Review: Frozen Soul Bring Crushing Death Metal with Glacial Domination
Don’t be surprised if this Friday, no matter where in the world you are, a killing frost settles over everything. Summer may be on its way, but such is the work of Frozen Soul.
With their new album Glacial Domination out May 19 via Century Media, the world might not be ready for such a crushing slab of death metal. The album is a relentless assault of icy riffs, pummeling drums, and guttural vocals. The band’s sound is still a blend of old school death metal and hardcore, but they take it to new levels with this release.
The album opens with the title track, which is a perfect example of what Frozen Soul have to offer. The song is a slow, crushing behemoth that builds to an explosive climax. While it still borrows tropes from both classic death metal and a newer, more hardcore-influenced sound, the perfect blend of these vibes that the song strikes sets the tone for the rest of the record.
One of my favorite tracks on Glacial Domination is “Arctic Stranglehold,” which ends up being one of the most furious songs on offer. Also of note is “Morbid Effigy,” though while the song structure and title are a bit predictable as a death metal tune, the variation in riffs more than makes up for it.
That being said, “Arsenal of War” and “Death or Glory” aren’t necessarily my favorites on the tracklist. But they do the best job of showcasing the band’s range and fury when it comes to straightforward bangers. While I tend to lean more towards the slow builds or the songs with crazy breakdowns and riffing, it makes sense why these two tracks are being hailed as singles, of sorts.
And, of course, “Best Served Cold” is a lot of fun, both for the theme, catchy title, and the hardcore fury and refrains that run through this one.
Don’t get me wrong: This record is still heavy on the brutality, classic and hardcore influence, and refined simplicity. If you don’t like that about Frozen Soul, and you’re not a fan of the band in general, I’m not saying this is going to win you over. They aren’t all of a sudden playing slam or going in a progressive or experimental direction.
But that being said, if you dismissed them before, I’d give them a second listen now. This album is definitely more of the same, but more refined and catchier. It feels like they’ve really found their sound with this one.
From the first riff of the title track to the last refrain, this is an album you’re going to want to keep on rotation if you’re a death metal fan. It’s definitely set to be one of the top releases of the year.
Frozen Soul’s Glacial Domination is out May 19 via Century Media.
