Genre : Djent, Progressive modern metal, Thall, Nu-metal
Released : November 30th ,2020
Label : Self-release
FFO : Vildhjarta, Car Bomb, Korn
Frostbitt is yet another band I discovered this year, thanks to Car Bomb's European Mordial tour which very sadly got canceled before I could catch a show.
After doing a bit of research I found out that this album was in fact a reworked and remastered version of their 2015 debut.
The first time I listened to this record I was walking outdoors during a snowstorm and I honestly don't think I could have listened to it in better conditions.
You will have guessed by the name and artwork that this record is themed around winter but what really solidifies that thematical identity is the guitar work that creates this truly glacial atmosphere. (Being based in Norway probably is a plus as well).
Speaking of which, this is some of the most fun and creative guitar work I've heard in the genre this year, clearly taking inspiration from bands like Vildhjarta and Car Bomb but putting their own spin on it with their own approach to experimentation with guitar effects, tones, harmonics and slides.
The vocal performance is quite versatile and I especially like frontman Ivan Hansen's compressed style of fry screaming, it really makes some of the passages hit even harder, notably the breakdowns.
Some of the harsh vocals and clean vocal harmonies kind of remind me of earlier TesseracT material as well, but what strikes me the most is how much Ivan's voice can ressemble Jonathan Davis's during some of the more emotionally fragile passages, to the point where it borders on imitation which isn't necessarily always a good thing in my opinion.
Aside from that, this is a really fun, heavy, groovy, atmospheric and cathartic album to listen to and it has very rapidly become one of my favourite releases of the year and I've had it playing almost constantly since it came out, either through my headphones or as an earworm digging around my brain.
I'm really looking forward to what Frostbitt are going to do with their sound next and I wouldn't be surprised to see them become the next big thing in the "thall" scene.
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