TOM G. WARRIOR – “I’M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON HOW INFLUENTIAL A BAND OF MINE OR MY SONGWRITING WAS – THIS WOULD BE UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS”

TOM G. WARRIOR – “I’M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON HOW INFLUENTIAL A BAND OF MINE OR MY SONGWRITING WAS – THIS WOULD BE UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS”




One of the most influential-yet-obscure metal bands of all-time – both musically and visually – would have to be Hellhammer. A major groundbreaker for the style that would widely become known as black metal, the Swiss band – whose best-known line-up consisted of Tom G. Warrior on vocals/guitar, Martin Eric Ain on bass, and Bruce Day on drums – issued only three demos and an EP during their two-year reign (1982-1984). But thanks to tape trading and the popularity of Warrior and Ain’s next band, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer soon became legendary in the metal underground.

Although hard to believe, Hellhammer never performed on stage during their first go-round. And with Ain having passed away in 2017, the possibility of a full-on Hellhammer reunion was extinguished. But in 2019, Warrior decided to pay tribute to Hellhammer with the formation of Triumph of Death (which sees the leader joined by guitarist André Mathieu, bassist Jamie Lee Cussigh, and drummer Tim Iso Wey), live shows, and the recently-released live album, Resurrection of the Flesh: Triumph of Death Live, 2023, which is comprised solely of Hellhammer material.

Warrior spoke to BraveWords correspondent Greg Prato about the live album, Hellhammer’s influence, and also, modern-day metal.