Celtic Frost
Encyclopedia
Celtic Frost was a metal
band from Zürich
, Switzerland
. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again. The band was inspired by heavy metal
groups such as Black Sabbath
, Judas Priest
and Venom
, but also by gothic rock
acts like Bauhaus
, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Christian Death
and by the hardcore punk
group Discharge
.
, in 1982. Steve Warrior was later replaced by Martin Eric Ain
- also a pseudonym. The band attracted a small international fan-base, got signed to Noise Records
in Germany
and recorded their debut EP Apocalyptic Raids
in March 1984, now a rare finding on eBay
or second hand record stores around the world.
By May 1984, Hellhammer had disbanded. Fischer and Ain, along with session drummer Stephen Priestly, regrouped as Celtic Frost. Their 1984 debut mini-LP, Morbid Tales
was a hit in the underground metal scene, and the band set out on its first tour, through Germany and Austria
. This was followed with an EP Emperor's Return
. Both early releases are now available on the one CD.
which did not feature Ain on bass, but stand-in Dominic Steiner. Ain did return after the album was recorded however. In 1987 followed Into the Pandemonium
. These albums were some of the pivotal LPs for underground metal and inducted a new and more varied sound. Celtic Frost, along with Venom
and Bathory
were pioneers in the still underground black metal
scene, although Celtic Frost were much more experimental with the addition of classical instruments, operatic female vocals and sampling. Celtic Frost was often labeled by critics as avant-garde metal.
was a disappointment to most of the group's established fan-base but achieved notable success in the North American market. Bryant fired Amberg and former live guitarist Ron Marks returned as a guest for the recording of Vanity/Nemesis
in 1990. The most significant change, however, was the return of early bassist Martin Eric Ain
and the addition of "Gypsy" Jones on guitar. But Celtic Frost's reputation did not fully recover. The group's next (and, as it would turn out, last for several years) album was a collection of rare recordings called Parched With Thirst Am I and Dying
(1992). The compilation's title was inspired by an old Roman prayer. It featured unreleased material, re-recorded versions of older songs and some studio session versions.
A final album titled "Under Apollyon's Sun" never eventuated under that title, although Fischer co-founded a new group called Apollyon Sun.
with his close friend Erol Unala on guitars in the mid-1990s and recorded an EP God Leaves (And Dies)
and a full-length album Sub
. Although clearly based on Celtic Frost's dark and more adventurous music, Apollyon Sun was an industrial metal
project. During his hiatus from music, Fischer had also finished work on an autobiographical book, called Are You Morbid?, which was published by London-based Sanctuary Publishing to fan acclaim in 2000.
The newest and seventh Celtic Frost album was financed by the group itself through its own imprint, Prowling Death Records, and publishing imprint, Diktatur des Kapitals. Prowling Death Records originally was the self-founded underground label which released the Hellhammer demos and managed Hellhammer's career in 1983 and 1984. The album was produced by Celtic Frost with Peter Tägtgren
(of Bloodbath/Hypocrisy
/Pain
fame) and mixed by Fischer and Ain. Celtic Frost and Prowling Death Records subsequently entered into a worldwide licensing deal with Century Media Records. The album, titled Monotheist
, was released on May 30, 2006.
On May 29, 2006, Celtic Frost embarked on the most extensive tour of the band's career, the "Monotheist Tour", initially headlining festivals (e.g. the Wacken Open Air
festival, in front of an audience of 50,000) across Europe the United States and Canada in 2006, and the group's first ever shows in Japan in January 2007. In early 2007 the European leg of the tour took place and a return to the United States as a special guest to Type O Negative
. Further festival appearances and concerts followed in mid-2007.
On stage, Celtic Frost play with an additional tour guitar player. This position was initially filled by Anders Odden
(Cadaver
, Apoptygma Berzerk
, Magenta
), now by V Santura (of Dark Fortress
).
In early 2007, Celtic Frost began writing material for a new album, possibly due for release in 2008.
Metalunderground posted a statement from Tom Fischer regarding the new album.
Fischer spoke to Spanish metal webzine Hall of Metal recently about new material: "I’m actually working on a new album of Celtic Frost and I think it’s going to be really extreme and dark. Celtic Frost has its own style, its own sound and it expresses a lot of emotions. The music I write shows the state of my life, and now I feel very comfortable with such dark music."
As of Celtic Frost's announcement of their second breakup in September 2008, there is no talk of recording and releasing the new album.
The lasts shows of Celtic Frost were in Mexico, October 12, 2007 in Monterrey, and the last one October 13, 2007 in Mexico City
Bassist Ain stated that the band was "still alive, albeit in a coma of sorts." He went on further to say that the remainder of the band is "not going to continue recording or touring," saying this "would be preposterous" without Fischer. Fischer has himself gone on to form a new band called Triptykon
, featuring Celtic Frost touring guitarist V Santura, original Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark
(although he has since departed and was replaced by Norman Lonhard), as well as bassist Vanja Slajh. Fischer has also said that his new band will sound similar to the direction Celtic Frost took on their 2006 album, Monotheist
.
On September 9, 2008, Celtic Frost members Martin Eric Ain and Tom Gabriel Fischer confirmed on Celtic Frost's official website that the band had "jointly decided to lay Celtic Frost to rest for good".
, black metal
and even death metal
and their later work as doom metal
and gothic metal
. With the album Cold Lake
they were even shown to experiment with glam metal
.
The level of experimentation on albums like Into the Pandemonium
, lead certain journalists to describe the band's direction as avant-garde metal.
, for example, took its band name from the album To Mega Therion. Other bands that have cited Celtic Frost as an influence, or have covered Celtic Frost, include Obituary
, Goatwhore
, Sepultura
, Gorgoroth
, Gallhammer
and many others. Dave Grohl
(ex-Nirvana
, Foo Fighters
) and Mark Tremonti
(Alter Bridge
, Creed
) have both stated on several occasions that Celtic Frost were an influence. Grohl subsequently invited Celtic Frost singer Tom Gabriel Fischer to participate in the recordings of his 2004 solo project, Probot
, resulting in the co-written song "Big Sky
".
In 1995, Dwell records released In Memory of Celtic Frost
A collection of songs covered by other bands. Notable bands that appeared on this tribute collection include Enslaved
, covering the song "Procreation (of the Wicked)"; Opeth
, covering the song "Circle of the Tyrants"; Swedish death metal band Grave
, covering the song "Mesmerized"; Canadian thrash metal band Slaughter
, covering the song "Dethroned Emperor"; Apollyon Sun
(featuring Tom G. Warrior himself), covering the song "Babylon Fell"; and the Norwegian black metal bands Emperor
, covering "Massacra", and Mayhem
, covering the song "Visual Aggression". The tribute album also features Celtic Frost songs covered by several lesser known and now defunct metal bands. The hard to find CD is now out of print.
Despite this, when frontman Tom was asked to comment on their influence on heavy metal, he replied: "No, I try to stay away from that. I'm a musician, I don't want to get involved with all that. It's not healthy. I want to do good albums. I'm still alive and I feel there's still so much in front of me. I don't want to be bothered with who has influence and where we stand and all that. I think it's a negative thing."
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal genres. The group was first active from 1984 to 1993, and re-formed in 2001. Following Tom Gabriel Fischer's departure in 2008, Celtic Frost decided to break up again. The band was inspired by heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
groups such as Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
and Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
, but also by gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
acts like Bauhaus
Bauhaus (band)
Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...
, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Christian Death
Christian Death
Christian Death is an American deathrock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1979. The band was founded and fronted by Rozz Williams. Christian Death is most notable for their first album Only Theatre of Pain....
and by the hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
group Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
.
Formation (1984-1985)
Celtic Frost's former frontman, guitarist and singer Tom Gabriel Fischer, adopted the alias Tom Warrior. With Steve Warrior on bass, he formed one of the earliest extreme metal bands, HellhammerHellhammer
Hellhammer was an influential extreme metal band from Switzerland, active during 1982–1984. They are regarded as being one of the first extreme metal bands and are a key influence on later black metal and death metal bands.-Biography:...
, in 1982. Steve Warrior was later replaced by Martin Eric Ain
Martin Eric Ain
Martin Eric Ain is best known for being the former left-handed bassist of the now defunct Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost. According to a recent interview, Ain is, in fact, an alias...
- also a pseudonym. The band attracted a small international fan-base, got signed to Noise Records
Noise Records (Germany)
Noise Records was a German record label founded by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach in 1983 as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. Noise Records specialized in thrash and melodic speed metal. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and recorded their debut EP Apocalyptic Raids
Apocalyptic Raids
Apocalyptic Raids is an EP by the Swiss extreme metal band Hellhammer. It was recorded and released in March 1984, and was the band's only commercial release.The record was a major influence on the then-emerging death metal and black metal genres...
in March 1984, now a rare finding on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
or second hand record stores around the world.
By May 1984, Hellhammer had disbanded. Fischer and Ain, along with session drummer Stephen Priestly, regrouped as Celtic Frost. Their 1984 debut mini-LP, Morbid Tales
Morbid Tales
Morbid Tales is the debut album by the Swiss extreme metal band, Celtic Frost. It was released in June 1984. The first American release by Enigma/Metal Blade added two tracks, making Morbid Tales an LP....
was a hit in the underground metal scene, and the band set out on its first tour, through Germany and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. This was followed with an EP Emperor's Return
Emperor's Return
Emperor's Return is the second release by the Swiss extreme metal band, Celtic Frost. It was released in 1985 as an extended play and was their first record featuring American drummer Reid Cruickshank...
. Both early releases are now available on the one CD.
Continued success (1985-1987)
One of their more influential recordings was 1985's To Mega TherionTo Mega Therion (album)
To Mega Therion is the second album by the Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost, released in October 1985. The cover artwork is a painting by H.R. Giger entitled Satan I...
which did not feature Ain on bass, but stand-in Dominic Steiner. Ain did return after the album was recorded however. In 1987 followed Into the Pandemonium
Into the Pandemonium
Into the Pandemonium is the 1987 album by avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. The album is more varied than many of Celtic Frost's past LPs, with unlikely covers , emotionally charged love songs, the album's recurring industrial-influenced rhythmic songs of demons and destruction and thrash metal...
. These albums were some of the pivotal LPs for underground metal and inducted a new and more varied sound. Celtic Frost, along with Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
and Bathory
Bathory (band)
Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by Quorthon in 1983. They are regarded as pioneers of both black metal and viking metal. Quorthon remained the main songwriter and member of Bathory for more than two decades. Bathory was permanently ended after Quorthon's death in 2004...
were pioneers in the still underground black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
scene, although Celtic Frost were much more experimental with the addition of classical instruments, operatic female vocals and sampling. Celtic Frost was often labeled by critics as avant-garde metal.
Stylistic changes, internal struggles, and first breakup (1987-1993)
After a subsequent North American tour (which saw the addition of a second guitarist, Ron Marks to the group's ranks), financial trouble, personal tension between the band members and an ill-fated relationship with their record label led to a complete dissolution of the band. Six months later, Warrior decided to reform the band with Stephen Priestly back on drums, Oliver Amberg on guitars and Curt Victor Bryant on bass. The resulting album Cold LakeCold Lake (album)
Cold Lake is an album by the Swiss avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. It was not popular with the group or its fans and is no longer available to buy, making the album much sought after by collectors.-Background:...
was a disappointment to most of the group's established fan-base but achieved notable success in the North American market. Bryant fired Amberg and former live guitarist Ron Marks returned as a guest for the recording of Vanity/Nemesis
Vanity/Nemesis
Vanity/Nemesis is a 1990 album by Celtic Frost. It can be seen as a return-to-form compared to the band's previous album, Cold Lake. The album also includes a cover of David Bowie's 1977 hit "Heroes", on the CD release...
in 1990. The most significant change, however, was the return of early bassist Martin Eric Ain
Martin Eric Ain
Martin Eric Ain is best known for being the former left-handed bassist of the now defunct Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost. According to a recent interview, Ain is, in fact, an alias...
and the addition of "Gypsy" Jones on guitar. But Celtic Frost's reputation did not fully recover. The group's next (and, as it would turn out, last for several years) album was a collection of rare recordings called Parched With Thirst Am I and Dying
Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying
Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying is a compilation album of the Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost released in 1992. It consists of album tracks, demos and various other recordings of the band.- Track listing :-Credits:...
(1992). The compilation's title was inspired by an old Roman prayer. It featured unreleased material, re-recorded versions of older songs and some studio session versions.
A final album titled "Under Apollyon's Sun" never eventuated under that title, although Fischer co-founded a new group called Apollyon Sun.
Post-breakup (1993-2001)
Several years following the disbanding of Celtic Frost, and after quite some time spent away from the music industry, Fischer co-founded a new group called Apollyon SunApollyon Sun
Apollyon Sun was a Metal band formed by singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer and guitarist Erol Unala in early 1995, after the termination of Celtic Frost, Fischer's prior group. The group was unofficially dissolved in 2001 when Fischer invited Erol Unala to contribute to the reformation of Celtic...
with his close friend Erol Unala on guitars in the mid-1990s and recorded an EP God Leaves (And Dies)
God Leaves (And Dies)
God Leaves is the debut EP by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 1997 on Mayan Records."God Leaves" and "The Cane" were taken from AS' 1997 Industry Demonstration and were remastered for this release. Written, arranged and produced by Apollyon Sun...
and a full-length album Sub
Sub (album)
Sub is the debut album by Swiss Industrial metal band Apollyon Sun, released in 2000 on Mayan Records.Work on a full album, Sub began at London's Trident Studios in 1998, with renown producer Roli Mosimann...
. Although clearly based on Celtic Frost's dark and more adventurous music, Apollyon Sun was an industrial metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
project. During his hiatus from music, Fischer had also finished work on an autobiographical book, called Are You Morbid?, which was published by London-based Sanctuary Publishing to fan acclaim in 2000.
Reunion (2001-2008)
In late 2001, Fischer and Ain began to write music together again, along with Unala on guitar and, from late 2002, experienced Swiss drummer Franco Sesa (also known within the group as the Inverted Cross). The aim was to develop and record a new, very dark and heavy album. The completion of the project took far longer than anticipated (in part due to the DIY nature of the project and the project's financing) but finally resulted, in late 2005, in what Fischer and Ain describe as "perhaps the darkest album Celtic Frost have ever recorded", based on a combination of the musical aura of To Mega Therion and Into The Pandemonium.The newest and seventh Celtic Frost album was financed by the group itself through its own imprint, Prowling Death Records, and publishing imprint, Diktatur des Kapitals. Prowling Death Records originally was the self-founded underground label which released the Hellhammer demos and managed Hellhammer's career in 1983 and 1984. The album was produced by Celtic Frost with Peter Tägtgren
Peter Tägtgren
Alf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician and producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band PAIN in which he is the only member....
(of Bloodbath/Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy (band)
Hypocrisy is a melodic death metal band from Sweden. It was formed in 1990 in Ludvika, Sweden by Peter Tägtgren.Musically, the band started off with a traditional death metal sound on their first albums, and soon drifted to become a melodic death metal band. The lyrics in their early stages -...
/Pain
Pain (Swedish band)
Pain is a musical project from Sweden that mix Metal with influences from Electronic metal and Techno. The project started out as a hobby project for front man Peter Tägtgren, whose idea was to fuse metal with 1980's-inspired electro-industrial and techno influences...
fame) and mixed by Fischer and Ain. Celtic Frost and Prowling Death Records subsequently entered into a worldwide licensing deal with Century Media Records. The album, titled Monotheist
Monotheist (album)
Monotheist is the sixth and final album by the Swiss heavy metal band Celtic Frost. The album was released in May 2006 and was the first new recording released by the band for fourteen years.-Development:...
, was released on May 30, 2006.
On May 29, 2006, Celtic Frost embarked on the most extensive tour of the band's career, the "Monotheist Tour", initially headlining festivals (e.g. the Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival, in front of an audience of 50,000) across Europe the United States and Canada in 2006, and the group's first ever shows in Japan in January 2007. In early 2007 the European leg of the tour took place and a return to the United States as a special guest to Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
. Further festival appearances and concerts followed in mid-2007.
On stage, Celtic Frost play with an additional tour guitar player. This position was initially filled by Anders Odden
Anders Odden
Anders Odden , is a musician. He is the guitarist of Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult and as well as multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for Magenta...
(Cadaver
Cadaver (band)
Cadaver was a death metal band from Råde, Norway. The band had a brief venture in the early 1990s before splitting in 1993. Cadaver would eventually re-emerge as Cadaver Inc. in 1999 which consisted of only one founding member...
, Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk is a Norwegian musical group. They have achieved success with a brand of synthpop, and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene and referring to themselves as "futurepop". Apop has won awards and top-10 spots in Germany and Scandinavia...
, Magenta
Magenta (Norwegian band)
Magenta is an alternative rock band from Norway formed by Anders Odden during the summer of 1995; Vilde Lockert joined him on vocals that autumn....
), now by V Santura (of Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress
Dark Fortress is a black metal band from Landshut, Germany, formed in 1994. They have released six studio albums, a split album and a demo album.-Early:...
).
In early 2007, Celtic Frost began writing material for a new album, possibly due for release in 2008.
Metalunderground posted a statement from Tom Fischer regarding the new album.
Fischer spoke to Spanish metal webzine Hall of Metal recently about new material: "I’m actually working on a new album of Celtic Frost and I think it’s going to be really extreme and dark. Celtic Frost has its own style, its own sound and it expresses a lot of emotions. The music I write shows the state of my life, and now I feel very comfortable with such dark music."
As of Celtic Frost's announcement of their second breakup in September 2008, there is no talk of recording and releasing the new album.
The lasts shows of Celtic Frost were in Mexico, October 12, 2007 in Monterrey, and the last one October 13, 2007 in Mexico City
Second breakup and Triptykon (2008-present)
Fischer tendered his resignation from Celtic Frost on April 9, 2008, with this message displayed on the band's official website:Bassist Ain stated that the band was "still alive, albeit in a coma of sorts." He went on further to say that the remainder of the band is "not going to continue recording or touring," saying this "would be preposterous" without Fischer. Fischer has himself gone on to form a new band called Triptykon
Triptykon
Triptykon is a musical project of Thomas Gabriel Fischer, founding member of the pioneering heavy metal bands Hellhammer, Celtic Frost and Apollyon Sun. Fischer announced his departure from Celtic Frost in May 2008 and shortly afterwards revealed his new project would be entitled Triptykon...
, featuring Celtic Frost touring guitarist V Santura, original Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark
Reed St. Mark
Reed St. Mark is an American drummer best known for playing with the avant-garde Swiss heavy metal band Celtic Frost.Reed St. Mark joined Celtic Frost in 1985 for the recording of their Emperor's Return E.P. and the highly influential To Mega Therion and Into The Pandemonium albums...
(although he has since departed and was replaced by Norman Lonhard), as well as bassist Vanja Slajh. Fischer has also said that his new band will sound similar to the direction Celtic Frost took on their 2006 album, Monotheist
Monotheist (album)
Monotheist is the sixth and final album by the Swiss heavy metal band Celtic Frost. The album was released in May 2006 and was the first new recording released by the band for fourteen years.-Development:...
.
On September 9, 2008, Celtic Frost members Martin Eric Ain and Tom Gabriel Fischer confirmed on Celtic Frost's official website that the band had "jointly decided to lay Celtic Frost to rest for good".
Genre
As Celtic Frost changed their sound throughout their career their exact genre has been a topic of debate. They have been labeled with various metal genres by the media and it continues today. Fans and critics often classify their earlier music as thrash metalThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
and even death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and their later work as doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
and gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
. With the album Cold Lake
Cold Lake (album)
Cold Lake is an album by the Swiss avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. It was not popular with the group or its fans and is no longer available to buy, making the album much sought after by collectors.-Background:...
they were even shown to experiment with glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
.
The level of experimentation on albums like Into the Pandemonium
Into the Pandemonium
Into the Pandemonium is the 1987 album by avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. The album is more varied than many of Celtic Frost's past LPs, with unlikely covers , emotionally charged love songs, the album's recurring industrial-influenced rhythmic songs of demons and destruction and thrash metal...
, lead certain journalists to describe the band's direction as avant-garde metal.
Legacy
Celtic Frost have influenced a number of black, death, thrash, and heavy metal bands. The band TherionTherion (band)
Therion is a Swedish symphonic metal band founded by Christofer Johnsson in 1987. The word "therion" comes from the Greek therion , meaning "Beast," i.e., that of the Christian Book of Revelation...
, for example, took its band name from the album To Mega Therion. Other bands that have cited Celtic Frost as an influence, or have covered Celtic Frost, include Obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
, Goatwhore
Goatwhore
Goatwhore is an American blackened death metal band, formed in 1997 in New Orleans, Louisiana.- Biography :Goatwhore was formed by singer/guitarist Sammy Duet following the breakup of his previous band, Acid Bath. Soilent Green singer L...
, Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
, Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus , the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The group is currently signed to Regain Records and have released...
, Gallhammer
Gallhammer
Gallhammer is a Japanese extreme metal group that draws on black metal, doom metal, and crust punk. They formed in Tokyo in 2003. All of the members are female, which is rare in their genre. -Biography:...
and many others. Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
(ex-Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
) and Mark Tremonti
Mark Tremonti
Mark Thomas Tremonti is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands...
(Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge is an American rock band that was formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida by lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, who are all also members of Creed. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the frontman...
, Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
) have both stated on several occasions that Celtic Frost were an influence. Grohl subsequently invited Celtic Frost singer Tom Gabriel Fischer to participate in the recordings of his 2004 solo project, Probot
Probot
Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. An album was recorded out of the material and released in February 2004...
, resulting in the co-written song "Big Sky
Big Sky
-Places:* large expanses of flat land, such as** Montana, U.S. state** East Anglia, UK region*Big Sky, Montana-Television, film and books:*Big Sky , an Australian televised drama that ran from 1997-1999...
".
In 1995, Dwell records released In Memory of Celtic Frost
In Memory of Celtic Frost
In Memory of Celtic Frost is a Celtic Frost tribute album released in 1996. Notable for its inclusion of "Babylon Fell" by Apollyon Sun, which features former Celtic Frost vocalist/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer...
A collection of songs covered by other bands. Notable bands that appeared on this tribute collection include Enslaved
Enslaved (band)
Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
, covering the song "Procreation (of the Wicked)"; Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, covering the song "Circle of the Tyrants"; Swedish death metal band Grave
Grave (band)
Grave is a Swedish death metal band that formed in 1986 by vocalist and guitarist Ola Lindgren, who is their only constant member. The band had particular success in the early 1990s, and their first four albums, Into the Grave, You'll Never See..., Soulless and Hating Life, cemented their...
, covering the song "Mesmerized"; Canadian thrash metal band Slaughter
Slaughter (Canadian band)
Slaughter was a Canadian death/thrash band. They formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1984 playing thrash metal and briefly featured Chuck Schuldiner on guitar in 1986. Originally, they released two demos and two full albums...
, covering the song "Dethroned Emperor"; Apollyon Sun
Apollyon Sun
Apollyon Sun was a Metal band formed by singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer and guitarist Erol Unala in early 1995, after the termination of Celtic Frost, Fischer's prior group. The group was unofficially dissolved in 2001 when Fischer invited Erol Unala to contribute to the reformation of Celtic...
(featuring Tom G. Warrior himself), covering the song "Babylon Fell"; and the Norwegian black metal bands Emperor
Emperor (band)
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...
, covering "Massacra", and Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
, covering the song "Visual Aggression". The tribute album also features Celtic Frost songs covered by several lesser known and now defunct metal bands. The hard to find CD is now out of print.
Despite this, when frontman Tom was asked to comment on their influence on heavy metal, he replied: "No, I try to stay away from that. I'm a musician, I don't want to get involved with all that. It's not healthy. I want to do good albums. I'm still alive and I feel there's still so much in front of me. I don't want to be bothered with who has influence and where we stand and all that. I think it's a negative thing."
Final lineup (2008)
- Tom Gabriel FischerThomas Gabriel FischerThomas Gabriel Fischer , earlier known by his stage name of "Tom Gabriel Warrior", is a Swiss singer and guitarist. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the death metal style of singing or growling. Together with Bruce Day and Steve Warrior he formed the seminal metal band Hellhammer in...
– vocals, guitars, programming (1984–1993, 2001–2008) - Martin Eric AinMartin Eric AinMartin Eric Ain is best known for being the former left-handed bassist of the now defunct Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost. According to a recent interview, Ain is, in fact, an alias...
– bass guitar, vocals (1984–1987, 1990–1993, 2001–2008) - Franco Sesa – drums, percussion (2002–2008)
- V Santura – guitar (live, 2007–2008)
Previous members
- Isaac Darso - drums (1984)
- Dominic Steiner - bass (1985)
- Ron Marks – guitar (1987)
- Oliver Amberg – guitar (1988–1989)
- Stephen Priestly – drums, percussion (1984, 1988–1992)
- Reed St. MarkReed St. MarkReed St. Mark is an American drummer best known for playing with the avant-garde Swiss heavy metal band Celtic Frost.Reed St. Mark joined Celtic Frost in 1985 for the recording of their Emperor's Return E.P. and the highly influential To Mega Therion and Into The Pandemonium albums...
– drums, percussion (1985–1988, 1992–1993) - Larry "Gypsy" Jones - guitar (1990–1993)
- Curt Victor Bryant – bass (1988–1990)
- Erol Unala – guitar (2001–2006)
- Anders OddenAnders OddenAnders Odden , is a musician. He is the guitarist of Doctor Midnight & The Mercy Cult and as well as multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for Magenta...
– guitar (live, 2006–2007)
Studio albums
- Morbid TalesMorbid TalesMorbid Tales is the debut album by the Swiss extreme metal band, Celtic Frost. It was released in June 1984. The first American release by Enigma/Metal Blade added two tracks, making Morbid Tales an LP....
(1984, re-released in 1999) (vinyl re-releaseMorbid TalesMorbid Tales is the debut album by the Swiss extreme metal band, Celtic Frost. It was released in June 1984. The first American release by Enigma/Metal Blade added two tracks, making Morbid Tales an LP....
in 2008) - To Mega TherionTo Mega Therion (album)To Mega Therion is the second album by the Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost, released in October 1985. The cover artwork is a painting by H.R. Giger entitled Satan I...
(1985, re-released in 1999) - Into the PandemoniumInto the PandemoniumInto the Pandemonium is the 1987 album by avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. The album is more varied than many of Celtic Frost's past LPs, with unlikely covers , emotionally charged love songs, the album's recurring industrial-influenced rhythmic songs of demons and destruction and thrash metal...
(1987, re-released in 1999) - Cold LakeCold Lake (album)Cold Lake is an album by the Swiss avant-garde metal band Celtic Frost. It was not popular with the group or its fans and is no longer available to buy, making the album much sought after by collectors.-Background:...
(1988) - Vanity/NemesisVanity/NemesisVanity/Nemesis is a 1990 album by Celtic Frost. It can be seen as a return-to-form compared to the band's previous album, Cold Lake. The album also includes a cover of David Bowie's 1977 hit "Heroes", on the CD release...
(1990, re-released in 1999) - MonotheistMonotheist (album)Monotheist is the sixth and final album by the Swiss heavy metal band Celtic Frost. The album was released in May 2006 and was the first new recording released by the band for fourteen years.-Development:...
(2006)
EPs
- Emperor's ReturnEmperor's ReturnEmperor's Return is the second release by the Swiss extreme metal band, Celtic Frost. It was released in 1985 as an extended play and was their first record featuring American drummer Reid Cruickshank...
(1985, re-released as part of Morbid Tales in 1999) - Tragic SerenadesTragic SerenadesTragic Serenades is an EP by the Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost. It was released in 1986, and was an influence on the developing death metal and black metal genres...
(1986) - Wine in My Hand (Third from the Sun) (1990)
Singles
- The Collector's Celtic Frost (1987)
- I Won't Dance (1987)
- Cherry Orchards (1988)
- The Celtic Frost Story (1989)
Music videos
- Circle Of The Tyrants (1986)
- Cherry Orchards (1988)
- Wine In My Hand (Third From The Sun) (1989)
- A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh (2006)
External links
- Official website
- Interview with Martin Eric Ain, Broward-Palm Beach New Times, 19 October 2006
- Interview with Tom Fisher about new album, "www.metalunderground.com"
- Interview with Gabriel Tom Fischer, www.avantgarde-metal.com, 2010.