This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they cite the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Iron Savior are a German heavy/power/speed metal band. Piet Sielck has bee the main songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist of the band. Only occasionally did other members write anything until more recent albums Rise of the Hero and Titancraft which are credited to the entire band. This tree will focus on Piet’s influences and other members that have contributed will be noted below.

Black Sabbath are the fathers of metal. Piet said he was a never big sabbath fan until Dio era Sabbath and has covered that ear of sabbath with Iron Savior.

Sweet were an inspirational hard rock / glam band in the 70’s. Piet said that him and Kai first bounded from their mutual liking of Sweet.

Nazareth were a hard rock band. Piet is a fan and has even covered Nazareth with Iron Savior.

AC/DC are the quintessential hard rock band. They were an early influence on Piet.

Motorhead are hard rock / heavy metal legends. Piet named them as an early influence.

Judas Priest are dubbed the metal gods are probably the most quintessential metal band. Piet called them the ultimate metal band and has covered them over the years. Piet said him and Kai saw Priest open for AC/DC and hearing “Exciter shaped the way they both play.

Iron Maiden are the biggest of the NWOBHM bands and one of the most influential metal bands. Piet named them as an influence.

Accept are German heavy metal legends. Piet named them as an influence.

Piet and Kai Hansen of Helloween and Gamma Ray fame were in a band called Gentry as kids. They played a battle of the bands where they covered Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Uriah Heep. They also played some originals that later on would end up on Helloween and Gamma Ray albums. They also covered Sex Pistols at some time.

Piet said the idea of “robots and stuff” came from the album cover of Queen’s News of the World.

Piet mentions being influenced by NWOBHM bands but didn’t name specific ones other than Iron Maiden.

Kai Hansen played guitar on the first few albums but most of that material was written by Piet. A couple songs either written by him or with him but his influences will be listed with his primary bands Helloween and Gamma Ray.

Joachim "Piesel" Küstner has been on guitar since 2000. Jan-Sören Eckert on bass from 97-2003 and then 2011 till present. They only occasionally contributed on a few songs here and there until more recent albums Rise of the Hero and Titancraft which are more collaborative with the “Iron Savior” receiving writing credit. I’m unsure of either of their influences.

Drummer Thomas Nack was with the ban with the band from 99-2017 and toured with them earlier. He shares in credits on more recent albums Rise of the Hero and Titancraft, but I’m unsure of his influences.

More Family Trees

Sources:

https://www.metal-rules.com/2005/09/06/iron-savior-piet-sielck/
http://www.metalcovenant.com/pages/interviews/interview_iron_savior2.htm
https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-iron-savior-talks-rise-hero/
http://highday.tripod.com/ironsavior.html
http://metalkings.com/reviews/iron-savior/iron-savior-eng.htm
https://the-plague.net/post/182260879735/iron-savior-interview-piet-sielck-by-daniel-hinds