CELTIC FROST: Former Bassist Martin Eric Ain Dies Of Heart Attack Aged 50
October 21st, 2017
 Celtic Frost 2006 (l-r): Franco Sesa, Martin Eric Ain and Tom G. Warrior |
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Martin Eric Ain, former bassist of Swiss extreme metal groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, died from a heart attack on October 21st, 2017 at the age of 50.
Frontman Tom G. Warrior (Thomas Gabriel Fischer) issued the following statement: “I am deeply affected by his passing. Our relationship was very complex and definitely not free of conflicts, but Martin’s life and mine were very closely intertwined, since we first met in 1982.”
Martin Eric Ain was born Martin Erich Strickler on July 18th, 1967.
Ain joined the ranks of Swiss extreme metal band Hellhammer in early December 1983 under the moniker ‘Slayed Necros’, replacing the departing Stephen ‘Evoked Damnator’ Priestly, who had switched from drums to bass. Priestly had failed to attend recording sessions for the demo Satanic Rites, and was accordingly replaced. Satanic Rites was recorded at Sound Concept Studio in north-east Switzerland from December 2nd to the 4th. Albeit accredited, Ain did not perform bass; nevertheless, he co-wrote the tracks ‘Intro’, ‘Buried And Forgotten’, and ‘Triumph Of Death’.
Four-track EP Apocalyptic Raids was issued in March 2014, recording and mixing having taken place at Caet Studios in Berlin, Germany from March 2nd to the 7th.
Celtic Frost was formed on June 1st, 1984, previous incarnation Hellhammer having disbanded on May 31st. Inaugural six-track mini-album Morbid Tales was recorded and mixed from October 8th to the 15th at Caet Studio in Berlin, Germany, the effort emerging a month later in Europe via Noise Records. Metal Blade Records would handle United States release.
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 Martin Eric Ain (Hellhammer, 1983) |
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August 1985 five-track EP Emperor’s Return collected two unused tracks from recording sessions for Morbid Tales, pairing them alongside three compositions recorded during April 1985 at Line Recording Studio in Zurich, Switzerland. Emperor’s Return marked the recording debut of drummer Reed St. Mark (Reed Cruickshank), sticksman Stephen Priestly having stepped behind the drumkit for the October 1984 sessions.
First full-length studio album To Mega Therion was released in October 1985, having been recorded over a fortnight period from September 14th to the 28th at Casablanca Studio in Berlin, Germany. Horst Müller produced in collaboration with Tom G. Warrior, the outing boasting a cover artwork by H.R. Giger entitled Satan I. Giger was famed for his design work on 1979 science fiction / horror movie Alien. Martin Ain did not feature, To Mega Therion including the bass services of Dominic Steiner. Ain returned to the fold following recorded sessions.
Three-track EP Tragic Serenades surfaced in 1986, fresh tracks ‘The Usurper’ and ‘Jewel Throne’ being recorded on March 13th-15th at Musiclab Studio in Berlin and acting as the initial batch of compositions boasting Ain’s bass lines.
Second studio album Into The Pandemonium arrived in June 1987, and marked the first Celtic Frost full-length where Ain occupied bass. Sessions had taken place between January and April at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover, Germany.
Opening track ‘Mexican Radio’ was a cover interpretation, Los Angeles, California-based new wave outfit Wall Of Voodoo having reached position 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with the song during 1983. The track ‘Inner Sanctum’ directly quoted from poems by Emily Brontë, while the lyrics penned for ‘Tristesses de la lune’ borrowed from the Charles Baudelaire poem of the same name that figured as part of the 1857 poetry volume Les Fleurs du mal. Into The Pandemonium’s cover artwork happened to be a detail from the right panel of The Garden Of Earthly Delights, a triptych painted during 1504 by Hieronymous Bosch.
A North American tour to promote Into The Pandemonium during 1987 saw the temporary addition of live second guitarist Ron Marks, although personal and financial issues among the band caused Celtic Frost to disband. Months later, Celtic Frost reformed, Warrior recruiting the following personnel; guitarist Oliver Amberg, bassist Curt Victor Bryant, and returning drummer Stephen Priestly. Cut in the summer of 1988 at Sky Track Studio and Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with co-production from Tony Platt, third studio affair proper Cold Lake was the only Celtic Frost outing to be laid down by this respective line-up.
Fourth studio full-length Vanity/Nemesis was released in April 1990. Vanity/Nemesis was recorded in the autumn and winter of 1989 at Sky Track Studio and Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany. Amberg had been fired, with Curt Victor Bryant switching from bass to guitar during sessions. Martin Ain lent bass to opening track ‘The Heart Beneath’, as well as backing vocals to the aforementioned as well as ‘Phallic Tantrum’ and ‘Nemesis’.
February 1992 compilation Parched With Thirst Am I And Dying lent its title from an old Roman prayer, and consisted of unreleased material, re-recorded versions of older songs and alternate versions. Writing sessions were formative for proposed follow-up album Under Apollyon’s Sun, but said sessions never went further. Celtic Frost dissolved in 1993, Tom Warrior subsequently forming Apollyon Sun.
Writing sessions developed between Tom Warrior and Martin Ain in late 2001, said sessions being rounded out by guitarist Erol Unala. The involvement of drummer Franco Sesa emerged in late 2002. Self-financed, fifth and final full-length studio record proper Monotheist was produced by Celtic Frost in collaboration with Hypocrisy mainman Peter Tägtgren. Monotheist was released in May 2006 via Century Media Records, Ain sharing co-lead vocals on the track ‘A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh’.
On September 9th, 2008, it was confirmed that Celtic Frost had been disbanded. In a jointly released statement, members Tom Fischer and Martin Eric Ain revealed the pair “jointly decided to lay Celtic Frost to rest for good” following months of uncertainty regarding the band’s future.
Celtic Frost promotional photograph by Jozo Palkovits.
