Thomas Gabriel Fischer

Thomas Gabriel Fischer

Thomas Gabriel Fischer on stage with Triptykon at Hellfest, France.
Background information
Birth name Thomas Gabriel Fischer
Also known as Tom Warrior
Born 19 July 1963
Origin Switzerland
Genres Doom metal, thrash metal, black metal, death metal, avant-garde metal, industrial metal, gothic metal, glam metal
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, programming
Associated acts Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Apollyon Sun, Triptykon

Thomas Gabriel Fischer (born 19 July 1963), earlier known by his stage name of Tom G. Warrior, is a Swiss metal musician. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the death metal style of singing, which resembles guttural growling. He led the groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and today is the frontman of the band Triptykon.

Career

Together with Bruce Day and Steve Warrior, he formed the seminal metal band Hellhammer in 1982. In late 1983, bassist and songwriter Martin Eric Ain joined Hellhammer and the line-up of Fischer, Ain and Day recorded an EP, Apocalyptic Raids, as well as a series of demos for the German label Noise Records before disbanding in May 1984. Fischer and Ain joined forces once again and formed Celtic Frost, an influential avant-garde metal trio, in June 1984.

In 1985, Fischer was asked to co-produce and sing on the first demo, titled Death Cult, by fellow Swiss group Coroner. Fischer also wrote the lyrics for the recorded songs. Two of the members of Coroner formed part of Celtic Frost's road crew until 1986.

In 1987, many conflicts within Celtic Frost led to a dissolution of the band, but several months later, Tom reformed the band with a completely new lineup. The band's 1988 release, Cold Lake, established a drastic change in Celtic Frost's music, but greatly disappointed most fans. Tom has stated many times that he takes the blame for the negative direction of Celtic Frost's music during this period, since he was too distracted with a personal relationship and let the other band members do what they wanted. Celtic Frost eventually disbanded in 1993.

A year after Celtic Frost was laid to rest, Fischer formed the EBM/industrial rock project Apollyon Sun.

In 2000, Fischer's book Are You Morbid?: Into the Pandemonium of Celtic Frost[1] received many favourable reviews, including this from Record Collector: "Intelligent, humble, questioning, insightful – the cultured side of extreme metal".

Sometime in 2001, Fischer and Martin Eric Ain met each other again and began writing music, with the aim of creating a new, dark and heavy Celtic Frost album in the vein of their work on To Mega Therion and Into the Pandemonium. The album, entitled Monotheist, eventually was released in 2006.

Fischer also performed in Probot, Dave Grohl's collaborative project with various metal artists, on the song "Big Sky" in 2003.

Celtic Frost playing in Tuska in 2006

In 2005, Tom produced vocal (performed by Martin Eric Ain) and guitar tracks (Erol Unala) for a "gothicized" version of Slayer's classic "Black Magic" recorded by Los Angeles-based gothrock band Hatesex. The track appeared on their debut album entitled "Unwant".

Due to the 'internal conflict' within Celtic Frost, Tom left the band on 9 April 2008, and has launched a new band named Triptykon.[2]

In 2008, he played guitars and bass for the cover song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" from the 1349 (a Norwegian black metal band) album Revelations of the Black Flame and also co-mixed the album. In 2009 he co-produced their album Demonoir. In 2010, he was awarded the Metal Hammer Golden Gods award for Inspiration.[3] He currently plays an Ibanez H.R. Giger series Iceman guitar. He also uses an Ibanez Tube Screamer overdrive pedal. Fischer was ranked No. 32 out of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time by Guitar World.[4]

Fischer is a vegetarian and does not drink, smoke or take drugs.[5]

Discography

Hellhammer

Celtic Frost

Coroner

Apollyon Sun

Probot

Dark Fortress

1349

Triptykon

References

  1. ↑ Published by Sanctuary Publishing Ltd (29 Jun 2000) ISBN 1-86074-310-2; ISBN 978-1-86074-310-8
  2. ↑ "Former CELTIC FROST Frontman Launches TRIPTYKON". roadrunnerrecords.com. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  3. ↑ "Kawasaki Golden Gods Winners in Full!". metalhammer.co.uk. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
  4. ↑ "Guitar World's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 23 January 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  5. ↑ http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/Specials/WELCOME-TO-HEALTH-A-VEGETARIAN-VEGAN-SPECIAL--7789.html

External links