Celtic Frost

Celtic Frost is one of the few '80s thrash giants that hasn't been co-opted by the forces of hipster irony. The Swiss hellions released an inexplicable (and excellent) hair metal album in 1988's Cold Lake, but that's not what you want from the death/doom/black-metal pioneers. (Kurt Cobain was a big fan of the disc, and Bleach sure as hell doesn't sound like Morbid Tales, the recommended point of entry to the band's dissimilar releases.) After disbanding in 1992, Frost reunited last year to record the solid new Monotheist, a burpy mid-tempo sludgefest with a second half that incorporates a string section ("Winter") and Interpolian goth ("Obscured"). It's not exactly a return to form, but that's only because front man Tom G. Warrior/Fischer and his players didn't have a real form to return to. After thrashy early efforts, Frost led the charge into symphonic metal beginning with 1985's To Mega Therion. S.O.D. famously lampoons the group in "Celtic Frosted Flakes," which isn't quite as funny as the video for Cold Lake's "Cherry Orchards," a grainy clip that captures the crew dancing in teased hair and ripped jeans. If you're on the fence about attending the show, check out the clip on YouTube.