Published: January 16, 2020

And so, here we are with Frigoris, and their album In Stille. With so many extreme bands falling into the category of post this that and the other, sounding fairly generic with very few unique or distinctive aspects to their music the trouble is that artists of this ilk often sound as if very little thought has gone into the work other than to make epic tracks with a duration of anything from five to 25 minutes. So, with Frigoris it was really a question of whether the sound was going to be in line with Fen or maybe a little of the old Wolves In The Throne Room. So it is a bit of a pleasant surprise to hear a mixture of different sounds here. The most surprising element here is a huge reference to the European sound of Kroda, giving us the harsh and the heavy mixed with the mystical, magical and folkish. The production and tone of this album is at once gritty and rich.

You can really get a sense that Frigoris are pushing hard for a sound all their own, and they almost get there. It’s fair to say that there are times where there is something missing, or at least unexplored here, but then the music twists itself into something unexpected and often gives us a glimpse of what could be. It almost feels as if the band can’t quite reach the heights, they are worthy of. This doesn’t take away from what is there, as we get brutal blasting metal and more gentle segments that become almost dreamlike. Although not as tight as it could be, Frigoris have made a record that shows plenty of promise that just needs a few teaks to pull it together to give us a fully rounded, more enriched experience. For now we have a perfectly serviceable collection of songs with more than enough talent on offer to wet the appetite. 8/10