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One of the most succesful all-female thrash bands, interestingly, without having released any album. Formed on January 14th 1985 by Sabrina Kihlstrand and Pia Nyström, who met through an ad in a music store, Ice Age was completed with Sabrina’s sister, Helena, and Tina Strömberg behind the drums.
Country: Sweden
History: 1985 – 1990
Statud: Inactive
Style: Thrash Metal
Biography:
One of the most succesful all-female thrash bands, interestingly, without having released any album. Formed on January 14th 1985 by Sabrina Kihlstrand and Pia Nyström, who met through an ad in a music store, Ice Age was completed with Sabrina’s sister, Helena, and Tina Strömberg behind the drums.
Its beginnings were rather power metal, sound reflected in their first demo “Solid Rock”, which was the band’s name before changing to Ice Age, a name more in line with their cold native Scandinavia. First but not last change, the newcomer Helena gave her bass to Viktoria Larsson at the end of 1986.
Their sound gradually gained rawness, distancing from the sounds of Iron Maiden and Queensryche to get closer to the thrash origins, the likes of the first Megadeth and Metallica. However, whitout missing their melody dose.
They showed their personality when Kim Fowley, a well-known American producer of the 70s tried to convert their music to make the it more commercial. Fowley had experience as he worked with the Joan Jett’s Runaways, Sandy West and a young Lita Ford. Ice Age didn’t accept the terms and decided to conitue thrashing without him.
Ice Age played a technical thrash sound, embodied in their demos “General Alert” (1987) and one untitled (1988), filled with changing songs, a melodic touch and powerful riffs.
The band played in many countries and festivals, including the notable The Open Air in Lamone, Switzerland, in front of 5000 people. The swedish gradually gained some popularity, which surged after the recording of “Instant Justice” in 1989, which eventually would be their latest release.
The video “Instant Justice”, recorded with very little budget and script, reunited fifty members of the fan club who traveled to England to shoot it. The clip appeared on MTV (see below), which favored the demo sales until reaching the number of 1200 copies. Its publication was followed by two European tours, without even having secured a record deal.
This was the main reason why the band began to wear down, and replacements were happening in the months that followed. Midway through the second tour, a significant drop: vocalist Sabrina left the boat due irreconcilable problems with the manager on duty, who ended in a final discussion on a bus tour that ended with Sabrina fired from it in a bad manner.
Curiously it wasn’t one but two components who replaced her, the Italian guitarist Isabella Fronzoni and American Debbie Gunn’s at the vocals. Sabrina played guitar and sang at the same time, and it brought some problems performing live.
So Ice Age became a quintet that housed five nationalities, another major source of problems. After an attempt to sign a fraudulent contract from FM Records, the record deal finally arrived, and listening to the rumors, with AVM. The first LP was close, but then the band internal problems were irreparable.
The situation reached its limit and Larsson, together with Isabella Fronzoni left the formation in October 1989, during the Danish tour, on the eve of an important gig in the Marquee in London.
This city saw Fronzoni and Johanna Holmstedt forming Original Sin and following a more metal path. Meanwhile, Strömberg, Nyström and Gunn tried to resuscitate a wounded Ice Age with a duo of musicians from New Jersey.
But while the Swedish branch headed by Pia and Tina called to continue in Europe, the american one wanted to cross the pond and go to the States. There was the separation, each one to their house, and Ice Age disappeared in 1990 after having sold 2000 copies of their demos. Pia did a concert at L’Amours, New York, along with Debbie, Lisa Decavolo, Tammy Chavarini and Dale Whitaker, playing some songs from Ice Age, under the name of Stranded In Sweden.
Pia Nyström finally formed Idiots Rules together with Sabrina Kihlstrand and Viktoria Larsson, and continued their demo via crucis (up to four) without getting the attention of record companies.
A detail to take into account, Sabrina participated as guest vocalist in the great Gardenian’s album “Soulburner”.
Although currently there’s no music activity under the name of Ice Age beyond the intention of posting unreleased songs or reissue demos, Sabrina Kihlstrand announced at her myspace that due to the high demand she will create a website dedicated to the band.
Lineup:
Pia Nyström – Guitar
Tina Strömberg – Drums
Debbie Gunn – Vocals
Isabella Fronzoni – Guitar
Vicky Larsson – Bass
Former members:
Sabrina Kihlstrand – Vocals
Helena Kihlstrand – Bass
Discography:
1986, “Rock Solid” (demo)
1987, “General Alert” (demo)
1988, “Demo” (demo)
1989, “Instant Justice” (demo)
Related links:
http://www.myspace.com/iceagesweden
http://www.myspace.com/viktorialarsson
http://www.myspace.com/iceageidiotsrule
http://www.metalmaidens.com/iceage.htm
Videos
I love Ice Age, but I have a problem ……..!!!! please PLEASE help me whit all the lyrics.. !!! PLEASE !!!!