CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake 12" Vinyl LP Album
"Cold Lake" is the Fourth full-length album by the Swiss Thrash Metal band: "Celtic Frost". It was produced by Karl-Ulrich Walterbach and released in the year 1986.
"Cold Lake" is the Fourth full-length album by the Swiss Thrash Metal band: "Celtic Frost". It was produced by Karl-Ulrich Walterbach and released in the year 1986.
Switzerland's Celtic Frost is a name synonymous with innovation and boundary-pushing within the metal genre. With their fourth full-length album, "Cold Lake", released in 1988, the band embarked on an audacious musical journey that defied expectations and challenged their own established sound. While often met with mixed reception from fans and critics alike, "Cold Lake" remains a fascinating chapter in Celtic Frost's history, marking a significant departure from their earlier thrash metal roots.
A Controversial Departure
In the early 1980s, Celtic Frost had earned a reputation as pioneers of the extreme metal genre, with their aggressive and dark sound defining them as leaders of the thrash and black metal movements. However, "Cold Lake" saw the band embracing a radically different musical direction, diving headfirst into a fusion of glam rock, hard rock, and elements of pop metal. This departure left many fans bewildered, as the album showcased a sound that starkly contrasted with the band's earlier works.
Production and Lineup
The production of "Cold Lake" was a collaborative effort between the band, Tony Platt, and Karl-Ulrich Walterbach. Dexter, a sound engineer known for his work on various metal albums, contributed to the recording process. The album's cover photography, captured by Martin Becker, added to the visual transformation, reflecting the newfound image Celtic Frost was aiming to project.
The lineup for "Cold Lake" featured notable changes, with Tom Gabriel Fischer handling guitars and vocals as usual. Oliver Amber joined as a guitarist, while Curt Victor Bryant took over bass duties. Stephen Preistly assumed the role of drummer and also contributed additional vocals. This lineup shift, combined with the musical departure, further emphasized the album's divergence from Celtic Frost's established identity.
Musical Exploration and Reception
"Cold Lake" opens with the track "Human", a song that sets the tone for the album's experimentation. The glam-influenced riffs, melodic hooks, and cleaner vocal approach marked a significant departure from the band's earlier raw and aggressive style. Tracks like "Seduce Me Tonight" and "Cherry Orchards" continued this departure, showcasing Celtic Frost's willingness to explore new musical territories.
The album's reception was polarized, to say the least. Longtime fans of Celtic Frost were taken aback by the drastic change in style, feeling disconnected from the band they had come to know. Critics were also divided, with some appreciating the band's attempt at reinvention while others saw it as an ill-fated experiment. Despite the controversy, "Cold Lake" did manage to find an audience among those more open to the evolving metal landscape of the late '80s.
Noise International N 0125-1 , 1988 , Made in Germany
"Cold Lake", Celtic Frost's 1988 album, marks a daring departure from their thrash metal roots, embracing glam rock and pop metal. This musical shift, along with lineup changes, divided fans and critics. Despite controversy, the album stands as a testament to the band's willingness to experiment and evolve, leaving a lasting mark on the metal genre's history.
| Album Fact Sheet: CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake |
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Music Genre: Trash Metal |
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Album Production Information: The album: "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" was produced by: Celtic Frost and Tony Platt Tony Platt is a British Freelance music engineer and producer. Working with many British bands, including Iron Maiden but also with the French Trust band. Executive producer: Karl-Ulrich Walterbach Karl-Ulrich Walterbach is a prominent figure in the German heavy metal music scene. He is best known as the founder and owner of Noise Records, a renowned record label that played a significant role in the development and promotion of heavy metal music, particularly in Germany.
Walterbach founded Noise Records in 1983 in Berlin, Germany. The label quickly gained recognition for signing and releasing albums by some of the most influential bands in the heavy metal genre. Under Walterbach's leadership, Noise Records became synonymous with the German thrash metal movement of the 1980s, which included bands like Helloween, Kreator, and Running Wild. Walterbach's vision and passion for heavy metal music led him to become not only a label owner but also a producer and executive producer for numerous albums. He played a crucial role in shaping the sound and production of many German heavy metal records during the 1980s and 1990s. These albums, along with countless others, played a crucial role in establishing Noise Records as a powerhouse label for heavy metal music. Walterbach's dedication to the genre and his ability to spot and nurture talent helped shape the landscape of German heavy metal. However, it's important to note that Noise Records faced financial difficulties in the late 1990s, leading to its acquisition by Sanctuary Records in 2001. Despite the label's eventual dissolution, Walterbach's contributions to the heavy metal music industry and his impact on the German scene remain significant. His work as a producer and executive producer, as well as his role in founding and running Noise Records, solidified his reputation as a key figure in the history of German heavy metal. Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Dexter Album cover photography: Martin Becker Martin Becker (Photographer) during the 1980s "Martin Becker" has photographed around two dozen heavy metal bands. These bands include the two Swiss bands: "Coroner" and "Celtic Frost" as well other bands like: "Kreator", "Rage", Running Wild", "Tankard" and several others. Additional Information on the production team-members: Martin Becker (Photographer) during the 1980s "Martin Becker" has photographed around two dozen heavy metal bands. These bands include the two Swiss bands: "Coroner" and "Celtic Frost" as well other bands like: "Kreator" , "Rage" , "Running Wild" , "Tankard" and several others. Karl-Ulrich Walterbach is a prominent figure in the German heavy metal music scene. He is best known as the founder and owner of Noise Records, a renowned record label that played a significant role in the development and promotion of heavy metal music, particularly in Germany.
Walterbach founded Noise Records in 1983 in Berlin, Germany. The label quickly gained recognition for signing and releasing albums by some of the most influential bands in the heavy metal genre. Under Walterbach's leadership, Noise Records became synonymous with the German thrash metal movement of the 1980s, which included bands like Helloween, Kreator, and Running Wild. Walterbach's vision and passion for heavy metal music led him to become not only a label owner but also a producer and executive producer for numerous albums. He played a crucial role in shaping the sound and production of many German heavy metal records during the 1980s and 1990s. These albums, along with countless others, played a crucial role in establishing Noise Records as a powerhouse label for heavy metal music. Walterbach's dedication to the genre and his ability to spot and nurture talent helped shape the landscape of German heavy metal. However, it's important to note that Noise Records faced financial difficulties in the late 1990s, leading to its acquisition by Sanctuary Records in 2001. Despite the label's eventual dissolution, Walterbach's contributions to the heavy metal music industry and his impact on the German scene remain significant. His work as a producer and executive producer, as well as his role in founding and running Noise Records, solidified his reputation as a key figure in the history of German heavy metal.
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Record Label Information: Noise International N 0125-1 |
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Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone RecordTotal Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram |
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Year & Country: 1988 Made in Germany |
Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake |
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Complete Track-listing of the album "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" |
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The detailed tracklist of this record "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" is:
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High Quality Photo of Album Front Cover "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" |
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Album Back Cover Photo of "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" |
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Enlarged & Zoomed photo of "CELTIC FROST - Cold Lake" Record's Label |
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Note: The images on this page are photos of the actual album. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash. |
Celtic Frost was a Swiss heavy metal band formed in 1984 by Thomas Gabriel Fischer and Martin Eric Ain. The band's music blended elements of thrash, black, and death metal with avant-garde and classical influences, making them a pioneering force in extreme metal.
The band's debut album, "Morbid Tales," released in 1984, was a groundbreaking work that helped establish Celtic Frost's reputation as an innovative and influential metal band. The album's combination of ferocious riffs, unconventional song structures, and eerie atmosphere set a template for many extreme metal bands that followed.
Celtic Frost's follow-up album, "To Mega Therion," released in 1985, expanded on the band's sound with longer and more complex compositions that incorporated elements of classical music and Gothic horror. The album's title track, a 23-minute epic that alternates between searing metal riffs and haunting choral sections, is widely regarded as a masterpiece of extreme metal.
Over the next few years, Celtic Frost continued to push the boundaries of metal with albums such as "Into the Pandemonium" and "Vanity/Nemesis," which incorporated elements of industrial, electronic, and world music into their sound. The band also became known for their striking album artwork and stage costumes, which often featured skulls, spikes, and leather.
After a hiatus in the 1990s, Celtic Frost returned with a more experimental sound on their 2006 album, "Monotheist." The album featured a slower and more atmospheric approach, with more emphasis on melody and texture than on raw aggression. Despite the departure from their earlier sound, "Monotheist" was well received by fans and critics, cementing Celtic Frost's legacy as one of the most important and innovative metal bands of all time.
Tragically, Martin Eric Ain passed away in 2017, and the band announced their disbandment shortly afterward. However, Celtic Frost's influence can still be heard in countless metal bands that have followed in their wake, and their legacy as pioneers of extreme metal will continue to inspire new generations of metalheads for years to come.
