Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination (2023)

With their rapidly escalating popularity among the trending non-tech US death metal upstarts that include Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, 200 Stab Wounds, Undeath and Sanguisugabogg, the question was whether Texans Frozen Soul would double down the eternal grimness, soften up to accessibility, to extend their sound envelope to include more variation and atmosphere and just write some better songs than found on their rock-steady debut Crypt of Ice. Glacial Domination is a weird sophomore in that it simultaneously achieves all three. There are large swaths of material here almost identical to what you'd find on the debut, but they also grow marginally more ambitious in shifting tempos and structures around to create a more interesting experience, Lastly, the production, while still heavy as hell, has a brighter and more polished tone to it which might be due in part to Matt Heafy of Trivium's participation as a producer, or perhaps rather the heightened expectations placed on the crew after the breakout success of the debut.

The setups and samples for the songs are better, like the pulsing 80s horror synth that briefly establishes "Invisible Tormentor", "Frozen Soul", and "Morbid Effigy", the awesome "Annihilation" synth interlude, or the belligerent clip and drum that ignites "Arsenal of War". These seem a little stronger than the intros they'd use on the debut, but the meat of the material is quite similar, muscular and roiling death metal of the Bolt Thrower variety. There is a slight emphasis on faster, energetic riffage, and a little more oomph to the techniques like brutal death squeals or pinches and such that they'll use to fatten or round off the rhythm guitars. I think the drumming has also improved, not so much in pure speed or might but just the fills and overall production, and where this album relies so heavily on its breakdowns, like those in "Death and Glory" or "Morbid Effigy", they seem to be catering a little more closely to the slam or 'caveman' niche more than the closer Bolt Thrower contours of the debut. Frozen Soul also tries its hands at a little more melody and mood with the title and namesake tracks, and this is a welcome change that I had anticipated, although it's hardly all-pervasive.

Then you've got your guest stars...James from GoST does the synth-horror stuff, an admittedly cool addition, and among others you've got Matt Heafy doing a lead and some vocals, Blake from Power Trip and Fugitive also jumping in on a track, etc. All tasteful, none intrusive, this isn't some 'feature' list like you see in a lot of brutal death or deathcore bands emulating the hip hop scene, you never get the sense that the Texans are trying to cross-market or whore themselves out too far, rather let some friends join in on the fun. The cleaner mix here thankfully doesn't leech away the band's power, surely this is not as grim and depressing as what you heard on the debut, but when it comes to the pure riffing and performance, these tracks will run in lockstep with their forebears on any setlist. It just sounds a little 'friendlier' out of the speakers, and I don't mean that as any insult although for many it would surely be a negative. Make no mistake, this is a group already crossing the threshold to some international success, there are going to be changes...and the leads, intros and stuff here are well considered and go a ways towards the variation I was seeking.

Still, I can't say that I enjoyed this one more than a fraction beyond the debut, because for all its attempts, you're still not hearing the sorts of unforgettable riffing patterns or whirlwind moments you recount from all the go-to classic death metal on your shelf. I'm happy to spin this, but sometimes you expect the quality to match the hype. That's rarely in the realm of possibility, and Glacial Domination is more of a half-measure evolution than some transformative masterpiece. But Frozen Soul have a lot going for them, and each step forward should be a lot of fun to follow if these first two discs are any indicator.

Verdict: Win [8.25/10]

https://www.frozensoultx.com/

Frozen Soul - Crypt of Ice (2021)

Frozen Soul is another burgeoning death metal entity which seemed to reach a level of divisiveness quickly, praised by a mix of younger fans breaking into the genre, and old heads who like hearing fresh takes on classic sounds from the 80s and 90s; heckled by others who write them off as another 're-' band with nothing much to offer beyond nostalgia. I think Crypt of Ice is a case where both sides can be correct, because let's not beat around the bush, this record sounds almost exactly like seminal British death-grinders Bolt Thrower. You might make an argument for other meat & potatoes DM influences like Jungle Rot, Asphyx/Hail of Bullets, Six Feet Under or sloth-like interpretations of Dying Fetus breakdowns...but really, from the growls to the grooves, to the nihilistic, oppressive tones, to even some superficial similarities in the band roster, structure and themes, they are the Lone Star State's answer to one of the most beloved bands in the medium.

Not the FIRST Lone Star State answer, mind you, as War Master was churning this stuff outta Houston almost 15 years ago, but clearly these folks have been more successful, garnering a lot of praise across the metal media, good tour spots and even the attention of more famous metal musicians. And here's the thing...if we've got thousands of bands impersonating Entombed, Morbid Angel, Death, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, and Incantation, many of which the self-same critics of Frozen Soul listen to religiously, surely we can handle a dozen or so that throw down with the Fourth Crusade? Now I'm not saying this record gets a single point for originality. I'm also not saying Crypt of Ice evolves that style in a tangible way, to the extent that a group like Germany's Scalpture does, a band I happen to love. But this debut earns its keep carving out a grisly production and ominous roil to it which catapults me back to that mid 90s period of the Brits, not quite so caustic as Realm of Chaos (my favorite), more in line with a War Master or IVth Crusade or ...For Victory, sans some of the melodic might that they had begun to incorporate into their sound as they progressed.

Crypt of Ice goes long on getting the fundamentals right, with an amazing guitar tone that transforms even the most basic riffing patterns into effective blunt objects, despite having a nice sharp edge to it that can slice through your reservations. Chad Green has a vocal impact not unlike Karl Willetts, sure, with a little less low-end capability, but a reasonable grim timbre that feels right over the rhythm guitars and steady if not dizzying brickwork of the drums. The bass tends to follow the guitars and doesn't really stand out to me like it used to in the Bolt Thrower days, however it certainly contributes to the crush force of the low end, and has a few moments to rumble out like in the intro to "Twist the Knife". Ambient, windy atmospheres and sparser, distorted guitars are often used to introduce the weight of the heaviness, and these are all worthy of the mood Crypt of Ice sets with its awesome Velio Josto artwork. And that's another thing I find curious about Frozen Soul, how they use these stark, wintry themes despite being from Texas...granted, they do experience the occasional ice storm or some scarce snowfall, but it's kinda neat that they're dreaming of these rime-encrusted wastes and that definitely translates into the feel of the music itself.

This album is not exactly packed with earworm riffs or layers, and that might be the one criticism I have, that this is an effort which impresses on a straightforward production and aesthetic more so than songwriting; a common quip I hold with a lot of younger bands this last 10-15 years...you might throw Gatecreeper, Power Trip, and Enforced into this category, and to initiates without decades of listening experience, this isn't likely a factor in appreciating the material. Hell, even to this salty old soul, it's a lot of fun. There's nothing across the album that ever surprises me, but tunes like "Merciless" and "Encased in Ice" have some patterns in there which had me nodding along grimly in total giga-Chad mode (not to be confused with Mr. Green). It's a triumph of technique and tone, but I doubt these tracks will resonate with me 20 years from now. MORE atmosphere, MORE melody is really needed to scribe this into the annals of death metal immortality, but at the same time I've never regretted slapping this one on when I was in the mood for a joyless, frosty, growly beatdown.    

Verdict: Win [8/10]

https://www.frozensoultx.com/