It’s striking how, as a country, we remain completely out of touch with what’s been happening in the European power metal scene in recent years. It’s as if time has stood still for about two decades, and we insist on waiting for something spectacular from the genre’s former giants.
But time waits for no one. In Europe many new bands are making a huge splash on the scene. One of them is the Italian band Frozen Crown. A band that plays provocatively accessible Europower with a few epic touches. These guys really know how to write commercial music. This, combined with their ubiquitous presence on social media, has made them a force to be reckoned with – except in Greece, as we’ve already mentioned.
“The Legend” is their sixth album in just eight years. That in itself may not mean much, but when you consider that they’re constantly on tour, not only have they not slowed down the pace of their releases, but they haven’t compromised on quality either. It’s also their shortest album to date.
None of the tracks are longer than four minutes, except for the title track that closes the album. Their cover of the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” is also a welcome addition – they’ve made it their own, though, to be honest, the original is unmatched. But let’s get to the rest music. Mid- and up-tempo tracks that last just the right amount of time. Songs written to be played live. A few, more extreme vocal parts blend with riffs that we could easily find on an NWOSDM album. Melody and speed, solos that never get tiresome.
Kudos also to Giada Etro, whose earthy voice blends beautifully with the compositions. Here, too, there are no exaggerations or showy flourishes.
“The Legend” is a guilty pleasure of an album with truly enjoyable music. I consider “Call Of The North” to be their most interesting album, but this one has also rightfully earned a spot in my record collection.
