Line Up:

Tom "Satanic Slaughter" Warrior: V-axe Holocaust/Dambuster Vocals
Martin "Slayed Necros" Ain: Deadly Bassdose/Backing Howling
Bruce "Denial Fiend" Day: Hellish Crossfire on Wooden Coffins

The Hellhammer story begins as far back as the summer of 1981 when a young man by the name of Tom Warrior, the bassist for the band Grave Hill (which he formed), went to London during the peak of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) movement. Perhaps influenced during this time by metal bands such as Angel Witch, Cirith Ungol and Venom, he brought back some of this with him when returning home to Switzerland. This aggression had an effect upon his musical direction and style. Tom wanted to create a very extreme and heavy sound, and started writing heavier, more aggressive music for Grave Hill. However, the band just couldn't handle this new style the way Tom envisioned it. After attempts in his both Tarot and Grave Hill, Tom's extreme concept began to take shape in his new band Hammerhead, which he formed in early 1982. Enter bass guitarist/co-lead vocalist Steve "Savage Damage" Warrior, who helped Tom to rename the band Hellhammer, and drummer Pete Stratton. Stratton was soon replaced with drummer Bruce "Denial Fiend" Day, and a new meaning to the word "extreme" was born. Hellhammer's music was unlike anything anyone had ever heard before. Loud, brutal, and demonically heavy. This was music that could be used as a soundtrack for the end of the world!

In early 1983 Hellhammer entered a studio to record 17 tracks which were used for the "Death Fiend" and "Triumph of Death" demos. The band was not happy with the result. Steve Warrior was let go on bass guitar soon after the recording. Hellhammer did not have enough money to do a better demo, so they were forced to release the recording as it was. Despite the poor sound quality, both demos sold out within a few weeks. This created interest from the German metal label Noise Records, who offered Hellhammer a three year record deal depending on the outcome of their third demo tape, which was "Satanic Rites."