November 4, 2014

Review "Those of the Cursed Light" in Metal Rules Webzine (English)

Here is the link to the review: http://www.metal-rules.com/review/viewreview.php?month=May&year=2014&pos=45

The Spaniards in Frozen Dawn make no bones about their music, and if you look even a little closely at their song titles, you’ll figure it out pretty quick too: pure black metal, heavily influenced by Immortal. I mean, it’s not tough to figure out when you’ve got not one, not two, but three songs that reference “frost”, right?

All kidding aside, THOSE OF THE CURSED LIGHT is the band’s second album after a 2007 EP, and 2011 full length called THE OLD PROPHECY OF WINTERLAND. This album comes wrapped in a typical black metal, yet awesomely rendered piece of cover art that is just stunning. Once the album starts playing, it’s nearly an hour of pure cold, second-wave black metal, with nary a hint of the symphonic. While there may not be anything special or unique about the band’s music, it certainly is well-written and effective in its orthodoxy. Special mention must be made of the closing track, “Kalte Seele”, which is an insanely addictive march that just rules on every level. It’s also distinguished by the fact that it is a Norwegian-styled black metal song, played by a band of Spanish musicians, and sung in German. I’m not sure if that’s a record of some kind, but it damn sure is a great song.

No matter how you slice it, THOSE OF THE CURSED LIGHT is a successful album that is sure to please fans of this subgenre of black metal. It may be a bit too by the book for some, but given that this style isn’t nearly as overcrowded as it used to be, Frozen Dawn deserve their chance to be heard.