Album Review: Frozen Soul – No Place of Warmth (Century Media Records)

Dallas, Texas-based Frozen Soul will release their third full length album titled No Place of Warmth on the 8th of May via Century Media Records.

Frozen Soul formed in Dallas and have spent the past five years steadily carving out their identity with a sound rooted in classic American death metal and early Earache-era brutality. Drawing influence from the likes of Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Mortician, and Bolt Thrower, their approach blends crushing weight with hardcore-driven aggression and a stark, icy atmosphere that has become their signature. Their last full length was the absolute monster Glacial Domination (2023), and as hard and impactful as their records are, they are also well known for the icy cold intensity of their live performances.

Here, on No Place of Warmth, the band look to refine their formula into what they describe as a more focused and instinctive record, stripping away excess in favour of pure, direct intensity. Frozen Soul recorded No Place of Warmth with producer Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome Studio in Michigan. During the recording process, the band worked with a more immediate, in-the-moment writing approach, building material during the sessions themselves. Across eleven tracks, the album also features guest appearances from Gerard Way, Robb Flynn, and Devin Swank, each adding their own identity without disrupting the core Frozen Soul sound.

As vocalist Chad Green puts it:

“Our mindset was to stop overthinking it and trying to write the most epic song. Each song on this record has its own meaning and influences that helped make them what they are, but in their essence are written to give the listener that extra push and power they need to fight those everyday battles.”

Frozen Soul are Chad Green on vocals, Michael Munday and Chris Bonner on guitars, Samantha Mobley on bass, and Matt Dennar on drums.

No Place of Warmth features 11 tracks, 4 of which they have released as singles to date, including the first 3 tracks on the album. The first of those is the title track, No Place of Warmth, which features Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance). Any concerns about how Gerard Way’s vocal style will fit a Frozen Soul song can be washed away when you hear him barking out death metal growls and roars. Before we get to that section, near the end of the track, we move through a stomping death metal track with plenty of melodic guitars that push Frozen Soul slightly towards a melodic death metal style. Heavy vocals, a touch of groove, and some nice atmospheric elements, like bells chiming, make for an interesting start, elevated by the quality of the guest.

A similar thing can be said about Invoke War, featuring Robb Flynn (Machine Head). The groove hits you early and will have you headbanging. Impressive drum beats and chunky riffs are the backbone of a simple song that delivers a big slab of death metal. Flynn’s vocals come a bit later and add additional depth while keeping things very heavy and in line with Frozen Soul’s sound. The third of our guests comes on the track Dreadnought, which features Devin Swank (Sanguisugabogg). It’s another chunky and slowed down track that delivers malice and intensity, with doom-like riffs but faster drum taps. The vocals are rasping death metal, and the guest spot adds a touch of additional depth. The guitar solo is a nice touch and really lifts the track, as do the little bass moments.

We also get a couple of shorter tracks spread across No Place of Warmth, with Absolute Zero coming in at just 53 seconds and Skinned By The Wind at just 90 seconds. The former, coming just after Invoke War, sounds a little like an extension of that track. It’s cool, it’s heavy, but it lacks a little identity and will likely just get heard as part of Invoke War if you listen to the album in running order. The latter comes later in the album and has a little spoken word that then leads into a short slab of dark and heavy music. It works in the context of the album more because it adds some of that cold and icy atmosphere we love Frozen Soul for.

Away from guests, singles and shorter songs, we find some real gems. Chaos Will Reign is stylistically similar, but in a good way. Slower riffs deliver bass-led groove and chunk, while the drums move at a quicker pace. Deep, rasping vocals join the mix and you will find yourself tapping your foot along with the beat very quickly. Eyes of Despair mixes things up a touch, bringing more pace with an almost thrash-like lead guitar firing away at the start. It combines nicely with the more energetic riffing and helps to freshen up No Place of Warmth, shaking off any threat of monotony.

Ethereal Dreams brings more creativity and freshness, opening with a really interesting and unexpected tribal-like drum beat before a phenomenal riff and rhythm take over. I love that. The vocals join as the drums and guitars blaze with energy and intensity, making it one of the faster tracks on the album. This is probably my favourite track so far. It delivers in terms of atmosphere and heaviness, but is elevated further by the pace, the cool intro, and the melodic layers throughout. DEATHWEAVER sees Frozen Soul head back towards their signature slow, chugging and stomping sound with a powerful punch of death metal. The lead guitars still offer a lot, but are toned down slightly to suit a track that will have you grimacing while you headbang along.

Frost Forged keeps the heaviness coming with a dark and moody track where the drums really stand out, especially in the intro. Around those drums, you get a feast of dark and brooding riffing and vocals. It delivers massively with traditional death metal at the forefront, while still capturing that cold and desolate feeling Frozen Soul are known for. No Place of Warmth comes to a close with Killin Time (Until it’s Time to Kill), which, as well as having a pretty cool title, wraps up everything Frozen Soul offer into one big ending track. Speedy riffs and beats get the adrenaline flowing before shifting into slower, chunkier sections. Vocals are harsh and heavy, and there are moments of lead guitar-driven melody that elevate everything. Slabs of bass stand out, while the drums deliver intense beats and tempo changes expertly.

No Place of Warmth is another strong showing from Frozen Soul, delivering exactly what you would expect from them while still finding ways to keep things engaging across its runtime. The core sound remains rooted in that cold, crushing death metal style they’ve built their name on, but the added pace in places, the touches of melody, and the smart use of atmosphere help give the album even more depth. The guest features land well without overpowering anything, and while there are moments where tracks blur slightly or feel a touch too similar, there is more than enough here to keep things interesting and keep you invested.

Track List:

1. No Place Of Warmth (feat. Gerard Way)
2. Invoke War (feat. Machine Head)
3. Absolute Zero
4. Dreadnought (feat. Sanguisugabogg)
5. Chaos Will Reign
6. Eyes of Despair
7. Ethereal Dreams
8. Skinned by the Wind
9. DEATHWEAVER
10. Frost Forged
11. Killin Time (Until its Time to Kill)

Frozen Soul Links

Frozen Soul (Website) | Facebook | Instagram | X | Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | Century Media Records