''Morbid Tales'' is the debut EP by the Swiss
extreme metal band,
Celtic Frost, released in November 1984. The first European release on
Noise Records
Noise Records is a German heavy metal record label founded in 1983 by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased an ...
was a
mini-LP
A mini-LP or mini-album is a short vinyl record album or LP, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered full-length. It is distinct from an EP due to containing more tracks and a slightly longer running length. A ...
with six tracks, while the American release by
Enigma
Enigma may refer to:
*Riddle, someone or something that is mysterious or puzzling
Biology
*ENIGMA, a class of gene in the LIM domain
Computing and technology
* Enigma (company), a New York-based data-technology startup
* Enigma machine, a family ...
/
Metal Blade
Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distri ...
added two tracks, bringing it to the length of a regular LP.
In 1999 a remastered edition of ''Morbid Tales'' was released on CD by
Noise Records
Noise Records is a German heavy metal record label founded in 1983 by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased an ...
, which also contained the tracks from their 1985 EP ''
Emperor's Return
''Emperor's Return'' is the second release by the Swiss extreme metal band Celtic Frost. It was released in 1985 as an extended play and was their first record featuring American drummer Reid Cruickshank (a.k.a. " Reed St. Mark"). The band's blea ...
'' as well as a 2017 remastered edition released by the same label on CD and vinyl formats.
Legacy
The
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
intensity of ''Morbid Tales'' had a major influence on the then-developing
death metal and
black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emp ...
genres. It included elements that were adopted by the pioneers of both styles. The band's bleak and dead serious fashion style was also influential, including their
corpse paint face makeup.
In 2017, ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranked ''Morbid Tales'' as 28th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.'
In the commentary for
Darkthrone's album ''
Panzerfaust
The ''Panzerfaust'' (, "armour fist" or "tank fist", plural: ''Panzerfäuste'') was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light an ...
'',
Fenriz
Gylve Fenris Nagell (born Leif Nagell; 28 November 1971), known professionally as Fenriz, is a Norwegian musician, part-time music journalist and online radio host (with the show "Radio Fenriz") cites this album along with
Bathory's ''
Under the Sign of the Black Mark
''Under the Sign of the Black Mark'' is the third studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was recorded in September 1986 and released on 11 May 1987 through New Renaissance Records and Under One Flag. It was a key album in the de ...
'' and
Vader's ''
Necrolust
''Necrolust'' is a demo album by the Polish death metal band Vader, released in 1989. The cover of the album was designed by Piotr Wiwczarek. Fenriz of Darkthrone cites this demo along with Celtic Frost's ''Morbid Tales'' and Bathory's ''Unde ...
'' as key riff inspirations.
"Danse Macabre" was later sampled in the demo track "Totgetanzt" from their 2002 demo album ''Prototype''.
Track listings
All music by Thomas Gabriel Fischer, all lyrics by Thomas Gabriel Fischer and
Martin Ain, except where noted.
European version
US version
1999 CD remastered edition
2017 remastered edition bonus tracks
Personnel
Credits adapted from the original editions.
;Celtic Frost
*
Tom Warrior – guitars, lead vocals, co-producer
*
Martin Ain – bass, bass effects, vocals, co-producer
*
Reed St. Mark
Celtic Frost () was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metalBukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and avant-garde ...
– drums on tracks 10–12 (remastered edition)
;Additional musicians
*Stephen Priestly – session drums
*Horst Müller – additional vocals (tracks 3, 5 & 7)
*Hertha Ohling – additional vocals (track 6)
*Oswald Spengler – violin (tracks 7 & 8)
;Production
*Horst Müller – producer, engineer, mixing, mastering
*Karl Walterbach – executive producer
References
{{Authority control
Celtic Frost albums
Noise Records EPs
1984 debut EPs
Cthulhu Mythos music
Enigma Records EPs
Metal Blade Records EPs