The new CELTIC FROST? Nyeh? NYEH?

[MaskedJackal]

Wowzers. Some idiot quickly returned their copy to Wherehouse and I got CF's comeback, "Monothiest" for 9.99 used. Suh-weet.

The music? The most dark, emotional and enveloping stuff Tom Warrior and Martin Ain have ever penned. The exploration and heaviness are there, but so is this new, doomy sound.

My only qualm is somewhat minor: the cussing in "Ground," an otherwise awesome track. Tom drops the f-bomb and the s-word, and what I really always dug about genre-expanding metal bands like the Frost and Coroner or even Death was that they never had to swear to get their point across.

I give it a 9/10. The production is great, the packaging and art is perfect, and it even comes with a mini-poster. Just killer.

[43% burnt]

Sounds cool, I will have to check it out.

[Doctor J]

It's an amazing album from a great, great band. About as bleak as I can handle, it took me a while to get into it but I'm loving it now. Heavy stuff and nothing like anything they've ever done before.

[Terrorstorm]

yeah, also for me not something that you can listen at and love, but all in all a pretty cool album.

[MaskedJackal]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Masked Jackal, I agree with all your points.

Thanks. Always neat to see Frost fans on TB.

I liked every era of the band,

Wait wait. INCLUDING the dreaded "Cold Lake?" Surely you jest.

and would have preferred something less from their experimental side overall and more along the lines of their hit singles such as "Into The Crypts of Rays", "The Usurper", "Jewel Throne", "Procreation of the Wicked", etc.

I guess I can agree, but you know ol' Tom- he specifically stated, "this will not be To Mega Therion Part 2."

[deesonic]

I grew up on serious heavy metal like CF, old Metallica, Voivod, Slayer, Death, Kreator, and even graduated into the early death metal like Obituary, Sepultura, Sadus, and Morbid Angel. Then I topped out on the heavy stuff, went to college and got into more "college oriented" music like Sonic Youth, Pavement, Pixies, Fugazi, etc. But of late I've been rediscovering my old metal roots and picked up the new CF album and man! I'm blown away! I love it. It might be their best album. Certainly the best since 'Pandemonium' for sure. Glad to see Martin Ain back on board and contributing lyrics and music again too.

OK and while we're talking about CF, let's be honest. I've had this on my mind for some time now. They WERE NOT the most technically proficient guys around, unike many of their speed metal brethren. I mean listen to TGW's amateurish, but totally unique solos on 'Morbid Tales.' He's certainly not going to be in anyone's greatest guitar lists anytime soon. But man could he create a heavy riff and they always had a great drummer to give them some musical credibility and they did the rest will sheer will, imagination, and creativity. And Martin's bottom heavy bass, paved the way for countless imitators of the black and death metal scenes. These guys had a crunch, a tone, an aura about them that was unlike anyone. They were great without having to be fancy. But it was so much fun listening to them grow and develop from Hellhammer to 'Pandemonium' and then ugghhh....'Cold Lake.' I'm so glad they're back and on track with 'Monotheist.' An excellent return to form.

'Are you morbid?'...'Unhhh!!!'

[MaskedJackal]

Originally Posted by deesonic

OK and while we're talking about CF, let's be honest. I've had this on my mind for some time now. They WERE NOT the most technically proficient guys around, unike many of their speed metal brethren. I mean listen to TGW's amateurish, but totally unique solos on 'Morbid Tales.' He's certainly not going to be in anyone's greatest guitar lists anytime soon. But man could he create a heavy riff and they always had a great drummer to give them some musical credibility and they did the rest will sheer will, imagination, and creativity. And Martin's bottom heavy bass, paved the way for countless imitators of the black and death metal scenes. These guys had a crunch, a tone, an aura about them that was unlike anyone. They were great without having to be fancy. But it was so much fun listening to them grow and develop from Hellhammer to 'Pandemonium' and then ugghhh....'Cold Lake.' I'm so glad they're back and on track with 'Monotheist.' An excellent return to form.

That's one of the major things I love about Frost. Their music was so simple– I mean, I have a sucky ear and I can still pick up 'Mesmerized' or somesuch at a whim– but the sound was solely theirs. Tom's "UNGH!"s and "HEY!"s combined with orchestral touches and his Ibanez Iceman's monolith tone....so uniquely CF. Lyrically, I always loved Frost too. The way Tom and Martin print the lyrics, it's more like reading a story, especially on To Mega Therion, where it's epic fantasy.

Unfortunately, Tom's only true 'happy' years were the Cold Lake ones. If only making good CF albums and being upbeat weren't mutually exclusive.

It's a shame I'm off to college when they play Seattle in October.

[MaskedJackal]

Originally Posted by SMASH

Yep. I like Cold Lake too.

Dude....I can tolerate a little hair metal here and there, but even THAT isn't decent (and how can hair metal be that?) hair metal. I mean, it's like Tom had nasal troubles, his voice sounds so odd.

[page]

Monotheist is awesome. Celtic Frost is awesome. That chick singer is...............probably hot.

[MaskedJackal]

Originally Posted by page

Monotheist is awesome. Celtic Frost is awesome. That chick singer is...............probably hot.

D00d, YES! "Obscured" is like my favorite track next to "Ground."