CELTIC FROST's TOM GABRIEL FISCHER: New Album May Not See Light Of Day

Despite rampant rumors of CELTIC FROST's imminent return to the recording and touring scene, “it is by no means certain that a new CELTIC FROST album will see the light of the day,” according to mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer. “We, the original line-up of CELTIC FROST, have written and are working on what we feel is the best music since 1987's Into The Pandemonium album, and we are working with partners in the music industry to make an appropriate release of this material possible.

“However, CELTIC FROST is an expensive and very complex project, and we are living in very uncertain and restricted times in the entertainment industry, not least because of September 11, 2001. The material we are preparing is expensive and sometimes complicated to record, and even a 'simple' rehearsal is not that easy and cost-efficient with CELTIC FROST, because we live all over the planet ([drummer] Reed St. Mark, for example, is based in New York).

“We are very confident that we will see the new album released, and we are very excited about what is coming together here. But *nothing* has yet been signed, and contract negotiations with a variety of parties in London are very intense and ongoing as I am writing this. So before [making] pretentious big announcements…and denouncing my previous statements, perhaps certain people should stick with the reality.”

Fischer also commented on the possible inclusion of the final part to the "Rex Irae" Requiem on the upcoming CD. “There will be Part III of the Requiem on the new album. This (final) part is called 'Winter'. Part II is not yet ready for release and will appear on a later album, if indeed CELTIC FROST will continue. As soon as all three parts are properly finished, we will be thinking about preparing a Requiem special CD and/or performing the entire Requiem on stage. It is slightly easier nowadays to work on these pieces, because we are musically a bit more experienced than we were in 1987, and because modern technology simplifies the process up to the actual scores (which are being prepared by our very close friend and arranger Kurt Unala in New York). 'Winter' is very different from Part I 'Rex Irae', and Part II is very different to both other parts. 'Winter' is sad, melancholic, and beautiful.”

In the meantime, CELTIC FROST fans who are anxious to hear Fischer's voice on freshly-recorded material will get their fix when FOO FIGHTERS mainman Dave Grohl's much-talked-about metal project, PROBOT, finally issues its long-awaited debut album later in year. Fischer appears on the CD via a track called "Big Sky", the lyrics to which were written “about my late father, who was one of my best friends,” according to Tom. Guitarist Erol from Fischer's “other” project APOLLYON SUN plays additional guitar on the recording.