To those loyal metal fans, who's blackened hearts have been with the 'extreme' scene since the early 80s, the mighty Celtic Frost needs no introduction. Unfortunately, however, the majority of people just don't know who Celtic Frost is, or why they have any importance in a metal scene that they left 13 years ago. Monotheist has been, for the last 3+ years, one of the worst-kept secrets in underground metal, with demo cuts making the rounds almost since the band's reactivation was announced, and coupled with long PhD dissertation-style updates from Tom G.
Warrior. (He's only Thomas Gabriel Fischer when he's trying to sound intellectual, or he's in really deep shit with his parents.)
The eternal question, on the minds of all who have either previously followed the band or who continue to do so now, is of course "is Monotheist worth the wait?
" I would like to dispell a lot -- although probably not all -- fears with a resounding 'yes'! Having learned from the mistakes of Cold Lake, Celtic Frost deliver an album that, if nothing else, accomplishes what any band should be striving to do -- create an album that advances the band's sound, yet keeps the group moored in the familiar waters that lead to its initial success. The essence of pure doom and unadultured despair permeates the album, from the slow, grinding, rythmic pace, to the tortured and hateful vocals of Tom G.
Warrior. Tom's perfectionist fingerprints are all over this album, as I can tell -- even in the sections I don't care for, like the entire "A Dead God Coming into Living Flesh" track -- that this material was poured over with a truly caring eye. Whether or not you end up enjoying this album as much as I do, I would hope that everyone can appreciate the time and dedication put into Monotheist -- if all bands put this much energy into their recorded output we'd probably have a lot more Master of Puppets' and Reign in Bloods and a lot less St.
Angers...
If you're a fan of the puke 'n growl style of death metal vocals, then you're not going to like this album. The vocals on Monotheist bring to mind a combination of early Death and thrash, and it took me some getting used to. The drums are excellent, and I just love it when I hear a metal album that tastefully uses the double-bass.
I love it even more when I hear a metal album that allows the bass to actually use some frequencies! As I said before, this album was recorded with a heavy attention to detail.
Stylistically, I would put Monotheist somewhere in a middle-ground between doom and death metal, with Runemagick being the only other band I can think of that plays in a similar style.
(Although Celtic Frost play just a little faster than doom bands, most of the time.) Monotheist is not a 100mph death metal blast-fest, this is an album that makes it point slowly and with great articulation and forethought. It's also, like, heavy, and shit.
.. Fans of intelligent metal, and long-time devotees of Celtic Frost should find exactly what they're looking for with this album; it plods, it grooves, it sounds brutal as hell, and it doesn't insult your intelligence by assuming you're too ADD-stricken to hear the same riff twice.
I would love to go on some huge expository spiel about how Monotheist blends elements of To Mega Therion and Into the Pandemonium era Celtic Frost, but I am not well versed in the band's history. Frankly, now that I have Monotheist to listen to, I will have to change that situation and in short order. Until then, however, this album has proven that when metal flows through your veins, a quality album can still result from hardwork and dedication.
Someone go and tell Slayer and Metallica that!
Rating: 8 / 10 (Although I doubt Tom G. Warrior will stop taking less-than 5 years to cut an album, it's great to see that he and the 'Frost boys didn't get lost in the Cold Lake like The Stormtroopers of Death's "Celtic Frosted Flakes" laments.
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Band Members:
Tom G.
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