Celtic Frost fans have been salivating over the brand new box set spanning the key years for the extreme metal luminaries. Danse Macabre, the comprehensive archive of all things Celtic Frost circa 1984-87, drops in North America this November, yet fans of the incomparable Tom G. Warrior may have yet another reason to celebrate.
In a new sit-down with Metal Injection, the famed frontman candidly outlined plans to record a new Triptykon album in 2023, their first album of new material since 2014's Melana Chasmata.
"I actually have no problem giving you an official statement," he said in the interview. "Why not? Last time we spoke was, of course, the beginning of the pandemic, and we thought we're going to use that time to write a new album. But as it turned out, the pandemic had the opposite effect on all of us. None of us felt inspired being confined to our homes, not having any contact, in person closer to each other, not having any contact to our audiences, not being on the stage, not traveling. I wrote one song during the two years of the pandemic, even though I wanted to write more.
"But that has changed now, of course, that we're back as an active band and we are actually going to record a new album next year. That's our solid plan, that we're actually working on it now. We have just played the last concert for the year and everybody is now going to their home or finishing up their individual ideas and then we will next meet to rehearse those. So the official plan is for us to finish it next year. And I'm not sure if it's going to be enough to release it next year, but we certainly will release new music next year, even if it's not a full album yet. We will definitely do an EP or something to show people that we are actually in the studio and the album is actually happening."
With Warrior planning to toast Celtic Frost in a limited series of tribute concerts in 2023 with Triptykon – including at Houston's Hells Heroes – the man behind some of extreme metal's most enduring records explained that having the past on the brain could be key to crafting classics of the future.
"You know, I think it's actually a healthy thing that we are also preparing for these couple of Celtic Frost tribute concerts at the same time. I've always been of the opinion that it's important not to lose contact with your roots. Both Martin [Ain, late Celtic Frost bassist] and I have experienced periods in our lives where we probably lost contact with our roots too much, or had a stance that was too critical about certain things in our past, which of course is also necessary.
"But at the end of the day, if you create new music, I think it's important not to lose track of where you come from. The music of our early days is so honest, it doesn't hurt to be actively involved in that while we're writing a new album, 40 years later, as professional musicians. I don't want to become too professional. I don't want to be too much in a routine, you know?"
Stay tuned to Metal Injection for more on our one-on-one with Tom G. Warrior!
