Artist: Various Artists
Country: international
Label: Black Lotus Records
Formats: CD
Year: 2003
Resurrected from the ashes of Hellhammer. This band was already at the top of its capabilities after just one mini LP, Tom Warrior decided to start Celtic Frost with a partially different lineup. This turned out to be a decision that transformed the metal world. The essence of the band can best be found in the first three albums of the band, however, an album like ‘Pandemonium’ also had a certain influence on bands like Paradise Lost and Anathema to name a just a few. Unfortunately, the band actually went downhill quite fast from there. But they can undisputedly call themselves, along with the English Venom and Swedish Bathory, the founding fathers of black metal. Influences of Celtic Frost can be found everywhere and still very much so…
From the many classics that the band has composed, the bands on this tribute CD have chosen one that had a lot of value to them, and that resulted in very cool versions. I will discuss a few of the best, most original and slightly bigger bands.
First we hear a version of ‘Visual Aggression’ done by Grief Of Emerald. This band is no longer an unknown and manages to put down a nice version of the song that is generally played faster, but loses its power in my opinion. Not bad, but not really convincing.
Next we get a first class band playing ‘Into The Crypts Of Rays’: Marduk. There is pretty little I can say about this except that this is the best Marduk recording I have heard since 1992’s ‘Dark Endless’. This song also reflects where they got that nice groove from on ‘Fuck Me Jesus’ and ‘Dark Endless’.
Necrophagia delivers the sickest song on this album. An insanely twisted version of ‘Triumph Of Death’ is what we hear in well over 10 minutes. The first 3 minutes we hear a deranged Killjoy as we are used to from the likes of The Ravenous and the somewhat later work of Necrophagia. Then the song loosens up properly, and emerges as one of the best covers on this album. The malady again oozes from this masterpiece.
Then a great version of one of my favorite Celtic Frost songs ‘Mesmerized’, done by the band in suit: Akercocke. The great atmosphere in the original is totally preserved and the band manages to produce exactly such lamenting vocals, such a voice has only been matched by Vincent Cavanagh on Anathema’s ‘The Silent Enigma’-album. Indeed this song also belongs to the best of this CD.
Once again a premium band, Dimmu Borgir. This band really doesn’t manage to captivate me with the ‘Nocturnal Fear’-cover. It lacks both the Celtic Frost vibe and the Dimmu Borgir sound. Unfortunately, a missed opportunity, and I expected more from this band.
Another good cover is done by Bewitched, a very good job is done with “Circle Of The Tyrants.” The song remains almost entirely intact and does retain the aforementioned vibe, but the band doesn’t give up its own identity either. This song is also among the best on the CD.
The ladies of Astarte also perform a very good cover of the amazing ‘Sorrows Of The Moon’. The darkness of the song is only deepened, something that definitely benefits the song. And the female grunt here sounds eerily good. Highly recommended!
Finally Ragnarok, the band gives the song ‘Fainted Eyes’ its own modern (Ragnarok) twist without doing any harm to the original atmosphere and groove. Very cool up-tempo version!
Further covers are done by Naer Mataron, Order From The Ebon Hand, Melechesh, Acheron, Hypocrite and Carrier Flux. All in all, more than a well-done covers CD, almost all the songs turned out good with an original twist to it. For a Celtic Frost fan, this is definitely a recommended listen. And a house/ambient/industrial version of ‘Beyond The Northwinds’ by Carrier Flux surely is a funny initiative and a nice ending!
