Celtic Frost's 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. Celtic Frost, along with Venom and Bathory were pioneers in the still underground black metal scene, although Celtic Frost were much more experimental with the addition of classical instruments, opera vocals and sampling. They were given the new title of avant-garde metal.
After a subsequent North American tour (which saw the addition of a second guitarist, Ron Marks to the groups ranks), financial trouble, personal tension between the band members and an ill-fated relationship with their record label led to a complete dissolution of the band. Six months later, Warrior decided to reform the band with Stephen Priestly back on drums, Oliver Amberg on guitars and Curt Victor Bryant on bass. The resulting album "Cold Lake" was a disappointment to most of the group's established fan-base but achieved notable success in the North American market. Bryant fired Amberg and former live guitarist Ron Marks returned as a guest for the recording of "Vanity / Nemesis" in 1990. The most significant change, however, was the return of early bassist Martin Eric Ain. 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 and unreleased recordings called "Parched With Thirst Am I and Dying" in 1992. The compilation's title was inspired by an old Roman prayer. It featured unreleased material, re-recorded versions of older songs and some studio session versions, closing the chapter on one of the most important underground and experimental bands of all time.
A final album titled “Under Apollyon's Sun” never eventuated under that title, although Fischer co-founded a new group called Apollyon Sun. Celtic Frost were disbanded in 1993.
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 as the 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 imprint, “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 (of Bloodbath/Hypocrisy/Pain fame) 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 May 30th, 2006.
On May 29, 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 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. Further festival appearances and concerts followed in mid-2007.
Fischer tendered his resignation from Celtic Frost on April 9th, 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 “is 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, featuring Celtic Frost touring guitarist V Santura, original Celtic Frost drummer Reed St. Mark, as well as bassist Vanja Slay. Fischer has also said that his new band will sound similar to the direction Celtic Frost took on their 2006 album, "Monotheist".
Domain Of Decay
Celtic Frost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I write these lines.
In this domain of decay.
Words fall on the soil beneath.
Enfold, embrace, besiege, swathe.
My domain.
Within these darkest walls.
How can I be human?
Smearing ashes across glass.
In this forest of harbored thoughts.
There's demons in my mind.
And I entrust myself to the lure.
Of leaving this existence behind.
By NigMa
The lyrics of Celtic Frost's "Domain of Decay" speak of the singer's inability to connect with humanity within the confines of the decayed surroundings they find themselves in. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer feeling trapped within the "darkest walls". They feel the need to write these lines in order to escape their thoughts and express themselves, yet their words seem to fall on deaf ears as they hit the soil and are ignored. The repetition of "within these darkest walls" emphasizes the confinement and isolation that the singer feels.
The song's uncertainty about humanity is emphasized when the singer asks, "How can I be human?" They feel disconnected from their own humanity as well as the world around them, which is described as a "forest of harbored thoughts." The demons in their mind leave them exposed to the lure of leaving this existence behind, wanting to escape the confines of their surroundings.
The lyrics of "Domain of Decay" combine Gothic images with a sense of despair to create a haunting atmosphere. The song reflects the bleak view of humanity that is often seen in Gothic literature and art, and it explores the theme of confinement and isolation that is common in the genre. The complex imagery and emotionally charged language juxtaposed with pessimistic views of the world make the song a powerful reflection of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Within these darkest walls.
I am trapped within a place of profound darkness.
As I write these lines.
I am currently writing down my thoughts.
In this domain of decay.
I am in a place where everything around me is slowly decaying.
Words fall on the soil beneath.
The words I write fail to resonate with those around me.
Enfold, embrace, besiege, swathe.
I feel trapped and suffocated by my surroundings.
My domain.
This place belongs to me.
Within these darkest walls.
I am imprisoned in a space with no light.
How can I be human?
I feel so detached from humanity.
They say they are blind.
Others refuse to see the truth of this place.
Smearing ashes across glass.
Distorting reality to fit their own perception.
In this forest of harbored thoughts.
I am lost in a maze of my own emotions.
There's demons in my mind.
My thoughts are plagued by malevolent entities.
And I entrust myself to the lure.
I am tempted to escape this existence.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Cosmic Pallbearer
Heaviest album of all time. I’ve heard a ton of heavy ass stuff and nothing has beat the sheer weight of this album.
Nicolas
The guitar tone is the musical equivalent of eating a brick
Dim K
What a freaking badass tune...
Kenneth Webb
They dam sure are at their best bro I got huge cold chills listioning to this
Gregtronica
damn
Søren Jacobsen Damm
Deep hardrock masterpiece
moi
this album is my 3rd favorite CF album after To mega therion and Into the pandemonium but this one is special because its the last one from CF. i still prefer the 2 others because this is extremely dark and heavy. a bit too much for me.
Unholy Motherfucker
Heavy af
Seppo Tempo
R.I.P Martin Eric Ain
Yig_501
How can i be human