Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
an innovator of the extremes, March 11, 2000
Celtic Frost were highly influential on all forms of death and black metal. They dabbled in everything: hyperspeed thrash, slow doom, pounding death, they even took a stab at glam rock (which ended up costing them most of their hardcore audience). Bandleader Thomas G. Warrior is often credited with inventing the death growl, and was a pioneer of the vacuum-cleaner death riff. One of the weirdest 80s metal bands, they also threw in some funk grooves here and there, female vocals over classical music, and an odd cover of new wave hit "Mexican Radio". This is a compilation that samples tracks from all their albums, plus some unreleased stuff and a few newly recorded tracks. This is inconsistent stuff, good riffs mashing with bad riffs, interesting lyrics bellowed by bad singing, but the band gets credit for originality, and this album is varied enough to be pretty enjoyable.
|
|
|
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Why does everyone think this is a 'Greatest Hits' CD?, July 28, 2006
3.5 STARS.............I first have to say that NOWHERE on the CD jacket, the booklet or the CD itself does it say "Greats Hits" or "Best of." This CD, compiled in 1991-92, is a release much like Helmet's "Born Annoying" and Metallica's "Garage Days Re-revisited," in that it is a mish-mash compilation of Celtic Frost's many unreleased recording sessions from '85-91, with many different line-ups, the songs most of which ended up as B-sides, outtakes, and general jam sessions. Hardly any of the tracks were released on any of their CD's! Don't listen to reviewers who write reviews before they even read the booklet enclosed !!!!
The best songs on the compilation, in my opinion, are the old songs. "Return to the Eve," (originally on 'Morbid Tales') is re-recorded here with sensational new drummer Reed St. Mark. It was released as the "Party Mix" on the backside of the 'Tragic Serenades' EP (1986). "The Usurper" (originally on 'Mega Therion') was re-recorded here when Martin Ain came back to the band on bass, and you can hear the difference. "Journey Into Fear" was supposed to be included on the 'Emperor's Return' EP, but was cut for whatever reason. It's a great song, and would have fit in well with that mini-album. I believe the information in the booklet regarding "Circle of the Tyrants" is a misprint. It say it's the version from 'Mega Therion," but I believe Martin Ain is on bass, and it's the 1985 'Emperor's return' version--a much better sound.
Then, we have "The Inevitable Factor" (a great song, similar to "Inner Sanctum," and recorded during the 1987 'Pandemonium' recording sessions, but omitted from the album) and "In the Chapel in the Moonlight," a warm-up, jam song they ended up releasing as a limited-edition single. There's also the shortened radio edit of "I Won't Dance," probably one of CF's most versatile, drum-set destroying, rockin' songs, not to mention the brightest spot on 'Pandemonium.' They add "Tristesses" as well here, the rare alternate, string-orchestra arrangement of "Sorrows of the Moon" also from 'Pandemonium.'
Unfortunately, this compilation also includes some of the 'Cold Lake' jam sessions. None are horrible, except for "Mexican Radio." They first covered this song on 'Pandemonium' (87) and it was brilliant. St. Mark's drums, Warrior's rhythmic, mathematical guitar drones, Ain's harmonizing, eerie bass...it immediately got played LOUDLY up at my dorm in college, nightly. This 1991 jam session version sucks. Warrior has replaced all of his bandmates for this one, and it sounds like the group Poison after a proctology exam. The other 'Cold Lake' session songs actually sound better than the album versions, but that's still not very good.
Surprisingly, the 'Vanity/Nemesis'session songs are very, very good. The unreleased "Descent to Babylon," and V/N's "The Name of My Bride" and "The Heart Beneath" are the best post 1980's songs they've done, and "Idols of Chagrin" is pretty good, too, just be ready for the drum machine. You hear some drum machine as well with "Under Apollyon's Sun," a song which would begin TG Fischer/Warrior's journey into Industrial music, which he tangled with during the mid-90's as frontman of his new group, Apollyon's Sun.
This is CD of rarities and jam sessions. With that in mind, I think it's a pretty cool collection of decent songs. In the end, I think Thomas Gabriel Fischer felt compelled to release all the rest of his stash of stuff, and put it out on one last CD for all CF's fans to enjoy. There IS a "Best of" CD for all those who really need one. It's called 'Are You Morbid?' and it's been out for a decade. As long as you have 'Morbid Tales,' 'Mega Therion,' 'Pandemonium' and the new 'Monotheist' (2006), you're set. Get 'Parched With Thirst' and 'Vanity/Nemesis' when you have the extra $$$, because both are pretty good (not gothic, dark metal, though), and save 'Cold Lake' for the serious collectors, and those who really like to rock out (with their cock out) to Motley Crue, Autograph, Def Leppard and Whitesnake.
|
|
|
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Frost Will Never Thaw: Give This A Listen., November 28, 1999
This is a cool collection of hits from an experimental metal band. Celtic Frost put out some good music and this release is a nice place to start if you're new to this band. I've had this album ever since it was released a few years ago. A few of the songs on this compilation have been re-recorded and there is also the added bonus of some new material and some stuff that was previously released only as EP. My favorite tunes are "A Descent to Babylon," "Return to the Eve," and "Cherry Orchards." The first favorite that I mentioned was a previous EP release only and it amazes me why they didn't include it on the Vanity/Nemesis album--it's a scorcher. Celtic Frost is my favorite metal band and it's too bad that they never got the respect and attention they deserved like Metallica and Slayer have for example. I've always liked Tom G. Warrior's vocals and the searing guitar riffs of The Frost. I admit that there are a handful of songs that I like that aren't included here, but you can't include everything of course. This collection is better-than-good and I actually give it 3.5 stars. Over an hour of energetic music. Metal with a progressive touch.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
Interact With Your Music: Discover, listen to, and buy new music, all from the pages of SPIN's digital edition, free to Amazon customers.
by Celtic Frost 
