by Black Bubblegum
Thomas Gabriel Fischer (aka Tom “Warrior”has announced that he is leaving experimental black metal pioneers Celtic Frost, the band he formed with Martin Eric Ain in the wake of Hellhammer‘s dissolution. From TGF’s blog:
I have always seen the Monotheist album as a mere beginning, and a tame one at that……… Celtic Frost had become the unreserved focus of my life for the second time. I was looking forward immeasurably to working on the next Celtic Frost album. To me, it needed to be darker, heavier, and more experimental than “Monotheist”.
And yet, Celtic Frost consisted of three individuals, and I was only one of them. In the end I had to concede to myself that there was no other option.
My friendship with and respect for Martin Eric Ain remain unaffected. Moreover, I am in the process of assessing my options to eventually complete, record, and release some of the ideas I originally created for Celtic Frost and the planned next album in the course of the past few years, and to take our distinctive music out on the road again.
There is no way back.
His departure comes as a shock in light of the amazing reception Celtic Frost has received from recent touring and their awesome, critically acclaimed comeback album from 2006, Monotheist.
Even Ted Leo and Dave Grohl are fans! (Fischer can also be found on Grohl’s metal side project, Probot.
Hellhammer recently cleansed their archives with the release of Demon Entrails. No word on the status of Monotheist Companion.
1349 perfoming Celtic Frost‘s “The Usurper” with Thomas Gabriel Fischer at the Inferno Festival 2008
Celtic Frost – “A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh” from Monotheist
