Negative Frame – Break the Ice
Release Date: 7th August 2026
Label: Blood Blast Distribution
Bandcamp
Genre: Metallic Hardcore
FFO: Hatebreed, Violent Life Violent Death, Malevolence.
Review By: Jeff Finch
There are some genres that just click with me every single time, and metallic hardcore continues to be one of them. Negative Frame’s latest effort, their debut album after 9 years, is another reminder of why. From the moment the album truly kicks in, it’s an adrenaline rush built on massive riffs, relentless energy, and enough groove to make it nearly impossible to stay still. This is the kind of record that begs to be cranked up, whether you’re in the gym, behind the wheel, or just looking to burn off some frustration.
My biggest knock actually comes before the album really gets going. The opening track serves as an instrumental introduction, and the second track leans more on scattered screams than what I’d consider actual vocal delivery. As someone who typically requires vocals to latch onto a song, I found myself waiting for the album to finally hit its stride. It’s a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things, but it did make the opening minutes feel more like an extended intro than the explosive start I was hoping for.
Thankfully, once Negative Frame gets rolling, it rarely lets up. The riffs are infectious, the breakdowns land exactly where they should, and the band’s energy never wavers. Even with all of the aggression, the songwriting is strong enough to keep the tracks from blurring together, giving each one its own identity while maintaining a cohesive flow from start to finish.
One of the album’s biggest surprises comes later on with the addition of clean vocals. I wasn’t expecting them, but they’re implemented incredibly well. Rather than softening the impact, they add another dimension to the songs and create some of the album’s most memorable moments. It’s the kind of creative decision that could have easily missed the mark, but instead it pays off in a big way.
At the end of the day, this is exactly what I want from a metallic hardcore record. It’s energetic, heavy, memorable, and packed with enough intensity that I already know it’ll become a regular part of my gym rotation. Negative Frame doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, they simply understand what makes it work and execute it with confidence.
(4.5 / 5)
