Winter, Frost and Sensibility

The old man’s dream now has ended much too soon
Forgotten rests the wisdom that brought them once so far
Vanished until rebirth, we sleep the endless sleep
For one who knows never tries to reappear …

As expected, Fischer’s lyrics can effortlessly beget an ambiance seething with mysticism but his poetic elegance is something uncanny and a bit aberrant. Undoubtedly…there is a certain harmony across his lyrical theme and musical composition but the aesthetic aspect seems like a lone deviation from the remaining morbid like attributes, or is it?

Sonic harshness is invariably mistaken for musical dissonance, Celtic Frost’s sound is harsh but at the same time it epitomizes a sheer melodic conformance, there is a definite tonal center and hence its very much conventional (and yes extremely accessible too). The overbearing aspects of theatricality and diabolical themes act as a bulwark separating these guys from the mainstream; so from a purist stand point the core of this music is a tad wimpy.

“I always wonder why black metal isn’t atonal. Tonal center is so “pussy”, musically speaking…”

The above comment was a response to my Satyricon post on Twitter,  I do believe that the conceptual complexity of black metal can only be accommodated by its musical adherence. Deviation from this blueprint might dilute the whole statement, imagine how distracting an atonal wankery can be in between “Necromantical screams”.  Without refuting the existence of an avant-garde-prog-black-math-metal band I can safely say that their sound will simply fail to prod the the same emotions as say “Under a Funeral Moon”. Fischer did manage to broaden the boundaries of sanity set for musical expression but then Everything burns…. leaving the most compelling of its ashes to sift through the frosty winds.