Brain Freeze: Jake’s Review of Frozen Soul’s Crypt of Ice

Frozen Soul have flash-frozen the death metal scene ever since they released their demo with Maggot Stomp, a record label I proudly support. Scott may laugh at me for saying this, but Maggot Stomp has been and continues to be an absolute powerhouse tastemaker in the death metal scene, and their early endorsement and support of Frozen Soul paid off for the band, who signed to Century Media not long after their demo dropped. At long last, their Century Media debut record Crypt of Ice is here. So go make an ICEE, get a bowl of ice cream, and sit naked outside in a snowbank (Figuratively speaking, of course. Don’t come whining to me if you actually freeze your bits off in the snow).

I am a shameless lover of any band that aspires to adhere to some kind of thematic aesthetic. I’ve seen some writers call this a gimmick, and label these bands as gimmick acts. I think that’s an incredibly cynical way of looking at artists who aspire to create a repertoire that transcends simply being a collection of individual songs. To label GWAR a gimmick act egregiously minimizes the incredible amount of work that goes into their stage production, set design, costume design, their entire method of artistry that is a metalhead’s Broadway fantasy come true. Brand of Sacrifice have an entire body of work written about the anime/manga series Berserk!, and following this same lofty endeavor for thematic excellence, Frozen Soul write glacially solid death metal tracks about the brutality of thermodynamics. The egress of warmth as life escapes your dying flesh. The crystallization of blood dripping from the tip of an ice pick. The absolute zero sympathy of a cold, dying world. Riffs that will chill you to the bone and break your neck. The renaissance of death metal marches on. The riffs and attention to thematic detail are as refreshing as water from a glacier (that’s high quality H2O), and make this record a must-own for your media collection. The race for album of the year has begun and Frozen Soul have dogsledded their way to the front of runnings.

I was lucky enough to catch Frozen Soul last January back before a pandemic fucked everything up for the entertainment world. Suffice it to say that even back then I knew this band had a very promising future, and I am so happy to see them continue to succeed. Hopefully we can catch them on the road again soon.

Crypt of Ice is available on all major streaming platforms, and you should buy it on your chosen medium as well. But I won’t give you my ICEE flag no matter what.

Frozen Soul, Big Room Bar

Columbus, OH, 01/02/2020