CELTIC FROST was a great and known name into Metal scene that influenced a lot Black Metal, Death Metal and Thrash Metal acts due its extreme roots ("Morbid Tales", "Emperor's Return" and "To Mega Therion"), even when they were HELLHAMMER (the EP "Apocalyptic Raids" is seminal for many extreme Metal bands). But with "Into the Pandemoniun" that they set the foundations of Avant-garde Metal and Symphonic Metal back on 1987, and began the trilogy "Requiem" with the first part, called "Rex Irae"; and the third part, "Winter", appears on "Monotheist" (2006). But the second part was missed, and only with TRIPTYKON entering the story that this 30 years project called "Requiem" could finally end.

The project was recorded during Roadburn Festival 2019 (because the band had full support from Walter Hoeijmakers, the founder of the festival), having the Dutch Metropole Orkerst working with the band, having Jukka  Isakkila as conductor and Florian Magnus Maier helping on classical arrangements, and Safa Heraghi singing the female lead voices. The final result is a show divided in three parts: The first is "Rex Irae", the second "Winter" (as told above, both are originally CELTIC FROST's songs,), and the missing second chapter, "Grave Eternal", in between both. Due limitations from time (and financial resources, of course), this was the first time that "Rex Irae" and "Winter" were played on a live show, but in the true format that they were conceived to be. Yes, it's a wonderful experience to finally hear such piece of art being fully available for the first time.

As already written above, it was recorded during the show on Roadburn Festival, precisely on April 12, 2019. It sounds clean, defined and really great, with that heavy and dense aggressiveness that the band bears. It's a perfect sonority that allows the listeners to understand every little musical arrangement without problems, and the energy of a live show is into it in great shape. Maybe this is one of the best live album's sound qualities of all times.

As everything conceived by the mind of Tom G. Warrior, it can take time to understand what is being expressed (personally, this writer took almost 10 years to assimilate "Into the Pandemonium"). As told above, "Rex Irae" and "Winter" are versions for CELTIC FROST's songs, but finally having everything they deserve, with all orchestral support they needed, and both are great. And "Grave Eternal", the missing second part, is a 32 minutes suite with many different parts and ambiances, a true mix between Metal and all those orchestral elements that creates the dark and melancholic feeling of it, but contrasting with magnificent crescendos. It's not easy to translate into words what is being heard, so the best experience is to hear for yourself. Or it can be said: to hear and see, because "Requiem" has versions with a DVD, so it can be heard and saw.

TRIPTYCON is a great band, indeed, and inherited the very soul of CELTIC FROST's. And to have this masterpiece called "Requiem" in hands is a privilege.