Posted by Interview with Piet Sielck – May 2002, via email
Intro byline
With their new album Condition Red freshly released and a reputation for no-frills power metal, Iron Savior continue to fly the flag for classic heaviness. We caught up with frontman Piet Sielck over email for a conversation that wandered from warriors to studio gear, with a few opinions on cookies, concerts, and angry promo faces thrown in for good measure.
Interview: Mission Metal – No Filters Needed
Iron Savior are known for skipping gimmicks and going full force into classic metal territory. Piet explains why that’s no accident:
“We deliberately avoided studio tricks or guest musicians this time. It’s about keeping it pure. No gimmicks, just music.”
When asked about experimenting in the future, Piet stayed cryptic—but he clearly enjoys a curveball now and then. Case in point: their cover of Seal’s “Crazy.”
“We didn’t want to rehash some worn-out classic. Instead, we took a non-metal song and reshaped it completely. That’s how we landed on Seal.”
Covers, according to Piet, are cool—if they’re done with conviction. And as for lyrical themes like warriors and galactic battles?
“The warrior is the perfect mix of primal instinct and basic values. It’s ancient, but still wired into us, even now.”
Condition Red doesn’t stray from the path laid by earlier Iron Savior records—despite rumors.
“People say we’ve changed themes, but we haven’t. We’re still on the same course,” Piet insists.
And what fuels that course? “My life experience,” he chuckles. “I’m 37 now—basically ancient.”
The new album art, featuring a supernova explosion, reminded some of Mission Impossible 2—a comparison Piet acknowledges with a grin.
“It’s not meant to reference MI2, but I get why it looks that way. Our explosion is cosmic, not cinematic.”
Studio stories? None too wild, but there’s a vibe:
“We’re pretty no-nonsense in the studio, but we had a blast recording this one. The material was just too good not to enjoy.”
One of the band’s boldest moves: hosting free concerts instead of joining big-money tours.
“Rather than blow the budget on a slot in some package tour, we redirected the money to put on our own shows. Full venues. Happy fans. Works better for everyone.”
Expect some autograph sessions and show recordings soon, but no fancy video clips—
“Too expensive, too little payoff. We’ll focus on what matters.”
A Picture-LP? “We’d love to! Tell the label!”
And live, even though only Piet sings on Condition Red, the band is fully equipped to belt harmonies live without relying on samples.
“Everyone in the band can sing. That’s how we like it—real voices, no backstage magic.”
Looking ahead to Bang Your Head Festival, Piet deadpans:
“We’re on at 3 PM, so we thought we’d serve some coffee and cake.”
Jokes aside, he’s excited to debut the new tracks live.
No leftovers in Iron Savior’s writing room—
“Songs have to come from the same writing phase to keep the thread consistent. We don’t recycle. But I might rework an old idea if it still sparks something.”
Highlights from the past six years?
“Unification and Condition Red for sure. Gods of Metal ‘99 and RockMachina 2001 were unforgettable.”
Tour memories, good and bad, all count. What matters most is the synergy—on stage and off.
“Even if it’s a small crowd, we give it everything. Soundcheck vibes influence how we record later—everything’s connected.”
Paragon joined them on tour recently—a nod to supporting the local Hamburg metal scene.
And those “prominent” members from the early Iron Savior days?
“Big names helped, but they also cast long shadows. Took time for people to see us as a band.”
One of Piet’s favorite origin stories?
“Our guitarist used to be a tech. He’s my friend, a great player, and had no other commitments—so I asked him to join. Simple as that.”
As for the future of metal?
“Trends come and go. Grunge fizzled. Nu-metal is surging now, but it’ll fade too. What remains? Classic metal. That’s the essence—and that’s where we are. We’re not trendy, but we’ll still be here when people are ready to come back.”
And finally, why the scowls on every metal band’s promo shots?
“Hey, that’s just part of the image. I can smile—but cheesy grins were never my thing.”
Final words
Iron Savior aren’t out to reinvent the wheel—they’re here to keep it rolling. With Condition Red they’ve fine-tuned their signature sound while keeping it as raw, honest, and thunderous as ever. And they’ll be waiting, guitars ready, when the world’s ears finally turn back toward true metal.
— Nicky N. Meyer