasn't that we were trying to convey anything in particular or specifically; we were simply ready to release new material. We felt it was the right time, and so we did. On the other hand, our *Great Black Earth* speaks of the decline of humanity. It's my dark way of seeing the world, full of misery, mediocrity, and death. It speaks of the weakness of the human mind, yearning for power and wealth, and how that desire leads people to believe in an imaginary being who, in their minds, will provide protection. And then there are the “representatives” on earth of that imaginary being who offer humans that by worshipping him they can obtain in return the fulfillment of their desires.

 

In an increasingly tense global geopolitical context, with conflicts generating worldwide uncertainty, do you believe metal bands have a responsibility or a legitimate space to express political and social positions, or should the genre remain separate from these issues?

A: I believe we should remain separate from those issues.
I see that you had to cancel the South American “Seven Hells Tour.” What expectations do you have regarding visiting this part of the continent in 2026, or has that opportunity been put on hold indefinitely?

A: Yeah, it was put on hold and I hope we can visit South America soon.

Throughout your career, have you had the opportunity to perform in the United States or Europe? If so, what differences have you found between those audiences and the Latin American crowd?

A: We have toured the United States several times and we performed in the Never Surrender Fest in Berlin in 2023, so yeah we have had the opportunity to perform there, anyway since we have never performed in Central or South America we can only compare the experience to playing in Mexico, and yes, there is a big difference because the scene in Mexico is very good, but it is still growing and needs improvement, especially in supporting local and national bands.

After so many years on the road, what is the best part of touring for Mortuary? What continues to keep that need to play live alive?

A: Well, it's simply that we like to play live, we really enjoy that exchange of energy between the metalheads and the band, and I guess that's what keeps alive the need to play wherever we are invited.

 

LINKS DE INTERÉS

https://www.facebook.com/officialmortuarymx

 
listen the single "Black Superstition" en https://youtu.be/mbfiG-b5Pfk 

more info:  wholesale@horrorpaingoredeath.com 

 

Otro Pvt0 Podcast #8 - Tiburones, cerveza & y Crossover Thrash Chaos Especial con Wehrmacht, Update Sharks & Shit Zine #1

YA ESTÁ ARRIBA el episodio #8 de Otro pvo podcast 8 Tito Matos y Wehrmacht Tiburones, cerveza & y Crossover en BN Fanzine TV 🔥

Este episodio incluye detalles de una entrevista EXCLUSIVA e inédita con Tito Matos, realizada el lunes 4 de septiembre de 2023, acompañada de imágenes nunca antes publicadas. La entrevista completa aparecerá traducida e impresa en Sharks & Shit #1… pronto en las calles o en las playas más cercanas. Además, se viene una entrevista FINAL y actualizada con Matos para el lanzamiento oficial del zine, donde hablará sobre la ruptura definitiva con sus antiguos compañeros y la decisión de abandonar el nombre Wehrmacht debido al actual clima político en EE.UU. Todo apunta a que el futuro será bajo nombres como Biermacht o Macht.

En este capítulo también repasamos tres clásicos absolutos del caos crossover: 🔥 Shark Attack (1987) 🍺 Biermacht (1988) ⚡ y el frenesí técnico de Spazztic Blurr, y la re-edición no del todo oficial del compilado Hello Dum Dums + Bedrock Blurr Demo 1986 (2016) bajo el sello FOAD Recs. Que trae el 1er disco de Spazztic Blurr, más el demo, en el que sí canta Tito, que sería curiosamente, financiado y producido por sus padres. Según Tito, nunca recibió ni un solo centavo de ese lanzamiento, triste pero cierto y que parece un situación algo común en el mundo musical, por desgracia. Con esta banda ya no hablamos solo de velocidad. Hablamos de riffs imposibles, cambios dementes y crossover grindcore llevado al límite.

Otro pvto podcast 8 Tito Matos y Wehrmacht Tiburones, cerveza & y Crossover

Y lo más brutal: Sharks & Shit incluye una extensa entrevista exclusiva con el vocalista original de Wehrmacht y Spazztic Blurr: el mismísimo Tito Matos.
Parte de esa conversación irá apareciendo poco a poco en futuras entregas de Otro Pvt0 Podcast.

⚠️ Tiraje limitado: SOLO 200 copias.
💀 Preventa: 20 lukitas.
$ Combo x2: 35 lukas + ítems sorpresa:
1.póster
2. stickers especiales de terror
3. tiburón 3D para recortar y armar

Pronto en las calles… o en los mares.

TÜRBÖWITCH: speed and black under haunted skies

From Hungary emerges TÜRBÖWITCH, a band that has managed to channel the rawest essence of speed, thrash, and black metal into a direct, violent, and uncompromising sound. With an attitude that echoes the untamed spirit of the 1980s, the group has been carving out a name for itself in the underground scene, reaching stages such as Wacken Open Air. Their latest release, Under Haunted Skies, reaffirms their commitment to speed and chaos as their primary language. In this interview, we talk about their beginnings over beers, their evolution as a band, and the philosophy that drives their relentless and authentic sound.

For those who still don’t know TÜRBÖWITCH, how would you describe the essence of the band in just a few words? And finally, what does the word TÜRBÖWITCH represent to you? What were you thinking when you said: This is what we want our band to be called?

Thank you for the opportunity, and welcome all the readers!

Speed, chaos, relentless.

It represents everything we do in our lives. Despite our daily jobs, this is what we truly live for, this is what drives us.

The name itself actually came from a friend of ours. He came up with it while meal prepping at home. No overthinking, no deep philosophy — just pure, primal instinct. It sounded cool, it felt right… so we took it. :D

Türböwitch - Cult Mastery (Official Video)

The project started the way many great things do: in a conversation between friends hanging out, maybe with a few drinks involved. Alcohol has helped create many bands, but it has also destroyed some. What I’m getting at is, at what point did you feel this became something serious?

At first, it was just a home project. I wanted to make some fast and violent music, basically to tell everyone to fuck off. Yeah, it was a strange period in my life, but things like that happen, especially when you’re young.

I asked Zslöd — our current singer — to do some vocals, because I knew he’d enjoy making fast, aggressive music. And that’s how it started. There was not just a little, but a lot of booze involved, and we recorded our first demo. The vocals were actually done in my bathroom, screaming all the lyrics into smartphone.

Honestly, we didn’t even realize that this was becoming something serious until mid-2024. That’s when it hit us: we’re actually getting somewhere.

Under Haunted Skies has been my introduction to TÜRBÖWITCH, what a great record. Your sound blends thrash, speed metal, and black metal in a fresh and well-executed way. Which bands or scenes do you consider essential in shaping your style? Because you sound like you came straight out of a basement in 1986.

Motörhead, Venom, Bathory, Dissection — those bands were definitely essential in shaping our style. But we also listen to a lot of different kinds of music, and I think inspiration can come from anywhere.

When the home project first started, I really wanted to make something in the vein of Deathhammer from Norway — fast, raw, and aggressive. That was the starting point, and from there, everything else naturally evolved into the mix of thrash, speed, and black metal that you hear now.

You’ve shared the stage with several cult bands from the underground. Which show has been pure chaos -something intense, crazy, or even motivational that you remember? Because not everything has to be negative, right?

Even though the new record is pretty dark, I wouldn’t call it negative. It’s really just a reflection of our past experiences in life. The road to resilience can seem endless, but you can always find your own “moshpit” at the end of the day.

Every show, every night, is chaotic in some way, that’s pretty much the essence of this genre. If I had to pick one, I’d say our show with Abigail back in 2018. That was pure metal aggression, exactly as it should be. For that night, it felt like time stopped and then rewound straight back to the ’80s.

You won the Wacken Metal Battle Hungary finals and played at Wacken Open Air. What was that experience like? How many bands did you have to compete against? I understand that until reaching Wacken, bands often have to cover all expenses themselves: travel, food, everything, but I imagine it was worth it, right? Do you see Wacken organizer covering some expenses in the metal battle contest?

It was the most life-changing, monumental, wild, and amazing experience we’ve ever had.

At the festival itself, if I remember correctly, there were about 30 bands competing in the finals. But if you think about it on a global scale, including all the national competitions leading up to Wacken, the number must have been around a 1000, maybe even more.

It was completely worth it. Music was never about making a fortune or buying a sports car after a show, hehe. We just love doing what we do, and that’s enough. That said, the local Hungarian promoters did cover part of our trip, which definitely helped.

A massive stage. Huge crowds. Did Wacken feel different, or was it just another battlefield?

Wacken is one of the biggest and most famous metal festivals in the world, so of course it felt different.

That said, we give the same show with the same energy no matter the audience, whether it’s a massive crowd or just a handful of people. Every single person came to see you perform, so you always have to give your absolute best.

What’s the purpose of releasing a new album? Is it about taking the band one step further in its career, or is it more of a cathartic process? How are your songs created, through structure or pure accident?

Read review spanish

I think the purpose of releasing a new album is to share your thoughts, emotions, and feelings with the world through music. That said, we’ve never looked at an album release as a duty or a checklist item. Four years had passed since our previous record, so it felt like the right time to put something new out.

During those four years, we went through a lot, and like always, this album reflects our personal experiences during a specific period of time. Life has been rough lately, which is why the whole apocalyptic, dark vibe runs through the concept of the record.

As for songwriting, it’s mostly a primal process. If we have a riff or an idea, we start building around it, and eventually a new song emerges. Of course, we also have a lot of half-finished tracks in the archive — maybe one day we’ll revisit and use them.

The ’80s aesthetic and attitude are very clear in the band. Is it nostalgia, a statement of principles, or simply a mix of both?

I think it’s a bit of both, a mix of nostalgia and a statement of principles. Part of it is a thirst to relive a decade we never actually experienced. Only our singer was born in the ’80s; the rest of us are ’90s kids.

So in a way, it’s both paying homage and embracing the attitude and energy that drew us to the music in the first place.

After touring with Enforcer, what did you learn from sharing the road with a band of that caliber?

We learned a lot, especially on the technical side, what to bring on the road, and how to be more compact and efficient on stage with your equipment.

But the biggest lesson is that no matter what happens, however long the afterparty lasts, there are fans waiting for you out there. You have to be their hero and give your best every single time. We’ve known that for a while, but touring with Enforcer really reinforced it.

 If you could choose any band to tour with, which one would it be, and why?

I’d say Hellripper or Midnight. I love both bands, and realistically, it’s probably easier to make that happen than touring with some big ’80s names like Exodus or Slayer.

Both bands share the same raw energy and attitude that really resonates with us, so it would be an insane experience to hit the road with them.

 Last words for the degenerates reading this.

Thanks again for the interview, and a big shoutout to all our readers and fans. Stay heavy, stay chaotic… and we’ll see you somewhere on the road!

LINKS:

https://www.instagram.com/turbowitch_band

https://www.youtube.com/@turbowitch4489

https://www.facebook.com/turbowitch666

https://turbowitch666.bandcamp.com/

DEAD HEART Psycho-punkathrashabilly directed from Colombus Ohio (INTERVIEW)

Dead Heart burst onto the Columbus scene in 2025 with Burning From Within, a visceral debut that fuses raw punk, psychobilly upright bass, and DIY energy into a blast built for sweat-soaked underground stages. From their improvised early rehearsals to the creation of tracks like “Choking” and the dark “Nosferatu,” the band has forged a sound of its own—one that rejects traditional labels and prioritizes live intensity above all. With deep roots in punk, hardcore, metal, and kindred genres, the trio steers clear of uniforms and aesthetic clichés, favoring honest, defiant chaos over spectacle. In this interview with their drummer, Charlie Taylor III, we explore their genesis, creative process, life on the road (including a Motörhead tribute project Charlie is part of), and where Dead Heart is headed as they continue expanding their singular vision of countercultural rock.

What inspired you to form Dead Heart in Columbus back in 2025?

I have known John from the Columbus punk scene and saw a post on Facebook looking for a drummer for a psychobilly band. I had never tried playing that style because I came from the d-beat crust hardcore punk and thrash metal scene, so I was up for a challenge …. The day we all got together was magic. It was the first day that I met David on guitar player and I had never played with either of them before. As soon as we started playing it was like effortless and we came up with two songs. It was amazing. We had all the songs for the first record within 7 practices.

How did your previous bands influence thesound you’re exploring now? I knowyou’ve been involved in several projects, such as Laid to Rest, Lethal Aggression, and two spectacular tribute bands dedicated to Celtic Frost and Death.

Actually, I have been in hardcore, punk, and metal bands since the late 80s. The energy and aggression is definitely there. We are kind of like the Dead Kennedys and the Ramones smashing into the Stray Cats.

I’ve also noticed that you play bass, butyou also sing. What does it feel like to facethe audience from the singer’s perspective, and how does that compare to being behind the drums?

I have played bass in bands and sang in bands, but in Dead Heart I and solely behind the drums. I did not want to be up in the front anymore. I decided about 15 years ago that I was going to only play drums in whatever bands I am in, so when John contacted me about playing and said he and David would be up front, I was very happy.

Your record Burning From Within feelsboth aggressive and deeply emotional. What themes were you trying to express on this album?

This is a question for John to answer as he comes up with the lyrics if I had to say, the lyrics are about reflections on past relationships, narcissistic exes, and vampires of the psychic and of the supernatural.

Psychobilly is known for blending punk and rockabilly with horror imagery and counterculture attitude. How do you seeDead Heart’s approach fitting into that tradition, whether lyrically, musically, Or aesthetically?

Dead Heart is not a traditional psychobilly band. We do use elements of punk and horror and we do have a stand up bass but our lyrical content differs from the normal and we don’t wear the fancy typical psychobilly uniforms We are just three dudes in street clothes that come to kick ass on stage . I would like to describe the band as psycho-punkathrashabilly.

How did the recording process at VaughnMusic Studios shape the final sound of the album? Were there any memorable moments during those sessions?

We had an incredible time from the moment we brought our gear in until the final day of mixing. Vaughn music studios is a very professional studio with an incredibly welcoming and comfortable environment. Matt Hagberg our engineer was amazing about getting us the sounds and feelings on the album the way we wanted. There were plenty of awesome moments in the studio too many to even get into. There were many laughs.

Which song on Burning From Within do youfeel best represents Dead Heart’s identity, and why?

I think the album as a whole is an accurate representation of our identity as a band. It is full of great music and great energy.

I also heard you started a MOTÖRHEAD tribute band; are you still doing that? What other band would you like to pay tribute to someday?

Yes, I also play in a Motörhead tribute called Fast & Loose. We also play shows. We are currently up to about 125 Motörhead songs in our catalog. That is my side band.

What would be your best response to critics of tribute bands? Some people see them as a way of making money off other artists’ music. Personally, I don’t mind as long as the tribute band captures the spiritand sound of the original.

The way I see it, bands like Motörhead that don’t exist anymore wouldn’t exist anymore if there weren’t any tribute bands to keep their music alive in a live setting. What I mean by that is we try to keep the music alive and that spirit alive, yes we get paid to do it but we only make enough money to get back home. I don’t look at it as making a living off of other people’s music or else I would be more money, hungry. I don’t give a shit about money. I’m not doing the Motörhead tribute so that I can live. That’s what a job is for. That’s why I work a regular job playing in a tribute band is a hobby and it’s for fun overall. Once it becomes not fun anymore, I will stop doing it plain and simple right now. Dead heart is my number one priority band.

Columbus has a vibrant but undergroundmusic scene. How has the local scene supported or challenged the band’s growth?

Columbus’s music scene is very different from the way it was 31 years ago when I first moved here. It is not really supportive now.. bands have their own little groups that they gel with and if you don’t belong to their group of friends they won’t support you..a lot of people in the underground scene here in Columbus Ohio go to shows to be seen and not to be a scene .. everywhere outside of our own area we get good turn outs but here we get no respect… that will change with our next record.

What are your top five bands from Columbus, past or present, that our readers should check out?

Presently in Columbus I would have to say Coxey’s Army (street punk), Prime Directive ( punk), Hell is Here(d-beat crust) , Breath of Sarin (metallic hardcore), and our garage a billy brothers whom with we share a guitarist, Feral Housecats. There’s a couple other bands that deserve mentioning. the Broken Barcodes( punk) , Angry Cougars(punk) , Feed us Snacks ( punk). We also have a killer death metal band in town called Church that recently got signed to Ablated records as well as Another band in town called sanguisugabogg.

Your lineup includes members with backgrounds in punk, hardcore, and psychobilly. How do those different musical histories come together when writing new material?

I don’t know how to explain it, John comes to practice with ideas already manifested and shows us the way he wrote the riffs for the songs which already have lyrics, and then David and I bastardize it, and it ends up being the final result, which is totally different than the original idea that he came into the rehearsal studio with. That’s it.

I’ve heard Dead Heart shows are known for their raw live energy. How does performing live influence the way you write or play music?

I think when we write songs, they just come out exactly how they would translate live, performing live doesn’t influence the way we write.

What’s next for Dead Heart? A second LP, touring plans, or any new creative directions?

We are about nine songs into the writing process for the next record, there will definitely be more Records because we don’t ever stop writing. We have several shows booked and a mini tour of the northeast United States coming up in July 2026. I will keep you informed on when the next record will be released.

Thanks so much for your time, Charlie. One last question: if you could ask Lemmy toplay one final Motörhead song, which one would it be—and why?

That’s a tough one, but I think I would pick “Back at the funny farm” because it’s one of my favorite songs off of my absolute favorite motorhead album. Another perfect day.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

 www.dead-heart.com

deadheart614.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/567724506415618/

https://www.instagram.com/deadheartpsycho