Frost Like Ashes - Fellowship of Suffering

Frost Like Ashes - Fellowship of Suffering
Rottweiler Records, 7/30/21
Christian black metal

2021 has been a blessed year thus far for Christian black metal, seeing the return of not only Sorrowstorm but also Frost Like Ashes, two classic bands in the scene, each bringing a new, more refined sound to the table compared to their previous works. This five-track EP is the next step in FLA's growth as a band, and it does not disappoint.

Right off the bat the production quality is noticeably better than that of Tophet, but in a way that leaves the music gritty enough to be enjoyed as black metal. The guitars have that perfect level of thickness to them, and the elegant background synths (which sound much more professional than the weird synths in Tophet) are audible under the onslaught, adding the perfect touch of atmosphere. The riffs are not overly melodic, further contributing to the overall dark feeling of this EP. There seems to be two vocalists, one doing higher screams and the other one lower, and I love that variety. The sound is much like their debut, but more mature.

One questionable choice, in my opinion, was the inclusion of strange guitar solos that sound more suited for thrash metal than black metal. I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of guitar solos in black metal (Vials of Wrath pulled it off amazingly with help from Derek Corzine in the track "Burning Autumn Leaves" on Days Without Names), but it just breaks the whole feeling of the music for me on this EP. Each track except for "Goer" has at least one of them, and for me they just kill all the dark atmosphere that was created up until that point. They aren't bad necessarily; it's still talented guitar playing. I just don't think it belongs. This wasn't new for the band either, as some of the tracks on Tophet had solos as well. What would have worked better than these guitar solos is a section with a fast, melodic tremolo riff. I believe this creates an analogous feeling to solos in other subgenres like thrash metal. Early Sanctifica (Spirit of Purity) and Crimson Moonlight (The Covenant Progress), some of the best Christian black metal ever made, did this in some places, and I think it would also have worked well here.

Since I bought the digital version (yes, you may confiscate my kvlt card), I don't have access to all the lyrics and have only read them for "Goer" (thanks to the cool lyric video on YouTube) and "The Weight of Ice and Fog". The lyrics seem to center around an individual's dark adventure through the winter with some spiritual undertones built in. One comment that I read (from someone who had the full lyrics to the EP) mentioned that it seems to be "a metaphor that follows the journey of a lost soul to redemption." Not a bad theme for sure, but I would have liked to see a much more direct reference to believing upon Jesus Christ for salvation, trusting that He died to pay the price for our sins and rose again and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

I certainly recommend this EP, especially if you are a fan of Tophet, and I hope to hear more music from Frost Like Ashes in the future.

Score: 85/100

Metal Archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Frost_like_Ashes/Fellowship_of_Suffering/949942
Rottweiler Records: https://rottweilerrecords.bigcartel.com/product/frost-like-ashes-fellowship-of-suffering-cd
Bandcamp: https://frostlikeashesrr.bandcamp.com/