Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries

Metalion: The Slayer Mag Diaries chronicles Jon Kristiansen's journey publishing the underground metal fanzine Slayer Mag from 1985-2010 in Norway. The book compiles complete reproductions of the zine's issues alongside Kristiansen's personal reflections and photographs from his archives. Through interviews, scene reports, and raw documentation, Kristiansen captured the development of extreme metal music as it emerged in Scandinavia and spread globally. The pages feature early coverage of bands like Mayhem, Emperor, and Celtic Frost, often before they gained wider recognition. The narrative traces Kristiansen's parallel evolution from teenage metal fan to respected underground documentarian. His firsthand accounts place readers at pivotal moments in metal history, from early Norwegian black metal to the rise of death metal in Sweden and Florida. Beyond music coverage, the book examines DIY publishing culture and the preservation of subculture through independent media. The compiled materials reveal how passion projects and grassroots documentation can become vital historical records of artistic movements.

Readers describe the book as a detailed history of Norwegian black metal through the lens of Slayer Magazine's archives. Many note it functions as both a documentary record and personal memoir. Liked: - Rare photos and artwork from the scene's early days - First-hand accounts of influential bands and shows - High quality printing and binding - Coverage of metal's evolution from 1985-2010 - Kristiansen's honest, unpolished writing style Disliked: - Text can be hard to read due to reproduced zine layouts - Some find the personal diary entries less engaging - Price point ($67+ for hardcover) - Limited coverage of non-Norwegian bands Ratings: Goodreads: 4.47/5 (83 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (31 ratings) Notable review: "The most complete document of black metal's formative years through its commercial peak. The reproduction quality alone makes it worth owning." - Metal Archives user review "Like a time machine back to when the scene was pure and dangerous" - Goodreads reviewer

Lords of Chaos by Michael J. Moynihan, Didrik Søderlind Documents black metal's rise in Norway through first-hand accounts, interviews, and photographs from the scene's key figures.

Only Death Is Real by Tom Gabriel Fischer, Martin Eric Ain Chronicles the birth of extreme metal through Celtic Frost's history with unprinted photos and primary source materials from the band's archives.

Murder in the Front Row by Harald Oimoen, Brian Lew Captures the 1980s San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal scene through photographs and stories from those who witnessed its development.

Swedish Death Metal by Daniel Ekeroth Presents the history of Swedish death metal through interviews, rare images, and personal accounts from musicians who shaped the genre.

Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult by Dayal Patterson Traces black metal's development through interviews with musicians, record label owners, and scene participants across multiple decades.

🔮 The book contains over 800 pages of metal history spanning three decades, compiled from Kristiansen's influential Slayer Magazine, which he started in 1985 at age 17 in Sarpsborg, Norway. ⚡ Jon Kristiansen became a pivotal documentarian of the Norwegian black metal scene, photographing and interviewing now-legendary bands like Mayhem, Emperor, and Darkthrone in their early days. 🎸 Slayer Magazine helped spread underground metal globally in the pre-internet era through its international tape trading network and raw, DIY aesthetic that influenced countless other metal zines. 📷 Many rare, never-before-seen photographs included in the book were taken by Kristiansen himself, capturing intimate moments of bands who would later become infamous in the black metal scene. 🖋️ The diary format provides a first-hand account of metal culture's evolution from the 1980s through 2010, including controversial events like church burnings and murders that shook the Norwegian black metal scene in the early 1990s.