Review Summary: Forgettable as a monotonous day at work.
Technically speaking, Frozen Crown are on to something. Strong fem vox? Check. Fist pumping, danceable choruses to make long, metalhead hair sway? Booyeah. A beautifully harmonizing male who can sing almost as good as the lass? Goddang breh! Tight production? Holy Jesus berries, this shit is looking good!
The boxes are checked and the gift is wrapped — a generic present emerges! At first it’s exciting, it’s a new power metal album with a girlie — virgins of the world rejoice! A problem emerges: it sounds so damn done before. From Powerwolf to Iron Savior, the songs on Call of the North don’t branch out from any power metal band I can think of, because they don’t. Anticipate with exceedingly minimal glee the same melodies and choruses in every power metal album ever made minus one. At least the choruses are fairly catchy.
Frozen Crown’s claim to fame — they have two vocalists. Not exactly an original concept but hey, an extra vocalist. Woot? Sarcasm aside, Frozen Crown do highlight more than the unity of a man and woman in holy power metalmony. The guitarist is clearly a skilled Guitar Hero player, as well as a great overall lad (I assume?) and fantastic guitar player. Cool, but so are the guitarists of Ancient Bards and Dragonforce who can riff fast enough to destroy expectations. Being forced to play amongst these forgettable tunes with barely any standout moments just ain’t cool for the jibe. So what exactly do Frozen Crown bring to the table that aren’t leftovers? I guess some guitar solos and wankery now and then, and I suppose wanking under the table does take talent and a rhythm of sorts.
In conclusion, if you enjoy power metal so generic it sounds like a Spotify playlist made for your friends that wear fake battle armour to concerts, you will enjoy this album. It’s solid, it’s safe, it pleases the ear, it’s catchy for a second or two, and it powerfully riffs enough to temporarily satisfy the manly power metal craving. After that? You’re out of luck and will need to feast on real meals with spices and flavours.
