Ah, Celtic Frost…Whether you love ’em, hate ’em, or are just meh about them, one thing is fact. Their influential impact on metal was, and still is, a huge and undeniable thing. Some have taken that Frost-y influence and built upon it with great success, i.e. Obituary, while others have more than just flirted with it achieving various degress of triumph, Darkthrone, Usurper, Ruins, and the like…

And then there’s Tyranno. Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Tyranno don’t just take a heaping dose of the ‘Frost as influence. No sir, Tyranno eschews the notion of influence and instead chooses to employ full blown adulating Celtic Frost/Hellhammer worship when it comes to their sound. Seriously, Skulls, Horns, & Lust , while having one of the best album titles ever, is severely dated, devoid of originality, and pretty much plagiaristic in well more than just a handful of riffs, tone, technique, and Tom G. Warrior vocalisms. The kicker? It’s all these things that make Skulls, Horns, & Lust such a fun and enjoyable release. Even heartfelt and genuine, kind of akin to Gruesome and their complete adoration for Death and wanting to contribute to a legacy started by the pioneers of yesteryear, that is exactly how I perceive it to be with Tyranno.

There really are no true standouts as every song is equally on par with the next, all of them striking in the best of a “been there, heard that” mentality. To be honest, if you’re familiar with those first seminal Celtic Frost releases, Morbid Tales, Emperor’s Return, and To Mega Therion, then you have been there and heard that before. Seriously, more than a few times on Skulls, Horns, & Lust will you hear the extremely direct influence of Frost favorites. Just listen to Tyranno‘s “Black Soul of Discord” and tell me that isn’t the mighty “Dethroned Emperor”, or the similarities in “King” to “The Usurper”, or even “Born Dead”, with its mighty nods to both “Morbid Tales” and “Circle of the Tyrants”.

Yes sir, you have definitely heard this all before, but damn it, don’t let that stop you from enjoying and ultimately appreciating Tyranno for what they are and what they’re worth. Sure, some will deem the band guilty of rehashing and even plagiarism, and technically, that could be true. Though I tend to see Tyranno as an authentic homage to one of the metal’s great pioneers, again, much like Gruesome to Death. Honestly, Skulls, Horns, & Lust is not only a fun listen, but closer to what many of us were hoping for in ‘Frost‘s Monotheist album. If you love you some classic Celtic Frost, then by all means check this bad boy out. If you hate Celtic Frost, and shame on you if you do, then you’d best steer wide and clear of this one.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments