Frozen Mist - Paganwinds

Hailing from the underground of Montoursville, Pennsylvania, Frozen Mist started as a solo project by Darkj in mid February 2004. The name Frozen Mist came about from smoking a cigarette in the cold, grim, snowy weather. As what, was a full-time band, Darkj and Wulv (Funeral Dust) joined forces and changed the music style with very unique extreme dark, death and Pagan black metal attributes. To this day, Frozen Mist remains the ONLY extreme metal band in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania!  Sadly Frozen Mist split up on the 1st March 2014 due to a communication breakdown, although Darkj is now involved with Jaquio a 4 piece blackened thrash metal band - Valknut – A solo pagan black metal project and Mazzey Darkj's reactivated band from the 90's, thrash/heavy metal!

Natureworship - (instrumental)
Don’t be fooled by the little bird chirping in the background. The haunting melodious keys leave one with the feeling something dark and ominous is about to happen... although it doesn’t, it just keeps you transfixed to the speakers in case!

Eschatology
The haphazard rhythms play a big part in this structure with the squalid tumultuous flavours melting to the sound of a hate filled vocal. The rampageous melee is joined by the Native American flute which sends further chills as it twists and manifests itself into a passionate provocation that holds plenty of intrigue.

Paganwinds
The enchanting flute appears once more and is then overtaken by a solid beating on drums and a torrential outpouring of harsh vocal edge, while the guitar riffs add a sinister engaging atmosphere into the mix. With this track being the longest on the album there is a lot going on to relish in.

Whispers From Niflheim
A rather fast and voracious track that forcibly expels itself from the speaker units and then hurls itself straight for the aural cortex and doesn’t hang about! The vocal is expressive and demonic in its delivery as its lustful energy penetrates savagely.

“Frozen Mist although very black metal orientated has a lot more Pagan elements added to its meaningfulness. It has dark, vitriolic moments, chilling moments and beautiful moments all wrapped up on one album!”

The Ravens Circle
The hearty cries of a Raven are heard and open up the track which then takes on its black roots with mega intensity and a certain unpredictability. Still as caustic and malevolent however, it swipes with infectious rhythmic prowess and damming hostility! The volatility is levelled to within even beats and throaty attraction.

Valknut Rising
Another lengthy composition that makes a hasty retreat from the speakers straight to the listener’s aural cavities and of which will beguile and lure with contempt. It cajoles and gnaws venomously whilst spewing out its dark charms as the hooks seduce and intrigue with a magnetic force.

Folkloric Echoes - (instrumental)
Finishing this malignant album comes a respite from all the gnarly gruesome blackness and shines with a beautiful stringed instrumental that throws the bait to reel you in. Captivating with real beauty it has the influence to enthral and wow with extreme fascination.

Summary:
This is quite different in some aspects to Valknut – Ode in the fact that although it is the same frontman the tracks have a lot more appeal and there is the additional Native American Flute and sounds of nature that give it an extra appeal too! Frozen Mist although very black metal orientated has a lot more Pagan elements added into its meaningfulness. It has dark, vitriolic moments, chilling moments and beautiful moments all wrapped up on one album. The length of the tracks may alarm a few but at least they allow you time to settle into their structures with a ‘feel good factor’ about them. The vocals are without a doubt edgy and woeful, shrouded in shrill ambiance that wreak havoc on the senses. I like the fact that there are two good instrumentals on the album and where they are placed in order leaving the middle section for all the brittle Pagan blackness to remain uninterrupted – clever move. Darkj is without a doubt a multi-talented artist who has come up with an amazing seven tracks of steely intrigue that lasts a good forty two minutes and twenty-three seconds and just converges on the senses, immersing them with wicked madness, ambient, black and Pagan leanings in a rhythmic blast of unrelenting intervention. It is such a shame that Frozen Mist has bowed out from the scene as this album rewards heartily!


  1. Natureworship (instrumental)
  2. Eschatology 
  3. Paganwinds 
  4. Whispers From Niflheim 
  5. The Ravens Circle 
  6. Valknut Rising 
  7. Folkloric Echoes (instrumental)

 


Reviewer: Pagan Hel
Oct 4, 2014

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