Celtic Frost, Monotheist

Celtic Frost, Monotheist (Century Media-2006)

Come back albums can be at times pretty horrible. Sometimes a band you love coming back is not really what you may want as the chance is the album may well be crap. Or even worse ok!

But this band really can't be pigeonholed so the album was really an open door. What you do not expect is one of the best albums of 2000s. This band is a first for this blog as it is the second for an artist (previous here). I did try not to do this but the band have moved through so many styles they really can not be pinned down. This album is a real mix of doom metal and Gothic styles. The album has nothing new but it is all done so well. With a big production and all out band sound it really gets you by the throat.

But it is not all just noise the music is so well composed. Track four "Drown in Ashes" has more of an operatic feel to the start of the track, female operatic vocals accompany what is a speech style vocal track. All the time the band playing in the background. It really makes you wonder what is going on.

First track "Progeny" is the classic start to a metal album, really not giving much thought to the listeners possible mistake in having the Hi Fi too loud you may well need to turn it down. As I say there is more to the album so do not be fooled, this is not a run of the mill metal album.

Much of the bands previous output really did change minds and turn heads as they were labeled metal by the people who looked on without listening. Now the band have taken on a sound that can really attract more music fans as the whole alt metal and rock market is now so big. Noise and sludge are all here to a point but done in a way you can never rip off.

"Ground" has the riffs and it is all done very slow, those riffs that you feel moving the fillings. Music that you can feel when it is loud enough. The sound is so hard to describe as you really can't fix a band to it but as I say noise and metal are of very few words we can use. Almost feels like it is a lesson in how to be a sound as the vocals are so strong you wonder if someone is in the room with you live. Bass lines are simple and sound kind of detuned, chugging along, what a great album.

Back in 1999/2000 nu metal was the big thing, baggy trousers and baseball caps and all the kids had a new sound and look. But listening to this I have no idea what to wear! I do not think you can wear anything to this, a Slayer T Shirt would be over dressed.

No fucking about with song titles "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh" as a title and repeats it in the song over and over. When it is done you feel it was cut short at 5:39.

Talking of track lengths "Synagoga Satanae" comes in at over 14 minutes and again you feel you want it to last a whole cd, how about a triple album. I could bang on about each and every track for pages but this blog is more to get you to listen and enjoy an album you may have missed. In 2006 you may have dismissed this instantly now it is 2014 you need to hear this. If you like heavy music listen to it and if you do not I really mean give it a go. The underground metal press went bonkers for this album but that is as far as it went.

A great new sound and great production mixed with immense song writing makes this one of the best albums in the 2000's for me. The album took four years to make and you can really feel it.

Twitter: 29xthefun