ICE AGE from Sweden was probably the first all-female Thrash metal band that made any noise outside their circle of friends.
Formed January 14, 1985 by Sabrina Kihlstrand and Pia Nyström, who were also the main songwriters (music in collaboration, lyrics by Nyström). The band was rounded out by Sabrina's sister Helena, and Strömberg. Ice Age were initially known as Rock Solid, but switched to their more geographically apt moniker after their first demo. Helena was replaced by Viktoria Larsson in October 1986.
New demos in a progressively technical thrash vein followed in 1987 and 1988. The band was now managed by Dave Miles and Sean Wright of Nemesis International, and upon relocating to Wisbech (a small village near Cambridge), the band shot a video for the track 'Instant Justice' from the 1989 demo of the same name, receiving airings on both MTV and Super Channel. The band's crowning live achievement was at the Open Air ’88 festival in Lamone, Switzerland.
In Spring 1989 Sabrina left the band mid-tour because of managerial problems. She was replaced by Italian guitarist Isabella Fronzoni (previously in Milan-based Warhammer) and American vocalist Debbie Gunn (formerly of Sentinel Beast and Znöwhite, later in Brutal Groove), who both joined in June 1989. Holmstedt (who had originally auditioned for the same spot as Fronzoni) joined on bass soon after, sharing duties with Larsson.
They reformed in 2014 and are still going.
This is an interview from Metal Force #35 (1989).
