Celtic Frost ‎"Monotheist" Cassette

In darkness. Thou shalt come unto me.
So here I am, finally decided to write my first review. It's not a coincidence that I have chosen Monotheist for this endeavor. Firstly, this is the first album that introduced me to what I later called truly dark and extreme music, so this has a special place in my heart. I still remember the first listen 10 years ago, and it changed me forever ever since. Secondly, the state of the world right now with a global pandemic, being locked inside together with the cold foggy November nights makes this a perfect re-listen.
Regarding the music itself, a lot of words already filled this page. Tom G. Warrior is a true master, and his later work with Triptykon reinforces this statement. Yes, there are some misses here and there during his career, but those are insignificant. He is never afraid to experiment with his music, incorporating elements of doom, black and Gothic, together with the excellent mix of clean, cold and depressive vocals, making this a real dark experience. Although this is not the most complex album out there in terms of composition (doesn't have layers upon layers with tons of riffs) the beauty of it lies in its simplicity.
From the first moments of "Progeny", you know what to expect. Pure hatred and despair. There are also a few "softer" tracks inserted in between the more "aggressive" ones ("Drown in Ashes" and "Obscured") with some lovely female voice. At first you will think that these are for the listener to take a bit of a fresh air with a slightly sense of hope, but don't let that fool you. Actually, it will grab your spirit to the deepest abyss one can imagine, leaving your mortal body behind a pool of it's own blood, and no (dying) god is there to save you. All of this ends with the monolithic and magnificent 14 minutes "Synagoga Satanae" and before you realize it, "Winter" is already in your room.
Speaking of dying gods, a special mention for the highlight of the album: "A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh", where all the elements described before really come together. From the thick bass to heavy doom-ish pace, with the haunting vocal duties of Martin E. Ain, makes this a rather strange and claustrophobic experience. But elevating and enjoyable nevertheless. All what remains in the end it is for you to witness in misery "As the snow falls. To cover this all.".

Official promo video: 

Sample: