Fist were an English heavy metal band. They were part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The breakthrough success predicted for them by critics never came about. The band first formed in April 1978 as Axe, but only recorded one song ("S.S. Giro") under that name. The group reformed in late 1979 under the new name of Fist, soon signing with Neat Records and releasing their first single, "Name, Rank and Serial Number" in April 1980. The single was praised in the pages of Sounds, and bigger things were anticipated for the band as they signed with MCA, releasing a second single and preparing a full-length record for the end of the year. Unfortunately, the LP Turn the Hell On failed to make a critical or commercial impression, and Fist were dropped by MCA in early 1981.

Apart from a couple of compilation appearances (including the old 1978 Axe recording of "S.S. Giro" showing up on the Neat compilation Lead Weight), Fist went unheard from for a time, re-vamping the line-up in July 1981 and issuing their second LP, Back with a Vengeance, on Neat in early 1982. This lineup included lead vocalist Glenn Coates from Hollow Ground. Though they received better reviews this time around, the band still found no commercial success and broke up in late 1982.