Frozen Crown are an Italian power metal band and this is their fourth album.
With promo blurb that states Call of the North is for fans of Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Dragonforce, and Unleash the Archers, it would be churlish not to check this out. I’m glad I did.
Frozen Crown’s brand of power metal is epic and stirring, but also has a dark side, not to mention a fast aggressive energy that I like. The guitars and drums have a thrash or even melodic death metal edge to them, and I like the music’s crunchy bite. The band definitely have their softer, more reflective side – as evidenced by the occasional use of acoustic guitars, light sections, etc. – but I do like that this is an album that has a kick to its guitars and plenty of speed.
No, unlike many power metal albums, Call of the North isn’t afraid of heaviness, nor does it shy away from the more aggressive metal side of itself. In fact, it embraces it wholeheartedly. As well as many a strong riff, there’s a good amount of screaming solos and evocative leads thrown around. Frozen Crown can play, and they use their talents well to craft metal that’s enjoyable, catchy, and moreish. The songs have character and are well-written. Each track has a feel of its own and a place in the 56-minute running time that isn’t out of place in its surroundings.
The lead singer has a powerful voice that she uses to good effect. With a wider range than I was expecting and a performance that’s potent, her vocals are the focal point in a band that have a lot of strengths in all areas. I should also mention the occasional backing vocals that are provided by one of the guitarists, as I really like his voice too.
Call of the North is a strong and enjoyable collection of power/heavy metal tunes. With plenty of hooks, meaty riffs, and expressive vocals, Frozen Crown have created a satisfying feast of metal.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 