Fist – Turn The Hell On

Fist are one of the originals that created the N.W.O.B.H.M. and hail from South Shields, North East UK. Hailing from a ground that gave birth too many great ones such as Venom Satan, Raven, Avenger, Atomkraft, Warfare, Badge, Warrior and Hollow Ground, you can understand why Newcastle’s territory was like a fort of NWOBHM as for years there was a popular term “NENWOBHM” (North-East New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) that was used by fans of this area. As we all (ought to) know how important that music movement was and how influential to the extreme sound of the upcoming decades.

Before “Turn The Hell On”:

Formed in 1978 as Axe, they recorded only one song under this moniker (‘S.S. Giro’) before changing to Fist the following year and soon signing with Neat Records to release their first single, “Name, Rank and Serial Number” in April 1980 (in which Cronos of Venom fame did the artwork of the single). The 7” was highly acclaimed and almost praised in the pages of Sounds, so a new contract was signed with MCA that lead to another single (‘Forever Amber’ in August 1980) and to preparations for a full length studio at the end of the same year. It was that time around when Dave Irwin, Fist’s guitarist went for a week and a half in a tour in North America with Venom replacing for that little Mantas (that was ill) in order Venom avoiding cancelling the tour. Entitled ‘Turn the Hell On’ their debut was out finding a band full of confidence and ready to share the stage with huge names like U.F.O., Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Back then this wonderful LP had a poor promotion from MCA, a label certainly big but with such a small experience of handling Heavy Metal bands, something that proved almost fatal for Fist’s future.

The album:

The album is 100% rocker, full of tense and passion, while all songs have this “sweat and alcohol” vibe and the live feeling. Air or even cardboard made guitar battles, yelling, shouting, singing along choruses and fists in the air are some of the effects of hearing the record. Still 41 years after its original release. The LP is made of everything we N.W.O.B.H.M aficionados worship about this genre. The riffs, the raw power, the straining vocal chords, the crying guitars, the melodic soloing, the chugging rhythm, the hooks, the guts, the testosterone, the catchy lyrics and the unpolished analog sound. Fist’s influences were Budgie, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Montrose, Led Zeppelin, Trapeze, Van Halen and Deep Purple, but were awesomely filtered in their sound. “Turn The Hell On” has excellent songs that unfortunately none of them became a hit single or a commercial success. But Fist had no need for these fancy billboard nonsenses. Fist had songs/hymns for working class men that needed a tune to drink their beer with, as a friend or a nice company…

“Hole In The Wall Gang”, “One Percenter (1%)”, “The Watcher”, “Forever Amber”, “The Vamp”, “Name, Rank And Serial Number” are perfect examples of rough pure NWOBHM. The kind of NWOBHM or version that Def Leppard’s, Maiden’s and Saxon’s commercial success or turn into more mainstream songwriting, killed in less than a year somewhere in 1982…

Personally speaking their debut features one of the best N.W.O.B.H.M. songs, the one and only high powered ballad ‘Collision Course’ (also on 7” single originally printed by Neat in January 1981, b’ side ‘Law of the Jungle’). The ultimate hymn for lovers coming from 2 different words that are ready to collide, before ending their story, that if I was in a bar and someone broken hearted asked me to name two songs to help him/her through the night, without second thought I would suggest him or her “Collision Course’ -and probably ‘Don’t Stop By’ from Tygers of Pan Tang’-…and leave him/her drought on his/her whiskey…

After “Turn The Hell On”:

A short period on hiatus, with only some compilation appearances (including the ‘78 Axe recording of ‘S.S. Giro’ showing up on Neat’s ‘Lead Weight’), ended in early 1982 when they released their second LP, ‘Back with a Vengeance’ via Neat Records. Featuring a new lineup including lead vocalist Glenn Coates from Hollow Ground, John Roach from Mythra on guitars, bassist Norman Appleby as well as Hill and Irwin, the new album had great songs, better production, the catchy choruses that established their unique sound, it was even with almost smoother vocals and an essentially American tone (mostly due to Glenn Coates vocals). Despite the fact that ‘Back with a Vengeance’ was another killer album in the row after “Turn The Hell On”, Fist never made it big…In fact after the commercial fail of ‘Back with a Vengeance’ they released only one 7″ vinyl single (‘The Wanderer’ –Status Quo cover-, November 1982 via Neat) and went through a few more changes from that point until finally and officially disbanding in 1985. In 2001, original frontman Keith Satchfield formed a new version of Fist which included members of Hollow Ground as well as guest musicians. This lineup released a new album, entitled ‘Storm’, in 2005.

“Turn The Hell On” is a perfect way to start exploring an unsung hero of N.W.O.B.H.M. that most people mention them because of the look-alike artwork cover on Pantera’s ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ of their sophomore studio album and don’t focus on their brilliant music, the enormous riffs and the hedonistic feeling of a pure and explosive N.W.O.B.H.M. blend of Tygers of Pan Tang’s melodic melancholy and Raven’s raw aggression that Fist was offering…