SAD IRON - THE NETHERLANDS

Total Damnation ‒ 1983 ‒ Universe
The Antichrist ‒ 2016 ‒ Dutch Steel
Chapter II – The Deal ‒ 2019 ‒ WormHoleDeath

Sad Iron image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Herke Van Der Poel>>Baby's Breath, Diamond Needle – In Ruins, Dominion>>Marc Van Den Bos>>Chaos Unleashed - PPTA, Seven Steps Of Denial>>MARCEL PAARDEKOOPER>>PPTA

Guitar
BERNARD RIVE - Saga Inferna, In Ruins, Necrovile, Dominion>>Marc Van Den Bos>>Chaos Unleashed

Bass
Leo Ockeloen - Afterdark, Matricide, Angus, The Flying Embryo's>>Charles Heijnen>>Afterdark, Matricide, Angus, The Flying Embryo's, Van War - Saga Inferna, Dominion, Necrovile, Collision>>BJÖRN HYLKEMA

Drums
Jacques Van Oevelen>>Picture, Xhausted, Entropy, Gilgamesj - Peter Van De Wouden - Bodyfarm, The Dutch Duke, Overruled, Distillator, Blasphemy Night, Sledgehammer Nosejob, Horrizon>>Marco Prij>>Distillator, Blasphemy Night, Cryptosis, In Aphelion, Flotsam And Jetsam, Pestilence, Ross The Boss, Skeletal Remains, Fifth Angel - COR BOLT




History & Biography
Heavy metal band Sad Iron formed in Hoorn, Netherlands around 1979/1980, initiated by guitarist Bernard Rive, originally with Jan Palenstijn (vocals), Dirk Ooms (bass) and Gerrit Soering (drums). The band had a two-song demo in 1982. They contributed several songs (Sad Iron, Schoolgirls, Thunder & Lightning, etc.) to the compilation Holland Heavy Metal Vol. 1 in 1982. It was a split live/compilation with Seducer, which helped boost their profile. The band opened for Germany-based Trance. About that same period, singer Herke Van Der Poel replaced Jan Palenstijn, while Leo Ockeloen replaced Dirk Ooms on bass. With that line-up, the act recorded its first full-length album, Total Damnation, in 1983, on which some sources note that Jacques Van Oevelen is credited as drummer, though in internal recollections Gerrit Soering may have been in the studio. Either way, the recording was famously done in one day, yielding a raw and aggressive sound according to some and a crappy sound according to others. The cover artwork came in for some criticism of its own.

The band recorded a second album, The Antichrist, for Roadrunner in 1985. The line-up included Peter Van De Wouden on drums, but due to the label and band clashing and the band accusing the label of being meddlesome, the album was shelved and the master tapes were later covered in the sands of time. This stalled the band’s momentum and led to it disbanding. Incidentally, 'The Antichrist' title added to the heap of Sad iron tracks like We All Praise The Devil or Hellfighter.

The group attempted a reunion in 1993 and lasted through a couple of gigs. The band did the reunion thing again in 2000, when they performed at the Heavy Metal Maniacs Fan Club Festival in Hoorn, the Netherlands. That revival was followed by the Dutch Steel Attack Tour alongside fellow The Netherlands-based metal bands Vortex and Hammerhawk. Sad Iron re-emerged in 2012 with founding guitarist Bernard Rive who was joined by new members: vocalist/rhythm guitarist Marc Van Den Bos, bassist Björn Hylkema and drummer Cor Bolt. That year the band played at festivals like Heavy Metal Maniacs, Mario’s Metal Meeting, Very ’Eavy Festival and Schollenpop. The Antichrist finally saw a resurrection through Dutch Steel in 2016. Chainsaw had a show with Vortex and Sad Iron. Singer Herke Vd Poel and drummer Jacques V Oevelen died in 2016. drummer Robert Bakker was with the band until 2018. The group released Chapter II – The Deal (oddly not called Chapter III!), recorded with the then line-up of Marc Van Den Bos (vocals/guitar), Bernard Rive (guitar), Björn Hylkema (bass) and Marco Prij as a session drummer. Marc Van Den Bos left however and Marcel Paardekooper replaced him as vocalist. Cor Bolt became the band's drummer. Wormholedeath signed its first licensing deal in South America. Hellion Records in Brazil released Sad Iron's The Deal in that country. The band hit Germany in 2022. 2023 brought gigs with Cobra Spell, which had hired drummer Marco Prij. Back To Back was an independent release with Burning in 2024. The band was booked for Plutofest in Belgium in 2024.

A 'sad iron' is an antique household iron, which is made from solid cast iron. Rive ran a cafe and a metal club called The Gate in Hoorn.


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