Celtic Frost () was a Swiss

extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tra ...

band from

Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Zürich () i ...

. They are known for their strong influence on the development of

Bukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and

avant-garde metal Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional sou ...

.Wagner, Jeff. '' Mean Deviation''. Bazillion Points Books, 2010. pp.116-124 In May 1984, extreme metal band

Hellhammer Hellhammer was a Swiss metal band from Nürensdorf, active from 1982 to 1984. Although the band's sound and style were heavily criticized and poorly reviewed during their active years, they have been widely praised in retrospect and are often r ...

dissolved, but two of the members of that band, guitarist/vocalist Thomas Gabriel Fischer (under the new stage name "Tom Warrior") and bassist

Martin Eric Ain Martin Eric Ain (born Martin Erich Stricker; July 18, 1967 – October 21, 2017) was a musician best known as the bassist of the influential extreme metal bands Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. He used the stage name Martin Eric Ain throughout. B ...

, went on to form Celtic Frost in June and release their debut, '' Morbid Tales'', by November of that same year. This was followed by '' To Mega Therion'' (1985) and the highly experimental ''

Into the Pandemonium ''Into the Pandemonium'' is the second studio album by Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost, released in 1987. It is the first album to feature bassist and backing vocalist Martin Eric Ain, who appeared on 1984's Morbid Tales EP, but not the ...

'' (1987), all of which were widely praised. Celtic Frost's next album '' Cold Lake'' (1988) saw a new lineup and a radical change of style, which was widely derided. After the release of '' Vanity/Nemesis'' (1990), the group disbanded. It re-formed in 2001 and released the critically acclaimed ''

Monotheist Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God.F. L. Cross, Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Ox ...

'' (2006), before disbanding following frontman

Tom Gabriel Fischer Thomas Gabriel Fischer (born 19 July 1963), also known by his stage names of Tom G. Warrior and Satanic Slaughter, is a Swiss metal musician. He led the groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and today is the frontman of the band Triptykon. Caree ...

's departure in 2008.September 9, 2008 – PRESS RELEASE
Retrieved from Internet Archive 6 January 2014. Their music included elements of various extreme metal styles. Their earlier music was mostly classified as

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

and

black metal Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw ( lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an em ...

with an experimental streak, while their last album was more akin to

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

and gothic metal. Celtic Frost were inspired by metal bands such as

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped de ...

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

and

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a ...

as well as new wave groups like

Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 2 ...

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. Q (maga ...

Christian Death Christian Death is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles County, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. With major line-up changes over the years, Christian Death has retained "a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religi ...

, and

Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after att ...

and by the

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pu ...

of Discharge and GBH.

History

Formation and first recordings (1984–1987)

Celtic Frost's frontman, guitarist and singer

, adopted the alias Tom Warrior. With Steve Warrior on bass, he formed one of the earliest extreme metal bands,

, in 1981. Steve Warrior was later replaced by

– also a pseudonym. The band attracted a small international fan-base, got signed to

Noise Records Noise Records is a German heavy metal record label founded in 1983 by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

and recorded their debut EP ''

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 ...

'' in March 1984, now a rare find on

eBay eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became ...

or second-hand record stores around the world.

Metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typi ...

publications were also skeptical of Hellhammer's musical endeavor. ''

Metal Forces ''Metal Forces'' is a British publication founded in 1983 which promotes the music genres heavy metal and hard rock. ''Metal Forces'' was well known for its coverage of unsigned bands through its ''Demolition'' feature and championed the likes o ...

'' loathed the group; that started a long-lasting feud between that zine and Warrior, which kept Celtic Frost from playing in England for a couple of years.Gregori (2003), page 11. ''Rock Power'' was not fond of Hellhammer either – they considered it "the most terrible, abhorrent, and atrocious thing ‘musicians’ were ever allowed to record". In fact, they were "receiving miserable reviews everywhere", Warrior concluded.Fischer (2000), page 80. Regarding the controversial status of his former band, Thomas said:

Way back in 1984 and 85, when Martin Eric Ain and I recorded Celtic Frost's first two albums '' Morbid Tales'' and '' To Mega Therion'', Hellhammer lasted on us almost like a curse. Even though Hellhammer was the very reason we had thought over our goals and conceived the Frost, HH's left-overs kept being mighty rocks in our way. Many voices saw Frost as the same band with just a name-change. The lack of musical quality in HH made it almost impossible for us to get an unbiased reaction for Frost. To make a long story short, it almost killed all our work and dreams.

By May 1984, Hellhammer had disbanded. Fischer and Ain, along with session drummer Stephen Priestly, regrouped as Celtic Frost. Their 1984 debut EP, '' Morbid Tales'' was a hit in the underground metal scene, and the band set out on its first tour, through Germany and

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. This was followed with an EP ''

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 (a.k.a. " Reed St. Mark"). The band's blea ...

''. Both early releases are now available on one CD. One of their more influential recordings was 1985's ''To Mega Therion'' which did not feature Ain on bass, but stand-in Dominic Steiner. The cover artwork is a painting by

H.R. Giger Hans Ruedi Giger ( ; ; 5 February 1940 – 12 May 2014) was a Swiss artist best known for his airbrushed images that blended human physiques with machines, an art style known as " biomechanical". Giger later abandoned airbrush for pastels, mark ...

entitled ''Satan I''. The album was a major influence on the then-developing

death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...

and

genres. Ain did return after the album was recorded however. These albums were some of the pivotal LPs for underground metal and introduced a new and more varied sound. Celtic Frost, along with

and Bathory were pioneers in the still underground

scene, although Celtic Frost were much more experimental with the addition of classical instruments, operatic female vocals and sampling.

Stylistic changes, internal struggles, and first breakup (1987–1993)

In 1987, Celtic Frost released their second studio album ''

''. The album is more varied than many of Celtic Frost's past LPs, with unlikely covers (

Wall of Voodoo Wall of Voodoo was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States. Though largely an underground act for the majority of its existence, the band came to prominence when its 1982 single " Mexican Radio" became a hit on MTV ...

's "

Mexican Radio "Mexican Radio" is a song by American new wave band Wall of Voodoo. Produced by Richard Mazda, the track was initially released on their 1982 album ''Call of the West'' and was released as a single. With regular airplay on MTV in the United ...

"), emotionally charged love songs, the album's recurring industrial-influenced rhythmic songs of demons and destruction, traditional Frost styled songs about dreams and fear, and a dark, classical piece with female vocals. The album is vastly different from the band's previous work and cemented its late 80s

term; it is also a departure from the extreme style found on the band's previous albums, '' Morbid Tales'' and '' To Mega Therion'' that Celtic Frost had become known for. However, it does have the recurring symphonic elements found on previous albums. The album has a more classic heavy metal style within the songs with elements of industrial, classical and gothic rock, and even has an industrial/

electronic body music Electronic body music (acronymized to EBM) is a genre of electronic music that combines elements of industrial music and synth-punk with elements of disco and dance music. It developed in the early 1980s in Western Europe as an outgrowth of bot ...

(EBM)-inspired rhythm in "One in Their Pride". It does have a few

elements remaining in Warrior's vocals, though, and some

thrash Thrash may refer to: *Thrashing (computer science), where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work * Thrash (surname) * Thrash, mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers *'' Thrash Rally'', a top-down perspective rally racing video ga ...

-influenced guitar riffs. 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 dissolution of the band. Six months later, Warrior reformed the band with Stephen Priestly back on drums, Oliver Amberg on guitars and Curt Victor Bryant on bass and recorded the fourth studio album '' Cold Lake'', released on 1 September 1988 by Noise Records. Despite it being marketed to exploit the mass appeal of glam metal, the album has more of a traditional heavy metal sound. Bryant fired Amberg and former live show guitarist Ron Marks returned for the recording of '' Vanity/Nemesis'' in 1990. The most significant change, however, was the return of early bassist

, 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.Raggett, Ned
"Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying – Celtic Frost"
''AllMusic.com''. Retrieved 26 September 2011. It featured unreleased material, re-recorded versions of older songs and some studio session versions. A final proposed album titled "Under Apollyon's Sun" was never made under that title, although Fischer co-founded a new group called

Apollyon Sun Apollyon Sun was a Swiss industrial 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 whe ...

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

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 Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine ...

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 and ''Monotheist'' (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 under the stage name 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 label, 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 Alf Peter Tägtgren (born 3 June 1970) is a Swedish musician, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band Pain i ...

(of

Bloodbath Bloodbath is a Swedish death metal supergroup from Stockholm, formed in 1998. The band has released six full-length albums, two EPs and two DVDs depicting their performances at Wacken Open Air (in 2005) and Bloodstock Open Air (in 2010). The ...

Hypocrisy Hypocrisy is the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another or the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform. In moral psychology, it is the ...

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

) 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 29 May 2006. On 29 May 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 (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a rock music, rock music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and su ...

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 were an American gothic metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1989 by Peter Steele (bass, lead vocals), Kenny Hickey (guitar, co-lead vocals), Josh Silver (keyboards, backing vocals), and Sal Abruscato (drums, per ...

. Further festival appearances and concerts followed in mid-2007. On stage, Celtic Frost play with an additional tour guitar player, who plays

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guita ...

and provides a fuller sound. This position was initially filled by

Anders Odden Anders Odden (born 20 December 1972) is a Norwegian musician. He is the co-founder and guitarist of the Norwegian death metal band Cadaver (1988–1993; 1999–present), and is the bass player for Norwegian black metal band Satyricon (2009–pre ...

( Cadaver,

Satyricon The ''Satyricon'', ''Satyricon'' ''liber'' (''The Book of Satyrlike Adventures''), or ''Satyrica'', is a Latin work of fiction believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as Titus Petr ...

Magenta Magenta () is a color that is variously defined as pinkish- purplish- red, reddish-purplish-pink or mauvish- crimson. On color wheels of the RGB (additive) and CMY (subtractive) color models, it is located exactly midway between red and bl ...

), and later by V Santura (of

Dark Fortress Dark Fortress is a German melodic black metal band from Landshut formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album. History Early history The band formed in 1994. In 1996 they released the demo ''Re ...

). In early 2007, Celtic Frost began writing material for a new album. Metalunderground posted a statement from Tom Fischer regarding the new album.

Only a few hours until I am to depart to Norway for a few weeks to participate in the production of a black metal project with close friends and peers. In early March I shall return to Switzerland to take further steps towards the realization of my own black metal/doom side project, the idea for which has taken an increasingly defined shape during the past months.

Fischer spoke to Spanish metal webzine ''Hall of Metal'' 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."

Second breakup (2008–2017)

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 last shows of Celtic Frost were in Mexico, one on 12 October 2007, in Monterrey, and the last one on 13 October 2007, in Mexico City.

Fischer tendered his resignation from Celtic Frost on 9 April 2008, with this message displayed on the band's official website:

Celtic Frost singer and guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer has left Celtic Frost due to the irresolvable, severe erosion of the personal basis so urgently required to collaborate within a band so unique, volatile, and ambitious.

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 is a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich, formed in 2008 by Thomas Gabriel Fischer, founding member of the pioneering heavy metal bands Hellhammer, Celtic Frost and Apollyon Sun. History Fischer announced his departure from Celti ...

, 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 9 September 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".

Martin Eric Ain's death and possible tribute shows (2017–present)

On 21 October 2017, Martin Eric Ain died at the age of 50 from a heart attack. In a 2021 interview with Heavy Culture, Tom Gabriel Fischer spoke of an open possibility in doing "one or two" Celtic Frost tribute shows in memory of Ain, consisting of former members. He clarified that he did not speak of or would ever be interested in reforming the band since his departure, but possibly reunite former members and perform tribute shows, "Should this ever happen, it would not be a permanent project, nor would it be 'Celtic Frost', in spite of the fact that it would only Celtic Frost alumni. It would simply be a means to pay deference, perhaps for one or two concerts, to the deceased co-founder of the band." On December 8th 2022, Fischer's successor band Triptykon announced they will be performing a Celtic Frost tribute set on the Saturday special guest slot of Bloodstock Open Air Festival in the United Kingdom, following the withdrawal of

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The s ...

from that slot.

Style and influences

Celtic Frost's style gradually changed over the years. The band's early work has been described as

and

. Celtic Frost has also been described as

due to their use of classical and

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to ...

elements in some of their music, such as on their album '' To Mega Therion''. Although Celtic Frost are often described as

, according to authors Axl Rosenberg and Christopher Krovatin, the band's "music was too tight, and its connection to old school rock 'n' roll music too readily apparent, to be black metal." Celtic Frost's later work has been described as

. Tom G. Warrior said that there were two types of music that influenced him: heavy metal and new wave. "In Heavy Metal, it's fair to say bands like

Angel Witch Angel Witch are a British heavy metal band which formed in London in 1976 as part of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement. Biography Formation The band formed, originally under the name of Lucifer, of guitarist and vocalis ...

and

influenced us. Martin and I were heavily influenced by the New Wave music of the time too, such as

and I think it's a mix of these musical directions that influenced the sound of Celtic Frost". Ain was also marked by

while Warrior also came from a jazz and classical background. "I loved the ‘70s prog bands like

Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (informally known as ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitar, producer) and Carl Palmer (drums, percu ...

, early

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone and ...

Legacy

Celtic Frost have influenced a number of black metal, death metal, thrash metal, and standard heavy metal bands. The band Therion, 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,

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

Benediction A benediction ( Latin: ''bene'', well + ''dicere'', to speak) is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service. It can also refer to a specific Christian religious service including the exposit ...

Brutal Truth Brutal Truth was an American grindcore band from New York City, formed by ex-Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers of Death bass guitarist Dan Lilker in 1990. The group disbanded in 1999, but reformed in 2006 and continued to release music ...

Neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from t ...

Eyehategod Eyehategod (also abbreviated and referred to as EHG) is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana who formed in 1988. They have become one of the better known bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene. Their core lineup has re ...

Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres. Their l ...

Marduk Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time o ...

Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic ...

Goatwhore Goatwhore is an American extreme metal band formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. Biography Goatwhore was formed by guitarist/backing vocalist Sammy Duet, who was previously the lead guitarist for Louisiana sludge metal band Acid Bath. Th ...

Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera,Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. the band was a major force in the groove metal, thras ...

Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

, Asphyx,

Pro-Pain Pro-Pain is an American heavy metal band based in New York City, formed in 1991 by vocalist and bassist Gary Meskil and drummer Dan Richardson, both former members of Crumbsuckers.Strong, Martin C. (2001) ''The Great Metal Discography'', MOJO ...

Gorgoroth Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. It was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus, who is also the only original member remaining, and the band have since released nine studio albums. Gorgoroth are a Satanism, Satanic band ...

, Gallhammer,

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse. A second edition followed in 1674 ...

, Evoken,

Napalm Death Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in 1981 in Meriden, West Midlands. None of the band's original members has been in the group since 1986. But since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch ...

, and many others. Coroner, another pioneering Swiss extreme metal band, originally started off as road crew for Celtic Frost. Kurt Cobain and

Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician and activist. He was the bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the band Nirvana in 1987 along with drummer Aaron Burckhard, ...

from

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo. ...

were also fans of Celtic Frost.

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

(ex-

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the Foo Fighters (album), epony ...

) and

Mark Tremonti Mark Thomas Tremonti (born April 18, 1974) is an American guitarist and singer, best known for his tenures with the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands, and has also collaborated with many other artists over ...

(

Alter Bridge Alter Bridge is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida. The band was formed in 2004 by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. After their former ba ...

, 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 Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. Described by Grohl as "a death metal ''Supernatural''", the album mixes instrumentals recorded by Grohl himself with variou ...

'', resulting in the co-written song "Big Sky". Alternative country singer

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...

has also claimed influence from Celtic Frost, amongst many other metal bands. In 1996, Dwell Records released ''

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. Whilst mostly a tribute ...

'', 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 A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...

, covering the song "Mesmerized"; Canadian thrash metal band Slaughter, covering the song "Dethroned Emperor";

(featuring Tom G. Warrior himself), covering the song "Babylon Fell"; and the Norwegian black metal bands

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...

, 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 Fischer 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." In 2015, Corpse Flower Records released a tribute of their own entitled ''Morbid Tales! A Tribute to Celtic Frost''. Notably, it compiles a number of Celtic Frost covers by other bands, including Child Bite (featuring

Phil Anselmo Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records. Anselmo is regarded as one ...

), Acid Witch,

Municipal Waste Municipal solid waste (MSW), commonly known as trash or garbage in the United States and rubbish in Britain, is a waste type consisting of everyday items that are discarded by the public. "Garbage" can also refer specifically to food wast ...

, Hayward (featuring members of

), among others. In 2018, British deathcore band, Black Tongue covered the song, A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh, on their second album, Nadir which was released on Halloween of 2018. The hip-hop group "Circle of Tyrants" featuring

Necro Necro may refer to: * necro-, the Greek prefix meaning death * Necromancy, a type of magic * Necrophilia, the sexual attraction to corpses * Necropolis, a large ancient cemetery * Necro (Street Fighter), a character from the ''Street Fighter III'' ...

Ill Bill William Braunstein (born July 14, 1972), known by his stage name Ill Bill, is an American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. Having gained fame in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his diver ...

, Goretex, and Mr Hyde also took their name from the Celtic Frost song.

Band members

;Final lineup * Thomas Gabriel Fischer – guitars, lead vocals *

– bass, co-lead vocals * Franco Sesa – drums, percussion ;Live members * Ron Marks – guitars *

– guitars * V Santura – guitars ;Former members * Isaac Darso – drums * Dominic Steiner – bass * Reed St. Mark – drums, percussion * Curt Victor Bryant – bass , guitars * Oliver Amberg – guitars * Erol Unala – guitars * Stephen Priestly – drums

Timeline

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:60 top:5 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:06/01/1984 till:09/09/2008 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1985 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1985 Colors = id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:Bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitars id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums id:studio value:black legend:Studio_release id:other value:gray(0.5) legend:EP id:bars value:gray(0.95) BackgroundColors = bars:bars LineData = at:11/01/1984 color:other layer:back at:08/15/1985 color:other layer:back at:10/27/1985 color:black layer:back at:06/30/1986 color:other layer:back at:11/02/1987 color:black layer:back at:09/01/1988 color:black layer:back at:04/11/1990 color:black layer:back at:05/29/2006 color:black layer:back BarData = bar:Warrior text:"Tom Gabriel Warrior" bar:Amberg text:"Oliver Amberg" bar:Ain text:"Martin Eric Ain" bar:Steiner text:"Dominic Steiner" bar:Bryant text:"Curt Victor Bryant" bar:Unala text:"Erol Unala" bar:Darso text:"Isaac Darso" bar:Priestly text:"Steven Priestly" bar:St.Mark text:"Reed St. Mark" bar:Sesa text:"Franco Sesa" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Warrior from:06/01/1984 till:03/01/1987 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Warrior from:06/01/1987 till:06/30/1993 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Warrior from:09/30/2001 till:end color:Vocals width:3 bar:Warrior from:06/01/1984 till:03/01/1987 color:Guitar bar:Warrior from:06/01/1987 till:06/30/1993 color:Guitar bar:Warrior from:09/30/2001 till:end color:Guitar bar:Amberg from:01/01/1988 till:06/30/1989 color:Guitar bar:Amberg from:01/01/1988 till:06/30/1989 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:Ain from:06/01/1984 till:06/30/1985 color:Bass bar:Steiner from:06/30/1985 till:12/31/1985 color:Bass bar:Ain from:01/01/1986 till:03/01/1987 color:Bass bar:Ain from:06/01/1987 till:12/31/1987 color:Bass bar:Ain from:06/01/1987 till:12/31/1987 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:Ain from:02/01/1990 till:06/30/1993 color:Bass bar:Ain from:02/01/1990 till:06/30/1993 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:Ain from:09/30/2001 till:end color:Bass bar:Ain from:09/30/2001 till:end color:Vocals width:3 bar:Bryant from:01/01/1988 till:02/01/1990 color:Bass bar:Bryant from:02/01/1990 till:06/30/1993 color:Guitar bar:Bryant from:01/01/1988 till:06/30/1993 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:Unala from:09/30/2001 till:12/31/2005 color:Guitar bar:Darso from:06/01/1984 till:07/30/1984 color:Drums bar:Priestly from:08/01/1984 till:12/31/1984 color:Drums bar:Priestly from:03/01/1988 till:06/30/1992 color:Drums bar:Priestly from:03/01/1988 till:06/30/1992 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:St.Mark from:01/01/1985 till:03/01/1987 color:Drums bar:St.Mark from:06/01/1987 till:03/01/1988 color:Drums bar:St.Mark from:06/01/1987 till:03/01/1988 color:Bvocals width:3 bar:St.Mark from:06/30/1992 till:06/30/1993 color:Drums bar:Sesa from:06/30/2002 till:end color:Drums

Discography

Studio albums * '' To Mega Therion'' (1985, re-released in 1999) * ''

'' (1987, re-released in 1999) * '' Cold Lake'' (1988) * '' Vanity/Nemesis'' (1990, re-released in 1999) * ''

'' (2006) – US Ind #43, US Heat #37 EPs * '' Morbid Tales'' (1984,

re-released In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New audio formats Rec ...

in 1999) – released as a

mini-LP A mini-LP or mini-album is a short vinyl record album or LP, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered full-length. It is distinct from an EP due to containing more tracks and a slightly longer running length. A ...

in Europe and a full album in North America the same year * ''

'' (1985, re-released as part of '' Morbid Tales'' in 1999) * '' Tragic Serenades'' (1986, re-released as part of '' To Mega Therion'' in 1999) * ''I Won't Dance'' (1987) Singles * "Wine in My Hand" (Germany 1990) Compilations * '' Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying'' (1992) * ''Are You Morbid?'' (2003) * ''Innocence and Wrath'' (2017) Video albums * ''Live at Hammersmith Odeon'' (1989, VHS & Japanese Laserdisc) Music videos * "Circle of the Tyrants" (1986) * "Cherry Orchards" (1988) * "Wine in My Hand (Third from the Sun)" (1989) * "Jewel Throne" (live) (1989) * "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh" (2006)

Bibliography

References

Sources

External links

*
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
Former Celtic Frost Guitarist Joins DSN Music For New Release
''Blabbermouth.net'', 13 July 2012 {{Authority control Swiss thrash metal musical groups Swiss heavy metal musical groups Avant-garde metal musical groups Doom metal musical groups Century Media Records artists Musical groups established in 1984 Musical groups disestablished in 1993 Musical groups reestablished in 2001 Musical groups disestablished in 2008 Swiss musical trios Metal Blade Records artists Noise Records artists 1984 establishments in Switzerland 2008 disestablishments in Switzerland