Danse Macabre

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Convinced, Noise asked Celtic Frost to record a mini-LP, even though that hadn’t formed part of Warrior and Ain’s concept document. Undeterred, and propelled by a burning urgency, Celtic Frost set out to write and record a full length LP in a matter of a few months. ‘Morbid Tales’ was recorded with Horst Müller in Berlin and was unlike anything else. Intensely heavy, nuanced and experimental, the record was a radical musical statement of intent; a stunning synthesis of Warrior and Ain’s disparate influences. From the furious opening riff of ‘Into The Crypts Of Rays’ through to the avant-garde experimentation of ‘Danse Macabre’, ‘Morbid Tales’ heralded the arrival of Celtic Frost as a profoundly unique and uncompromising band. Instead, Tom says they tried to sabotage production. When the label came to the studio to hear what the band had done, they told them in no uncertain terms: “Nobody is going to buy this piece of shit. Can you record an album like Exodus or Slayer?” As punishment, financial support for touring was cancelled, as was a planned video shoot with legendary British filmmaker Ken Russell. They changed their tune when the album was (correctly) hailed as a visionary artistic statement and began to sell, but by this point the band had parted ways with the label, and Tom says “the experience basically destroyed us”.

Into The Pandemonium" was the last recording made by this era of CELTIC FROST, bringing to an end a period of incredible creative and artistic growth over what was a remarkably brief period of time. That the teenagers who recorded "The Third Of The Storm" and "Triumph Of Death" for the HELLHAMMER EP would, despite constant turmoil, be recording the jaw-dropping "Rex Irae" just three years later is astonishing. The pace is generally quite frenetic, but here are heavier and slower numbers like “Dethroned Emperor” which demonstrate the band’s willingness to keep their wings well spread. Emperor’s Return (1985)days ago LIES!: Dutch metallic hardcore gang drops video for “Propaganda” (ft. Hugo Zerrad – Worst Doubt) via Invisible Oranges; 2nd album comes early December The first Celtic Frost record, Morbid Tales, was ferocious and extreme. The second, To Mega Therion, was a huge step forward. But the third, Into the Pandemonium, was the landmark – a dark and beautiful set that sounded like nothing else and confronted closed-minded metal fans by opening with a cover of Wall of Voodoo’s new wave hit Mexican Radio. Even the band name had been intended as a break from metal convention. Doe, Bernard (December 2007). " 'Death Fiends': A Short Biography of Hellhammer". Century Media Records. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008 . Retrieved 10 May 2008. Talk about an incredible box set! The new Celtic Frost set appropriately named “Danse Macabre” is full of great music along with some really cool additional surprises.

They dealt with people like Ronnie James Dio and David Coverdale, who were the sacred figures of the scene at the time. And then there were some underground bands who were just yelling – I could totally understand that they were alienated by bands like us initially. We could see where they came from, as blind as they were.” In June 1984, guitarist and vocalist Thomas Gabriel Fischer and bassist Martin Eric Ain formed Celtic Frost after terminating the band Hellhammer a month prior. Celtic Frost's debut record, Morbid Tales, was then released in November of the same year. [5] This was followed by the full length studio records To Mega Therion (1985) and Into the Pandemonium (1987). [2] These releases are generally considered canonical to the legacy of the band's influence on extreme metal genres. Each of them contains samples of avant-garde composition, though Into the Pandemonium in particular is notable for its idiosyncratic style and experimentation with musical boundaries beyond heavy metal. Now Celtic Frost are a band I am aware of but not familiar with. The closest I’ve come to them is seeing Triptykon live a few years ago, which is essentially seeing one member playing in a different band. They were still an active entity when I was in my formative metal years, but just one of the many bands I didn’t pursue. As such, this review is essentially my very first exposure to their music (aside from unwittingly hearing “Circle of the Tyrants” on Obituary’s Cause of Death and not knowing it was a cover). Not bad given that most of the material was released 35+ years ago. Morbid Tales (1984) Over the course of little more than three years between 1984 and 1987, Celtic Frost established themselves as one of the most important bands in extreme and experimental music of that era. ‘Danse Macabre’ brings together the band’s recordings from those years, capturing their boundary-pushing ambition and creative zeal. Certainly, especially with the non-traditional instruments, you get the feeling from this point that Celtic Frost were a band prepared to push a few boundaries. The only time offhand I can recall hearing anything similar in a non-themed album (such as Ex Deo’s releases) was on Soulfly’s Archangel.Tom G. Warrior Interview". About.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015 . Retrieved 24 January 2013. a b Raggett, Ned. "Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying – Celtic Frost". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 26 September 2011. Just as then, today as a 59-year-old man and reluctant metal legend, Tom believes that music should be something without walls, without limits, a deep expression of its creator. With current band Triptykon, its’s a route he continues to take, brilliantly searching the shadows for ever-darker shades of music. A final proposed album titled "Under Apollyon's Sun" was never made, although Fischer would later co-found a new group called Apollyon Sun.