Morbid Tales/Emperor's Returnby Anonymous

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July 28, 2005: If you’re into metal, especially speed/thrash metal, you will really like this album. The music itself reminds me of Venom (the vocalist at times sounds exactly like the Venom vocalist). This is not to downplay any aspect of the music as the vocalist does some unique/cool things with his voice (e.g. “Ooooooo,” “OWWWW!!!!” and “Uhhhhh”). I’m not a huge Venom fan, but Celtic Frost do a great, or even better job at creating a dark atmosphere. I wouldn’t really call this a “satanic” album, it’s more of a dark album. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you put on the headphones, turn off the lights and listen to track 8, “Danse Macabre” (the best depiction of hell I have ever heard—very disturbing). The music itself is fast at times— not “death metal fast,” “Venom fast.” The riffs are usually doomy and sluggish, then the music makes a sudden change in tempo as in “Visions of Mortality.” The music itself isn’t too complex. Just listen to the drumming in “Return to the Eve.” Again, this doesn’t subtract at all from the music, because music can still be relatively simple but still enjoyable, like this classic. This is the remastered version, but the three bonus tracks from an EP were kept in their original masters (cheaper? or is that a ploy to force you to buy To Mega Therion for “Circle of the Tyrants”?). They’re still good though, you just got to turn up the volume a few more notches.