Iron Will: An Interview with Stu Block (Into Eternity, ex-Iced Earth) and Frank Hetzel (Beltfed Weapon)

Frank Hetzel has been a giant in the Seattle metal community for many years – so much so that it’s been said that any metal band who played in the city was booked through him.  After securing national and international bands to grace the stages of Seattle, he started to create his own music through Beltfed Weapon, using the connections he had made to secure guest and session musicians to appear on the band’s EPs.  The band’s latest single, “Tortured Within,” features Stu Block on lead vocals.

Stu famously replaced Matt Barlow as the frontman of Iced Earth in 2011, before rejoining his original band Into Eternity in 2021.  He also has collaborated and recently performed with Annihilator, the highest selling metal act ever from his native Canada, amongst many other projects that he’s involved in.  Stu has one of the more impressive vocal ranges in metal today, consistently showcasing his ability to produce deep guttural death growls and octave defying air raid siren shrieks that are equal parts impressive.

I had the opportunity to speak with Stu and Frank for about 50 minutes about a number of topics, including:

• the new Beltfed Weapon track, which also features Bryan Newberry (Into Eternity) on drums, Mike Lepond (Symphony X) on bass, and Kragen Lum (Heathen, Exodus) on lead guitar.

• how Frank and Stu met and came to collaborate with each other, how Frank used his connections within the metal scene to bring on guest musicians, the timeline for the next Beltfed Weapon single that also features Stu on vocals, and a conversation about their biggest influences musically.
• memories of departed vocalist Tim Aymar (Control Denied) whose last recordings ever were featured on Beltfed Weapon’s 2022 EP Darkened Demise, and praise for his work on The Fragile Art of Existence recorded with Chuck Schuldiner.
• an overview of Stu’s time in Iced Earth, spanning from his audition and reaction to learning he got the gig by overhearing Jon Schaffer in another room, to the band’s epic performance at an ancient Byzantine stadium in Cyprus in 2013.
• Frank’s connection to Nevermore, especially Jeff Loomis, who contributes guitar parts on multiple Beltfed Weapon tracks, and reflections about the loss of Warrel Dane.
• a new Into Eternity record that’s in the works according to Stu, and Frank’s desire to release a full-length Beltfed Weapon album in the near future, and a wishlist of musicians he’d like to work with on future songs.

You can view the entire interview HERE:

Beltfed Weapon’s new single, “Tortured Within,” is available on all major streaming platforms.  A huge thank you to Stu and Frank for joining me and sharing so many stories from their respective careers.

For more information about Beltfed Weapon, check out their website here and stay tuned to their Bandcamp page for the next single.