This album is quite perplexing. While a small number of people may have liked it, the general consensus, especially among Celtic Frost's early fans, is that Cold Lake is a complete misstep. However, I wonder whether the music itself is as baffling as some of the song titles, lyrics, or even the glitzy band photos in the booklet—quite the departure from their usual monochrome aesthetic—suggest. While this album does stray far from the trajectory set by earlier works like Morbid Tales or To Mega Therion, when you place it in the context of its chaotic predecessor, Into the Pandemonium, it doesn’t feel like such a wild departure after all.