In the early 1980s in the rural outskirts of Zurich, Switzerland, author Tom Gabriel Fischer assembled the groundbreaking heavy metal band Hellhammer a dark, dramatic force that flew in opposition to his surroundings in every way, even the flashy party-hearty hard rock music of the day. Slowly, Fischer pulled together an ever-larger legion of similar-minded outcasts and adventurers. In a few short years, Hellhammer vanished and Celtic Frost was born, and in this remarkable volume the tale is told with vivid photographs and exacting narrative detail. Only Death Is Real is essential for hundreds of thousands of Hellhammer and Celtic Frost fans worldwide, followers of heavy metal history, and anyone who has ever wondered about the dark, artistic side of metal music. Without a doubt, Fischer is a singular figure responsible for untold innovation, and his book is sacred scripture for understanding the origins of underground heavy metal. Here he explains in intimately human terms how extreme metal was born, detailing the hardships and triumphs he faced bringing Hellhammer and Celtic Frost to reality.