FROZEN CROWN

There is something charmingly naïve about FROZEN CROWN's sixth studio album. Superficially at least, this is the Italian band's first concerted move into darker and more overtly conceptual territory, with a title, artwork and various lyrical conceits designed to evoke a brooding atmosphere of dark fantasy that was only ever briefly touched upon on previous records. Their music has always had a rugged edge to it, and no one could accuse FROZEN CROWN of lacking bombast or bluster, but as these ten new songs unfold, it becomes steadily apparent that everything, from guitarist Federico Mondelli's powerhouse riffing to frontwoman Giada "Jade" Etro's vibrant, muscular vocal approach, has been nudged up to a higher and harder level of efficacy and heaviness. But despite giving a clear impression that they have toughened up a little, "The Legend Of The Six Kings" is still firmly rooted in the uplifting, lushly choral world of catchy tunes and vigorous ensemble performances that first endeared this band to the power metal scene nearly a decade ago.

In truth, FROZEN CROWN's greatest selling point is their ability to write short, sharp and lethally effective power metal anthems that seldom outstay their welcome nor descend into needless symphonic indulgence. Songs like thunderous opener "Lightning in the Sky" and the brilliantly upbeat and up-tempo "Through the Fire" do rather belie this album's overall desire to present a darker vibe, but the Italians are so adept at delivering refined hooks that it scarcely seems to matter. On the dangerously memorable "Who Wants to Burn in Heaven", FROZEN CROWN delve into the philosophical depths of Nietzschean thought, but the impact is arguably slightly less telling than intended, and the suggestion that reigning in Hell is probably a more tempting proposition than toeing the line in the presence of whichever deity you subscribe to comes across as an entirely reasonable notion.

Similarly, "The One" borrows its imagery and underlying explosiveness from J.R.R. Tolkien's much-thumbed literary works but seems more convincing as a paean to heavy metal solidarity than a bona fide tribute to a fantasy world. None of this has a negative effect on the music itself, of course. FROZEN CROWN are irrepressible and almost overstuffed with energy and diehard commitment, and every song is sold with a winning smile and feet placed firmly on monitors. The closing title track is the best of the lot: a sturdy and substantial dose of power metal sunshine, with layered vocals that shake foundations and flurries of none-more-epic soloing that radiate such joie de vivre that only the fatally dead inside will be able to resist. The same can be said of a superb cover of GOO GOO DOLLS' "Iris": a song that has been undeniably overplayed and overexposed over the years, and yet one that is instantly reborn at the hands of these capricious bringers of thunder. Quite why FROZEN CROWN decided to place it halfway through this album, thus thwarting any atmosphere that had built up during the previous few tracks, is anyone's guess, but as an audacious hijacking of a familiar tune, it will take some beating in 2026.

Not quite the stylistic sidestep that its presentation seemed to promise, but a power metal album with immense character, charisma and class, "The Legend Of The Six Kings" deserves to propel FROZEN CROWN further up the genre's glittering beanstalk.