What can a man accomplish in two years? Well, just look at Jamie Stonge. In just a tiny amount of time, Jamie has created Frozen Mist and released fourteen different studio albums. Needless to say, the music he has made in Frozen Mist doesn't sound like something someone could cook up in a short amount of time, and that's what makes Frozen Mist special. Frozen Mist have now given birth to "Godforsaken," and the stuff portrayed in this album is why Frozen Mist is such an exceptional project.Jamie Stonge's instrumental talents are what make this album special. Jamie plays the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and all the male vocals; all of which are at a professional level of execution. The typical Frozen Mist sound seems to altered a bit by the inclusion of a strong death/thrash metal vibe; the gothic style is still dominant, but the death/thrash influence seems to be more present. As I said before, the instrumental work tends to be much heavier and faster then on previous albums. Songs like "Perpetual Tears" and the death metal explosion "Dead Amethyst" utilize the faster riffing with quick snare hits and sudden keyboard notes. The other side of Frozen Mist's music reflects the gothic edge of the music. The death/thrash influence has turned into the gothic style Frozen Mist is known for. The instrumental work is drastically slowed down and the guitar is tuned differently to give it that "gothic" feel. The riffs are slow and menacing as the drums and keyboards enter a brief slumber. Every now and then, a cymbal catch, a group of keyboard notes, or a riff change will appear and switch the tide of the music. These changes during the gothic episodes make the music seem much more colorful.
When being compared to other goth metal outfits, Frozen Mist uses a different approach to vocals. The vocals on "Godforsaken" are quite similar to death growls. The gothic music links with Jamie's voice to make an interesting sound. The use of narration vocals is scarce, but are used as well. Jamie isn't the only singer to appear on "Godforsaken." Newly acquired female vocalist Katrina Rose supplies "Godforsaken" with astonishing vocal work.
Katrina's vocal style sounds like she has strong operatic influences and a powerful voice. Katrina's high vocals hit elevated levels throughout the album, but "Dead Amethyst" is most notable for her operatic voice. During the chorus of "Dead Amethyst," Katrina's high vocals bond perfectly with the soft guitar interlude. Katrina also uses a narration style during some of the tracks as well.
"Godforsaken" is a delightful album. This is just another sharp release in the Frozen Mist catalog. "Godforsaken" is defiantly worth checking out if goth metal is your cup of tea.