Celtic Frost + Kreator.


Wolfrum, Wolverhampton, Wednesday, 15th March 2007.

Where is the Wolfrum Hall? No idea mate. Seriously, if you're planning on going to see a concert in Wolverhampton make sure you get there very early, because you'll spend most of the evening trying to find the venue. And once you're there you won't be particularly impressed. The Wolfrum is essentially a community centre / church hall. There's even a weird little motto above the main hall doorway. The sound quality, as you might expect, is a bit pants. Kreator, who unfortunately have almost finished by the time I arrive, don't seem to realise this however and are trying their very best to obliterate the building - and half the surrounding town - with their death thrash cannonade. They're not doing a bad job either. It really is a shame to have missed the vast majority of this set.

Celtic Frost on the other hand, are slightly more eyebrow-raising. This is a band who have inspired countless others, and who are looked up to by just about every musician interested in the darker side of life. There may be an incredibly good reason for this......but from this perfornamce it is really quite difficult to tell what it is. There is no doubting that the music is good, there is certainly no lack of talent or technical ability. But at the same time it is almost inpenetrable and after a while becomes a bit of a drag. Not quite sludge, but rarely rising above a crawl either, it quickly becomes monotonous and quite boring. This is not music you can headbang to and there really is little to do other than lean against the wall.

Maybe it's a cult thing. Maybe Celtic Frost are like a fine wine, an acquired taste. But maybe there is just some music that does not work well live. For all that CF have to offer, they are perhaps just too inclusive for most people to 'get' first time round.

3/7