PRIMALFROST - Lost Elegies

PRIMALFROST

Album: Lost Elegies

Genre: Melodic Deathmetal

Release Date: December 28th, 2021

Country: Canada

Label: Self-Released

Band-Links: BANDCAMP / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK

Releasing new music at the end of the year is a venture, as these albums tend to get lost unfortunately. So here’s a fine example for an artist that shouldn’t fly under your melodeath radar, even though his work came out on December 28th, 2021. PRIMALFROST is the brainchild of Canadian composer and multi-instrumentalist Dean Paul Arnold, experienced guitarist for several bands like VITAL REMAINS or OPERUS, and “Lost Elegies” is his second full-length album under this moniker. Since we can hear Dean on all instruments as well as on vocals, it's a real solo effort.

The cover artwork made me curious, but somehow expect a kind of powermetal stylistically, so I got a bit surprised when the growls hit in. The album starts with "Maelstrom" and light guitar sounds, slowly but surely growing louder before taking us to the first high-energetic riff. Supported by a pushing rhythmic, the song moves on in best melodeath manner, and with the first guitar solo he got me already. What started promising, gets even stronger with the following tracks, as the background orchestration brings in a good portion of epicness.

I have to admit that it took a few spins to get used to the vocals - not because they’re growled, but the wish for more variation in their expression. The songs could have probably win with some clean vocal parts, but at the end of the day, the offering works well too.

What stands out for me is the fantastic guitar work: whether it’s with powerful riffs or blistering solos, Dean knows how to please the ears of shredding fans, and he delivers his magic throughout the eight songs. While huge parts of the album are best described as above, he brings in some nice surprises that keep things interesting and varied. My personal favorites are "Stormbearer", "Solace Kingdom" and "Tenebrous Skies".

All-together, “Lost Elegies” is a great listen and best recommended for fans of melodeath in Scandinavian style. The symphonic background orchestration and hard-hitting rhythmic deliver a mighty basis on which the songs can develop. By adding a bit of folk or death metal elements, as well as some accoustic guitar parts, he offers welcomed changes in mood and tempo. The most striking element is definitely the excellent guitar playing, and considering this being a one-man project makes it even more impressive. Crank it up \m/

Written by Katha