Call of the North

Call of the North, released on 10 March 2023, is the fourth album, on which Frozen Crown tied Italian power metal's drive to a northern, folkloric epic quality at high purity. With the six-piece settled by the previous record, the songs are more sharpened. Giada “Jade” Etro's voice has a thicker outline, and Federico Mondelli's twin leads weave dense melody. The title track opens, and fast numbers follow in “Fire in the Sky” and “Victorious.” “In a Moment” catches the breath, “Legion” and “Until the End” press on, and “Far Away” closes the ten songs. It marks the end of their Scarlet Records period, and the reception was the best of their career to that point — a French reviewer named it the power metal album of the year. The Nordic sharpness taken from Dark Tranquillity and Children of Bodom is poured into a bright Italian melody, and that blend reaches a kind of completion here. A band writing at close to an album a year raised its quality while keeping that pace. In 2020 they had toured with DragonForce, hardening their live legs too.