celtic frost

History

Celtic Frost was an influential extreme metal / avant-garde band from Zürich, Switzerland. They are known for their heavy influence on the extreme metal and gothic 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.

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, Hellhammer, 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 e-Bay 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 LP, Morbid Tales was a hit on 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 one CD. One of their more influential recordings was 1985’s To Mega Therion, followed in 1987 by Into the Pandemonium. These albums were some of the pivotal LPs for underground metal and inducted a new and more varied sound.
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