Frozen Soul’s Crypt of Ice album review
I was reluctant to release an album review on the day Crypt of Ice was released. It felt unnecessary. I wanted to enjoy the album in every setting possible in my daily schedule: on my drive to work and on my daily delivery run, at the convenience store as I grab a bag of chips, or the casual drive around town while smoking a CBD pre-roll. I wanted the album to become embedded into my amygdala, mainly for the sheer heaviness and the general interpretation of the album that frontman Chad Green explained on the Fantasm Podcast, available on Spotify. A couple of days, I felt as if it was the perfect time to share this review.
Fans of Frozen Soul, including myself, found humor in blaming the band for bringing in the frigid winter season for the past couple of years ( as a Texan, I feel it’s imperative to express that North Texas winters are undoubtedly bitter, it’s felt in my bone marrow). I’m sure there is a reason why the release date moved from November to January but for whatever reason, it seemed to be a great marketing scheme. Things have move pretty quickly for the band that it almost seems like a blur. Shortly after their debut ep in 2019 and their tour with North Texas metal band Steel Bearing Hand, Frozen Soul was able to yank more attention from new fans which ultimately landed them on Maggot Stomp and soon afterward was able to secure a spot on Century Media. There is a strong sense of Texas pride that surrounds that band. As I expressed many times before, the Lone Star State possesses its own unique brand of heaviness that runs deep in our souls and can not be denied.
Vocalist Chad Green digs deep within his diaphragm to present to fans the embodiment of an ancient, death- metal- esqe growl with a unique rasp that sets himself apart from modern metal vocalists. The immense power and force behind the vocals are captivated by the colossal riffage that is strikingly similar to old school, prehistoric death metal. What truly sets apart the band, sonically, is the ever so present influence of Texas hardcore that shows throughout Crypt of Ice, i.e. the second song of the album, Arctic Stranglehold, in particular, the ending breakdown that is more than capable of inducing a good ole southern ass beating in the pit ( I can’t wait until shows get reintroduced back into the world, it is going to be insane). With the exception of the tracks Encased in Ice and Hand of Vengeance from their debut ep, Wrait of Death captured my attention the most. The beginning ominous overtone bleeds into my ears followed by their brand of contemporary, catchy Texas metal riffs and the high skill level of the thunderous double bass drum, courtesy of drummer Matt Denard. Twist the Knife holds a similar interest in comparison to Wraith of Death, with one or two semi- sludgy parts present in the song.
From a lyrical standpoint, as Chad Green stated, was written in generalization. Although each song had its own personal meaning, it was written to leave the interpretation to the fans to gather their own meaning. Most lyrics on the album corresponded with each other and followed along the same general theme by expressing various aspects of pain, brutality, vengeance, and death. The vast majority of this album is downright mean to say the least. The one track that sets itself apart from the others is Faceless Enemy as it talks about the power struggle between the enemy that can not be seen, the enemy that you from happiness, the enemy that rears its ugly head as soon as you began to prosper; depression. To give this album a listen, tap the button below.
