Blood Fire Death, 2023
Music: Melodic Death Metal
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/IcestormBand/
http://www.icestorm.cat/ca/inici
https://icestorm.bandcamp.com/track/across-the-baltic-sea-single
Duration: 34:18 (10 tracks)
Country: Spain
This Catalan clan of warriors (as described by their native promotional media) was founded in 2006 in Barcelona. However, it was probably only from 2012 that they started their publishing activities with “Contes de la vall de glaç” (2012), “Terres de foc” (2016), “Saga” (2019) and currently “The Northern Crusades”, which is the conceptual album dealing with historical topics (mainly focusing on the crusades of Teutonic Knights in northern Europe)…
And as befits Melodic Death Metal, their compositions are fast, very dynamic and lively with a huge amount of climatic melodic, almost full of pathos solos that spread between various guitar riffs, from very brutal, death metal patents, through heavy metal gallops, and ending with black metal themes.
And some amount of keys filling the background slightly softens the heaviness of the music, although it is still very powerful, crushing and aggressive, sometimes even very brutal music.
And of course there were very strong vocals, mercilessly powerful growls, very deep and monstrous, interspersed with predatory screams. To further emphasize the aggressiveness of this music, these vocals are polyphonically merged in places, creating a truly brutal demonic effect. The vocal phrases are additionally enriched with backing vocals and choirs, inspired by pathos and bravery, and even mysticism. In addition, epic and narrative monologues build an almost cinematic mood.
A very characteristic feature of ICESTORM on “The Northern Crusades” are the frequent motifs of medieval music (using the sounds of classical guitars, strings and other string and wind instruments), which definitely increases the value and originality of the whole. And despite the many atmospheric medieval melodies, the material is still monumental, mostly wild and full of combative fury, albeit strongly atmospheric.
The cover art was done by Piotr Arendzikowski.
Tracklist:
1. Crusaders of God [Introduction to the Crusaders]
2. Across the Baltic Sea [Ascent of the Northern Campaigns]
3. The Iron Fist on the Lance Shaft [The Teutonic Knights March to War]
4. The Night Before the Battle [Bonfires, Prayers and Songs at the Teutonic Camp]
5. The Power to Fight [Peipus Lake April 5th, 1242 – Dawn of the Battle of the Ice]
6. Clash of Titans [The Battle Begins]
7. The Teutonic Charge [Bishop Hermann of Dorpat Leading the Charge]
8. Fields of Death [Nevsky’s Ambush]
9. Novgorod Arise [Defeat of the Teutonic Knights]
10. Triumph of the Pagan Warriors [Lament for the Fallen Ones]
Line-up:
Àlex Martínez – bass, backing vocals
Jaume Roca – guitars, backing vocals
Marc Storm – vocals
Rate: 10/10
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