A decade is coming to its end. I am not one of those that use such cases as opportunities to organise, revision, evaluate and make lists of significant events. I was just thinking about the records that I think are the most crucial for me and my way of thinking, living and my overall evolution as an individual. In cases like these it is the first couple or three records that come to my mind instantly, without any effort or having to do any kind of search through my records catalogue or anything like that. The truth is that in the first half of the dying decade I had lost any interest in music. That was probably because of my heavy engagement with the underground during the 90's that jaded me, and secondly because my job schedule left me little time and no desire to show any interest in music.
The records that are the most essential and gave back my lost appetite, thus they are the most important records for the decade, are two.
First and foremost Celtic Frost's Monotheist. Dark, monstrous, heavy, mesmerizing, this is my all time favourite album. I feel that I'll begin to rant and any words could never do justice to this work. Celtic Frost works have been important for me from the mid 80's and the closing chapter has been their crowning moment. I cherish the memories of their live performance in Thessaloniki as one of the most important of my life. I can only describe the show in my mother tongue as μυσταγωγία, in english translated (very) roughly as a ritual or 'to lead to the mysteries'. A ritual that was later ruined by the party atmosphere of Kreator that led a big part of the crowd to leave the club after Celtic Frost left the stage.
I am grateful to Celtic Frost for the great part they had in my shaping in what I am today. I am grateful to them for broadening my horizons. Until today Tom Gabriel is an extremely important figurehead for me. Not to mention that through the bands that he called for the Only Death is Real event at Roadburn 2010 I searched and found precious gems like Valborg, Shever and Noneuclid.
The second most important record of the decade is Deathspell Omega's Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice. This is the record that made black metal intriguing again. This is the record that made black metal dangerous again as it forced the outsiders to view black metal as an artform that has to be considered seriously. It also established orthodox black metal more than any other record and their interview on the Ajna website (read it here), serves as the manifesto of the genre.
May Lucifer enlighten thee.
AMSG
