Celtic Frost, Into the Pandemonium (Noise-1987)
Heavy metal music in the 80s had went through some big changes. With the thrash bands all of a sudden making a fortune and selling records many labels thought they were onto a winner if they signed a thrash band.
Celtic Frost were considered one of the most extreme metal band on the go in 1987 as previous albums were more of a death metal style. They were influenced by the classic metal bands of the 70s mostly Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, with this they added some of the elements of gothic music from the likes of Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees to make a new heaver style of metal.
Not a band to sit still too long album number three was to be made and for some reason they really changed the whole sound of the band and also metal. Most none metal fans will easily point out what makes metal music from the loud distorted guitars to the frantic drumming. The new bands on the go were taking that and upping it all a notch. Faster, heaver, louder and even more metal.
Take all that and throw it out the window. This band at the time were considered pioneers of the death metal and black metal styles. Both very much new and totally underground styles of music that not till the end of the 90s would get any mainstream acknowledgement.
Industrial music had been going for a while and that is a big part of this sound but add in some love songs, classical piece with female vocals and even a cover. This was nothing that had been done in metal.
Album opener is a great start to any album a cover of "Mexican Radio" (by Wall of Voodoo) it is more a classic rock/metal track and sits nicely to help a new lister or someone with unexperienced ears.
"Inner Sanctum" is a nice slice of what was happening in metal with a thrash style riffing that adds in some nice rhythmic elements. "Tristesses de la Lune" is where it all goes wrong (or right) here we have a track made up of operatic vocals sung in French and accompanied by classical instruments. It really should not work but does, I could see people thinking the LP was a miss press of a compilation as the first side has so many different styles on it.
Flip it over and a hip hop/dance track greets you as the second song "One in Their Pride " just under three minutes and has what seems to be radio CB voices as lyrics. It really is as far away from metal as you can get and I bet Ice T would have loved it.
Gothic, industrial and operatic influences all continues in the last three songs. Last song is just under six minutes and is a real eye opener, not so much as new music but it does not follow the traditional metal style of a longer song. It feels more like the soundtrack to an art house film. The normal themes of heavy music are here from daemons to death and destruction but given a real twist as the band have "borrowed" lyrics from other sources.
Progressive or avant-garde metal is where this has been listed in. You only make new genres when you don't know what it is and even this one has to be subbed out to other styles. It has to be heard by all fans of alt music as it just contains some amazing examples of 80s music at its best. Feel free to listen to it and say it is crap and not what you like but a music fan would be curious at the least for a few more listens then the magic happens.
I have not mentioned the vocals, production or musicianship as I just feel that means nothing. Don't be fooled by the cover and list this as a headbanners only album. Many bands now set this album as a pivotal album in changing metal, taking it away from the traditional big band sound and just letting the music flow. Play how you feel and you can tell with this album metal heads fall in love too.
Into the Pandemonium is easily available on Amazon.
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