Over fifteen years of jamming together and Spain’s Between the Frost has released but two full-lengths with shining and colorful artwork slapped over their pummeling Blackened Metal. The latest grotesque beauty is ‘Realms of Desolation,’ mastered by guitar lord Andy LaRoque of King Diamond. This disc is chocked full of cold, intense, Dark Funeral-like Black Metal with a strong Death Metal air and very potently melodious guitars hitting against crushing drums.
‘A Furious Storm of Intoxicating Evil’ was surely named by for how one would describe this song, also adding ‘wonderful’ and ‘piercing’ to its title. The repetitive, but ever technical and powerful guitars are as such throughout the album and this song gives you the first taste. ‘Dominions of Impaled and Beheaded Corpses’ has a darker beat and no resonating, melodic breaks. ‘Naked (Between the Frost and Fog)’ has a worthy of being highlighted old-school groove braided into a very modern assault as well as ‘Stronger Than Sorrow’ with Thrash styled guitar parts sprinkled in. A commanding guitar and bass-line carries ‘The Fearsome One’ and a guitar solo that enters near the end. The vocals are at a screaming level, not to shrill but are quite up there in tone. The drums relentlessly blast away still keeping a uniform style, like the rest of the instruments, with a steady, but speedy pace. The soft acoustic piece ‘Melancholic Tears (Instrumental)’ is an unexpected, but a quaint way to end the album.
This album is tightly produced and outstandingly executed. The mixture of Black Metal, Death Metal as well as possibly a bit of Progressive Metal, too is a uniquely stirred formula full of character and high quality metal that is sure to please. Now face the frost of a thousand years and rest far from your glorious one with ‘Realms of Desolation’!
