Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination (Album Review)

Frozen Soul - Glacial DominationReleased: May 19, 2023

Line Up:

Chad Green // VocalsMichael Munday // GuitarsChad Bonner // GuitarsSamantha Mobley // BassMatt Dennar // Drums

Online:

WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram

One of the leaders of the recent wave of death/extreme metal bursting from the Texas underground, Frozen Soul’s 2021 debut Crypt of Ice was one of the best - if not the best - straight-up death metal album of the year. Riffs upon riffs, with neck-snapping pace, groove and beatdowns, it caught the attention of heavy music fans across the subgenres. Building on the momentum of their first full length, the five piece’s sophomore LP Glacial Domination promises another modern slab of cold-school death metal - yet with a clear focus to not simply rehash the past.

‘Invisible Tormentor’ is the perfect, tone-setting album opener. After the John Carpenter-esque synth intro, Frozen Soul launch into potentially the fastest and most brutal section of the whole LP. Things stay gnarly throughout - especially the devastating double-slowdown outro - but it’s instantly memorable chorus stands out strongly. One of the new record’s biggest talking points is the addition of Trivium’s Matt Heafy in the production-team, co-producing Glacial Domination with the group’s longtime collaborator/engineer/mixer Daniel Schmuck. While Heafy’s partnering with the Texans may seem a little out of nowhere, he’s clearly got a world of knowledge of all things metal, and has wisely not tampered with the Frozen Soul formula.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07wp-yDNzdc&pp=ygULZnJvemVuIHNvdWw%3D

The act keep up the ‘cold’ and horror themes running across the record - there are multiple interludes of throbbing 80s horror-movie synths - however it’s the massive ‘Arsenal of War’ that treads a different path lyrically to the rest. Written as a tribute to vocalist Chad Green’s late brother, the attesting barnstormer also features spots from fellow Texan’s Reese Alavi (Creeping Death) and Power Trip/Fugitive shredder Blake Ibanez.

The anthemic self-titled ‘Frozen Soul’ moves into Amon Amarth territory with it’s air-guitar ready melodies in the chorus, whilst ‘Morbid Effigy’s guest vocals from Dying Fetus’ John Gallagher makes the already flattening slam even more thunderous. Almost every track has those massive moments of sheer, groove-driven devastation. Not breakdowns per se; more so like the classic Cannibal Corpse riffs that are solely designed to get necks and/or hair whippin’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R01HY21O4jg&pp=ygULZnJvemVuIHNvdWw%3D

Audio-wise it’s even beefier than Crypt of Ice - a little more bass guitar in the mix would have been nice though - and ultimately it’s an all-round stronger, more consistent album than their debut. As fantastic as Crypt of Ice was, it did tail off a little towards it’s back end. Admittedly Glacial Domination does a touch too, however it’s redeemed with the absolutely stomping ending of the final piece ‘Atomic Winter’. It’s mammoth second-half simply refuses to let up, with the marching pace fighting it’s way into the fade out. An aptly crushing way to close Glacial Domination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWVJ4SGupWM

There is an undeniably more melodic and song-focused mindset from Frozen Soul on Glacial Domination. Whether or not this has been from the influence of co-producer Matt Heafy is beside the point, as the band are the ones who have ultimately taken their craft to the next level. Negative criticism could be that is a little same-y at times, but Glacial Domination’s overall vibe is simply too enjoyable to matter - it’s actually (whisper it) great fun. The 11 tracks form a unified collection of ice-cold death metal ragers, each loaded with their own riffs, hooks and grooves that are bound to create movement in the live setting/party/car/workplace. Much like they did back 2021, Frozen Soul may very well have the death metal release of the year ready to unthaw onto the heavy music public. A must listen.

Frozen Soul - Glacial Domination tracklisting

1. Invisible Tormentor
2. Arsenal of War
3. Death and Glory
4. Morbid Effigy
5. Annihilation
6. Glacial Domination
7. Frozen Soul
8. Assimilator
9. Best Served Cold
10. Abominable
11. Atomic Winter

Rating: 9/10Glacial Domination is out May 19th on Century Media Records. Order hereReview By – Andrew Kapper. Twitter: @andrew_kapper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjM7j_n_JjI&pp=ygULZnJvemVuIHNvdWw%3D