Flames of Hell is widely considered the first metal band to come from Iceland. Their obscurity and the mystery surrounding the band has been the subject of many rumors. The band's debut and only recording "Fire and Steel" is considered one of the rarest metal records released, with copies having sold for well over $2,000 USD in 2008.
As stated in the interview with a relative of the members below, the band's status is in dispute. The band's own claim is that they are active, however due to a drug problem with drummer Johann Richardsson, the band has been working on and off. As of 2002, there were claims of a new album being recorded, but there is little to be known of the status of this album, or if the recording was actually finished.
The Nicolaisson brothers shortened their names to just Nicolai.
Here is a small interview I have done with the band (actually, these guys are unreachable, but a relative of the band - Guðmundur Pálmason who is the drummer of a
different Icelandic Black Metal band, thanks again - tried his best to answer me at least parts of the things I wanted to know).
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4) Where and when was the Fire And Steel LP recorded
How long did the
recording process last and do you have any good or bad memories from
this session
Who produced it
Are there any unreleased songs existing
from the recording session
Hehe this is acually quite funny. Fire and steel was recorded at a studio
which was located at a YMCA building. When they were recording those
horrible satanic vocals the head master of this YMCA facility came to check
out what was going on in the studio and heared this aweful satanic music
being recorded there. I guess they were allowed to finish the recordings,
but the studio was banned from the building and had to be relocated after
that, and Flames of Hell were asked to please never show up there again!
heheh!
5) Was it intended to use these recordings as a demo first, or was it
already decided to release it as a LP?
I think they always ment for it to be an album.
6) How many copies were pressed, and how many copies got sold of the LP?
Were the copies mainly sold in Iceland
Who or What is Draconian
Records
Was it your own label
What were the first reactions from the
listeners
Draconian records was a devision of Draconian books and publishing, which
was (and is) owned by the 3rd Nicolai brother (see q 12) and he uses it to
publish books of his paintings. Draconian publishing is located in France,
so I guess that they also sold some lp´s there, probably more there than in
Iceland.
11) My copy of the LP doesn't have a lyric sheet or lyric sleeve. Were
the lyrics ever printed
What topics have you dealt with?
No I don´t think the lyrics were ever printed.
12) Is it correct that the 3 members of FLAMES OF HELL are brothers?
No only two of them. Tha band was (is) Sigurður Nicolaison - Bass, Steinþór
Nicolaison - Guitar, vocals and Jóhann Richardsson - Drums. But the Nicolai
brothers are acually 3, and the 3rd brother was acually supposed to be the
singer, but that never happened for resons unknown to me. But he painted
the cover of the album. He is acually a well known painter, lives in France
(where he oporates mostly I think) and Spain, and has helt many many
exhibitions all over the world. His paintings are all rather dark and
morbid.
13) Can you describe each person of the band individually at the time of the
LP (1987) and now (2002)
The Nicolai brothers are defenatly the most strange persons I have ever met.
They all look very much the same (and have done so since the 80´s, although
they are all around 40 years old now), with long black hair, always wear
leather coats, whire shirts, black pants and almost knee high SS boots. They
are very much into occultism and satanism. But although I am very related to
them (my grandmother is their mother´s sister) I do not know them very well,
I think no one knows them well. They are truly mysterious.
Jóhann (or Jói Motörhead as he is called) is a very different person. He
came from the late 70´s - early 80´s punk scene, but looks like a fairly
normal person today- hehe
14) Is it correct that one of the bandmembers painted the beautiful
front cover with a horeseman, riding a burning horse and holding a sword? Is
he still drawing and has he made other LP covers as well
I don´t think he has done any other album covers
19) When did FLAMES OF HELL decide to quit and what were the reasons for this?
They say they are still active today and that they never quit. But Jói their
drummer had a heavy drug problem, which affected the activity of the band.
Then he spent some years in many drug rehabilitations, and is clean now I
think. The last time I met them they said they were recording a new album at
their own studio.
22) Was any band member involved in future projects?
No I don´t think so
23) How was the Icelandic scene at that time of the LP
Are there any
bands worth mentioning
I only know CRANIUM and SORROICIDE from the
beginning 90es but no Metal band from the 80es?
There was no scene. Flames of Hell was the first real metalband in Iceland.
It wasn´t until 1989 that bands like Christ blood (another very mysterious
Icelandic band, that relocated to London) started and in 1990 the deathmetal
scene erupted.
24) As your LP is fuckin' hard to find (I traded my 1st edition
Apocalyptic Raids EP from HELLHAMMER with the red lettering and lyric
sheet against it, a friend of mine traded his FLAMES OF HELL LP against
the Final Command Pic-LP bootleg of SLAYER so it seems to be very
valueable), is it intended to re-release this item in the near future on
limited vinyl edition or CD again
(not even wellknown traders of the
German vinyl-mafia are knowing the name FLAMES OF HELL)
I asked them this question about 3 years ago, and they said no, that it
would never be re-released.
Well I answered what I knew, so now you know a little about one of the
worlds most mysterious bands.
Kad vidis o kakvim likovima se radi,onda nije ni cudo da su ovako zvucali
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