Bassist MARTIN ERIC AIN: 'CELTIC FROST Is Still Alive, Albeit In A Coma Of Sorts'

Bassist Martin Ain of the Swiss avant-garde/metal pioneers CELTIC FROST has issued the following update:

"We are deeply sorry about the cancellation of the summer festivals and the Giger Museum anniversary show this year. We regret the adversity that this caused fans and promoters alike. Tom Gabriel Fischer [guitar, vocals] has left the band, but CELTIC FROST is still alive, albeit in a coma of sorts. Franco [Sesa, drums] and I are not going to continue recording or touring as CELTIC FROST. This would be preposterous without one of its founding members, the original voice and its defining guitarist. But we are not going to officially disband CF. We hope that there might be a possibility of talking things over and overcoming the differences that caused this schism. Most certainly this will not happen now, but maybe sometime in the future. After all, this is not the first time in the history of this band that things have gone wrong. In the meantime, Franco and I will continue to create music of our own. Under what name or with whom else shall remain open for now. For the time being, we accept Tom's decision as being better for all of us and we would like to whish all the best for him and his future projects. A thank you is due to all fans and friends for their support in these difficult times. We hope that at least the work of these past years was as pleasurable to you as it was to us."

In a recent online posting, former CELTIC FROST frontman Tom Gabriel Fischer stated about his departure from the band, "The biggest mistake I have ever made in my life was to agree to Martin Eric Ain's proposal to add that one member to the lineup [presumably referring to Franco Sesa Ed.] of the reformed CELTIC FROST, in late 2002. Regardless of the urgency of the situation then, and in spite of the enormous difficulties we encountered in finding an adequate drummer in Switzerland, it is a mistake I will never forgive myself for, until the day I die. Particularly so, since I subconsciously sensed it was a mistake even within the first week of rehearsals.

"His litanies continue verbally and in writing, even as CELTIC FROST no longer exists. They have affected friends, musicians, fans, as well as CELTIC FROST's band and crew members, who have all become an involuntary, awkward audience. Even notwithstanding my own very clear opinion regarding the above, it is a disgrace and an immense display of disrespect towards the history of CELTIC FROST and the sentiments of the group's dedicated friends and fans. It is a betrayal of what we agreed to as the group disintegrated. It is a descent into the muck utterly inappropriate for CELTIC FROST, even in death."

Tom Gabriel Fischer recently announced the formation of his new band, TRIPTYKON, also featuring Reed St. Mark (ex-CELTIC FROST),V. Santura (DARK FORTRESS) and Vanja Slay. Check out the group's logo at this location. The first audio sample, a track called "Cucifixus", can be heard on TRIPTYKON's official MySpace page.

Commented Fischer: "TRIPTYKON will sound as close to CELTIC FROST as is humanly possible, and the album I am working on will feature all the material I envisioned for the successor to [CELTIC FROST's] 'Monotheist'. I desire the album to be a darker, heavier, and slightly more experimental development of 'Monotheist'.

"'Cucifixus' is but one of many compositions to that end. TRIPTYKON is not defined by just this one song, however, just like CELTIC FROST was not defined by 'Totengott' alone."

Fischer announced his departure from CELTIC FROST in April, citing "the irresolvable, severe erosion of the personal basis so urgently required to collaborate within a band so unique, volatile, and ambitious."

It was reported earlier in the year that CELTIC FROST was putting together an album tentatively titled "Monotheist Companion" that will feature unreleased songs from 2006's "Monotheist" sessions and rearrangements of tracks from the album.