Frozen Soul – Glacial Domination
Release Date: 19th May 2023
Label: Century Media Records
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Genre: Death Metal, OSDM.
FFO: Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Bloodbath, Unleashed, Entombed.
Review By: Rick Farley
The Texas death metal titans Frozen Soul return with their sophomore album Glacial Domination, releasing on Century Media Records. Touching on the brutal yore’s of old school while maintaining a fiercely cold modern edge, this Dallas quintet may have just constructed a master-stroke of death metal greatness in line with some of the genre-accelerating classics.
Invisible Tormentor kicks things off with an eighties sci-fi/horror synth that leads into a grindy sharp toned guitar riff and furious double kick. It only takes about twenty seconds of thrashy chainsaw ripping before it’s a heavy, chugging neck breaker. Thumping bass pedals and weight filled groove bulldoze their way through this track, like a living, breathing killing machine. A simple but insanely catchy growl along chorus, ensures your vocal cords will be shredded while your body is being pulverized into a snowy dusting. The tonally diverse growls from Chad Green go from guttural to raspy snarls that accent different parts of the lyrics. His throaty low growls are a call-back to the best growlers in the scene and are near perfect for the sharp serrated riffs and crushing weight of the ear catching music.
I’m sensing a theme here with the creepy eighties’ synth interludes which run throughout the album. It gives the record a story like feel in the vein of a sci-fi/horror type nostalgia. Morbid Effigy is a galloping blast of wicked hooks and face grimacing crunch. A gritty, unpolished spirit gives the riffs a nastiness that’s prebuilt for sweaty clubs and pit violence. Taking a step forward composition wise, this track is the epitome of stellar song writing within the context of simplicity. Frighteningly heavy, guttural, and sluggish, yet blistering fast in places and catchy as fuck, also containing a guest spot from John Gallagher (Dying Fetus). This track does it all with an authentic, infectious aggression that most bands take years to find.
There’s loads of noticeable influence on Glacial Domination but none more than on Assimilator. A little taste of Death, Bolt Thrower, Unleashed, Carcass and John Carpenters “The Thing” seriously get the cold blood moving and head banging. The brute force of the ice picked riffs meeting the lumbering drums, accompanied by some dark Schuldiner influenced melodies and a growling battering ram for a vocalist, is a recipe for success. To have a modern band release an album of high quality death metal that gently leans on the albums and movie that I hold dear to my heart is absolutely incredible. This record oozes death metal class from beginning to end.
Along with Green, Frozen Soul is rounded out by guitarists Michael Munday and Chris Bonner, bassist Samantha Mobley and drummer Matt Dennard who have composed a record that will stand the test of time, resulting in a new ice age born from the death metal underground. Also helping to bring the snow covered rage to Arsenal of War and Death and Glory, is Green’s younger brother doing guest vocals on both tracks, and Reese Avali (Creeping Death) on Arsenal of War while also featuring Powertrip’s Blake Ibanez’s trademark dive bombs.
The production, which was handled by the returning Daniel Schmuck, and co-produced by Matt Heafy (Trivium) who also co-wrote a track, is a dirt under the nails type of throwback production that sounds incredible with today’s standard of recording. Grittiness with clarity, thick and chunky without the booming undertones of too much low end. Razor sharp with no excess. Classic.
Their self-described cold-school death metal is packed full of foot stomping heavy groove, frozen harmonies, giant hooks that can wreck everything in a hundred-foot radius and lyrics made for growling along with, all eager to pummel everything and enslave the world with Glacial Domination. The last song is as good as the first, this will be a defining release for the band and now becomes essential listening. 
(5 / 5)
