Country of origin: Switzerland
Location: Birchwil, Zürich
Status: Split-up
Formed in: 1984
Genre: Thrash/Death/Black Metal (early); Gothic/Doom Metal (later)
Lyrical themes: Occultism, Death, History, Literature
Last label: Century Media Records
Years active: 1984-1987, 1988-1993, 2001-2008
Tom G. Warrior and Martin Ain formed Celtic Frost after the break-up of Hellhammer in June 1984. Contrary to popular belief, Hellhammer never changed its name to Celtic Frost, even though the band formed very quickly after Hellhammer's demise.
They first disbanded in 1987, but six months later, Warrior reformed the band. When they reformed in 2001, they founded their own record label called Prowling Death Records and their own publishing imprint called Diktatur des Kapitals, to gain absolute control over their music. Later, Celtic Frost and Prowling Death Records signed a worldwide licensing deal with Century Media Records, so the rights for their new material is their own and is released by Century Media.
A demo tape called Prototype exists. Among other tracks, it contains two Apollyon Sun tracks, "Relinquished Body" and "Deep Inside".
Cold Lake is largely different from anything else they have ever recorded. The band has repeatedly disowned this release and attribute the shocking change in style to pressure from their record company at the time, Noise Records.
Singer and guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer announced his departure from Celtic Frost on April 9th, 2008, due to "the unresolvable, severe erosion of the personal basis so urgently required to collaborate within a band so unique, volatile, and ambitious." It was confirmed in a joint statement by Fischer and Martin Ain in September of that year that Celtic Frost had disbanded again. Fischer later founded a new band called Triptykon and Ain planned to carry on with a new project with drummer Franco Sesa.
Unofficial discography:
- A Night in the Dark (1987)
- Fairy Tales (1987)
- Frost of Damnation - Live 2006 Tour (2007)
Compilation appearances:
- "Into Crypts of Rays" on Speed Kills (The Very Best of Speed Metal) (Music for Nations, 1985)
- "Dethroned Emperor" and "Morbid Tales" on Metal Attack Vol. 1 (Noise, 1985)
- "Visual Aggression" on Speed Metal (Metal Blade, 1987)
- "Inner Sanctum" on Ear of Living Dangerously (Combat, 1987)
- "Mesmerized" on Doomsday News (Noise Records, 1988)
- "Visual Aggression" on Sounds - Waves 1 (Sounds, 1988)
- "Eternal Summer" on Skullcrushers (Relativity, 1993)
- "Morbid Tales" (1984 rehearsal) on The Nocturnal Empire Compilation Tape #1 Winter 1995
Morbid Tales EP 1984
Metal Attack Vol. 1 Split 1985
Emperor's Return EP 1985
To Mega Therion Full-length 1985 Tragic Serenades EP 1986
Morbid Tales / Emperor's Return Compilation 1986
The Collector's Celtic Frost Single 1987
Into the Pandemonium Full-length 1987 I Won't Dance EP 1987
Sounds Waves 1 Split 1988
Tankard / Celtic Frost Split 1988
Cold Lake Full-length 1988 The Celtic Frost Story Single 1990
Wine in My Hand (Third from the Sun) EP 1990
Vanity / Nemesis Full-length 1990 Live at the Hammersmith Odeon 3.3.89 Video 1990
Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying Compilation 1992
Nemesis of Power Demo 1993
Prototype Demo 2002
Are You Morbid? Compilation 2003
Monotheist Single 2006
Monotheist Full-length 2006 Temple of Depression Single 2017
Innocence and Wrath Compilation 2017
The Sign of the Usurper Boxed set 2020
Last known
Martin E. Ain Bass, Vocals (1984-1985, 1986-1987, 1990-1993, 2003-2008) (R.I.P. 2017) See also: ex-Hellhammer, ex-Tar Pond, ex-Schizo, ex-Soul Dawn
Franco Sesa Drums, Percussion (2002-2008) See also: ex-NunFuckRitual, ex-Flattrack
Past
Stephen Priestly Drums (1984-1985, 1988-1992) See also: ex-Kharma, ex-Apollyon Sun, ex-Hellhammer, ex-Shizo
Isaac Darso Drums (1984) See also: ex-Exxer
Tom G. Warrior Vocals, Guitars (1984-1987, 1988-1993, 2001-2008) See also: Triptykon, ex-Apollyon Sun, ex-Hellhammer, Triumph of Death, ex-Grave Hill, ex-Niryth, ex-Tarot
Dominic Steiner Bass (1985) See also: ex-Baby Steel, ex-Junk Food, ex-Lick'n a Promise
Reed St. Mark Drums (1985-1987, 1992-1993) See also: ex-Triptykon, ex-MindFunk, ex-Crown
Ron Marks Guitars (1987) See also: Subsonic
Curt Victor Bryant Bass (1988-1990), Guitars (1990-1993) See also: Curt Victor Bryant, ex-Doomsday
Oliver Amberg Guitars (1988-1989) See also: Kissing Lucifer, Sulfur Kings, The Haunted Echoes, ex-Coroner, ex-Hellhammer, ex-Amberg, ex-Artificial Rain, ex-Baby Steel, ex-Junk Food, ex-Lick'n a Promise, ex-Noise Architects, ex-The Boris Karloff Syndrome
Erol Unala Guitars (2001-2005) See also: ex-Apollyon Sun
Past (Live)
Anders Odden Guitars (2006-2007) See also: Cadaver, Order, Satyricon (live), ex-Hydr Hydr, ex-Slaught, Magenta, ex-Braindead, ex-Abhorrent (live), ex-Apoptygma Berzerk, ex-Asmodeus, ex-Baphomet, ex-Deadly Metal, ex-Doctor Midnight & the Mercy Cult, ex-FOAD, ex-Jemotor 1, ex-Monument, ex-Nesten Døde, ex-Pigface
V. Santura Guitars (2007-2008) See also: Dark Fortress, Noneuclid, Triptykon, Rootbrain, ex-Crom (live), ex-Secrets of the Moon (live)
https://myspace.com/celticfrosthttps://instagram.com/celticfrostofficialhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/4ZISAmHmQUDCpv8xydqeKGhttps://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Celtic_Frost/269
// thrash/death/black Metal. Switzerland
Insomnia
