Review Summary: One of Best Black Metal Releases in the history of man. For Fans of Burzum and Emperor.
4 Piece Black Metal band formed in 1995 from Canada is still active today. They are most comparable to early Emperor and Immortal. All of the elements are here i.e lengthy songs that allow for the emotion to flourish, tremolos, fuzzy atmosphere, dissonant vocals, blast beats drums, occasional keyboard work but not overdone.
Frozen Shadows' first LP released in 1998 is a compliment to everything noteworthy in well executed Black Metal. The building disparity with a full on clash of BM elements create a true presence which can only be duplicated utilizing such elements are full sounds keyboards transitioning to fuzz with screamed vocals and guitar trem's such as the ones found at the beginning of track 1, the self titled track. The varying drum patterns flow nicely into one another. Most Black Metal has a repeating drum blast that never seems to end. This is not a bad thing but when you expect what is going to happen next there is no mental connection. The drums on this album go from blast beats, to double bass, to alternate kick patterns very smoothly without the so called expected fair. Well placed drum fills at to the intensity held on a records found in track 2 Forsaken Whispers.
The drawing in of solitude into such morbid atmospheres is conductive to releasing inner thoughts and emotions buried deep in the cerebrum. The fury established does not spark an increase in blood pressure like most frantic metal acts, rather, the intense section found at Of Pain and Insufferable Torment greatly drawn you in as you're lost amongst the chaotic fury. This album will take you to places you haven’t been before and spit you out, leaving you feeling naked and exposed. Such an awaking is a positive required to further human progression as you need to get out of your stupid world and feel what its like to breathe, to bleed, to die.
The backing synths are ever so subtle, so this is not a symphonic bm band, I wanna get that outta your head. This is str8 up bm, meaning its not washed down with cheesy sythns. The synths are not eternal, they come and go only for the purpose of adding heightened sense to the already established emotion.
The album is not all flair and intense emotion. There are subtle moments that give an even listen to this masterpiece of a record. Track 6 Lunes Funebres is very calming and relaxing for the first couple of minutes, but then the fury comes back in, in a very mature and straight forward way. This same track even has a clean guitar section that goes on for about 2 minutes and is completely meant to be.
Frozen Shadows show they have all the elements to create amazing music that will grace anyone’s soul.
True metal for Black fans who like their music straight up with no lagging BS. For the lovers of rawness and true emotion.
