Hantises Dans les Bras des Immortels Empires de Glace

Reviews marked with an * are for the Millenium re-release


* "The tunnel of the neverending flood of bad or medium releases of the last 2 years has a little light at its end. A blaze of hope and the belief in the return of the glory past appears in my gleaming eyes. This re-recorded rerealese from their "Empires de Glace" demo from 1996 is dedicated to these times in the early 90s. "Empires de Glace" offers old fashioned black metal at its best and brings also the beloved necro sound with it. And this sound is the pride of the three members of this canadian band. And with this sound Alvater, Myrkhaal and Namtar pay their tribute to the times black metal was still something special. Musically, "Empires de Glace" offers my tortured ear a true revelation of nordic influenced music culture. Frozen Shadows combine the fat, brutal guitar sound from "Battles in the North" and the majestic sound of "In the nightside eclipse" made by the keyboard and the guitar melodies. These Canadians put quite often mystic keyboard-made parts between a song with the consequence that the music takes you far away from reality. The wellmade Intro and Outro frame the five songs. "Empires de Glace" is not that brutal, quite fast, but no full time blast beat album. But it radiates a feeling of coldness wich simulates it´s own brutality but without reaching the quality level of old Immortal albums. The satanic lyrics are not that ingenious but OK. Those interested in "Empires de Glace" can get the CD from the label's own mailorder but hurry up, because it´s limited to 1000 copies."

VONGER, Germany

* "I am very glad to have found out this band, it's been a lot of time since I found a true Black Metal band but finally I did so... The country these three demons come from is Canada, I don't know very much the scene of this country but I am more than sure they must be considered a sort of underground cult band thanks to their music. I have listened this mcd (5 songs) several times but every time I listen it, it looks like there is in the music something new, some other evilness that is spread from the cd in an endless way... "Empire de Glaces" is a re-recorded version of the demo of this band and hasn't a big production but still I like it very much more than many others, more known bands (too many names to mention)... I must also add that there are some keyboards but they have always the task to make the sound gloomier (use of keyboards made me remember the demo's of Manes and Emperor). The music is really grim and cold-blessed and the cover artwork is absolutely perfect, this work is simply brillant and it's the first release of Millenium Metal Music, released in 1000 copies only, I agree with this because I don't want that not-attituted children put their filthy hands on the Black Art but true Black Metallers must have it so get it pretty soon or die!"10/10

PAGAN WITCHCRAFT, Italy

"Extreme black metal played at breakneck speed, complete with corpsepaint, spikes and bulletbelts, Frozen Shadows take their craft quite seriously.This outfit comes out as maleficient contenders to the Black Metal throne, and will gain notoriety through their purely satanic musical blasphemy rather than by burning churches. Forrkas is like a diabolical wizard on the drum kit and Alvater's guitar riffs light up the skies and fade away while eerie keyboards haunt your soul. And unlike most Black Metal acts of today, Frozen Shadows does not simply rework the last Dimmu Borgir offering. They are brutal and completely original... 9/10"

BRAVE WORDS AND BLOODY KNUCKLES, Canada

"It seems like Canada is also able to come up with very good Black Metal bands. The province of Québec doesn't have a very productive scene like France, and it is probably what gives Frozen Shadows it's uncanny strength. The opening keyboard intro propels you into an extremely aggressive brand of Black Metal, the one and only french song while the other ones are in english. All in all, 5 brutal and devastating titles, high speed performance by the powerful and technical drummer, high pitched vocals with some good clean parts and very efficient bass and guitar lines. The synths are brillantly integrated into the symphonic passages and very eerie in the dark and evil parts. In the realms of Extreme Black Metal, this outfit can get and is a worthy of a record deal. To be overly critical, I could mention the sound, but let us not forget we are talking about a demo here. Coloured cover, photo, everything you need is included, so wait no longer. The demo is worth the 6$ and last for 30 minutes."

BLACK CIRCLE, France

"Empires de Glace is the CULT demo of this elite Canadian horde. It is a very good lesson of fast, agressive, yet atmospheric Black Metal which, at some points, reminds me of Emperor's "In the Nightside Eclipse" period. One great aspect I definitely have to mention is the loud sound of the drums which stabs a knife in your heart with every beat. Released back in 1996, this single demo of the band is still available in a very good presentation (coloured cover, lyrics, photo, pro-copied tape) for 6$. Hope to hear new material from this killing band soon."

CHRISTRAPE, Romania

"Frozen Shadows was created in the Hallow's Eve of 1995 and in december of '96 they released this demo-tape of fast and agressive Black Metal with atmospheric keyboards elements. The only down point in this opus is the drum's productions which stands out in the mixture but that is something that can be ignored. Frozen Shadows' music reminds me sometimes the speed of Immortal with more high pitched vocals and dark synth elements. A very good effort with pro-dubbed tape, well worth the 6$ they charge for 30 minutes of hate"

ANCIENT CEREMONIES, Portugal

"Hailing from Canada, or Québec to be more precise, Frozen Shadows is a Black Metal outfit in the purest of tradition, but is still able to emerge from the mass. Their first demo "Empires de Glace" offers five songs of terrifying brutality and coldness complemented by some atmospheric parts that are very impressing. Frozen Shadows's assaults as well as the pounding of their drummer reminds me a bit of Graveland, at least of their "Thousands Swords" album. The packaging and sound are very good, and my favorite song is without a doubt "Coldest Infinity". Highly recommended!"

EPIDEMIC, France

"The underground Canadian scene has always proposed to us the most ultimate bands ever. FROZEN SHADOWS play black metal of the most savage kind, there is no quiet moment during this five song demo. The strong point of the band is their symphonic/atmospheric side which, according to me, is mostly influenced by EMPEROR. This is a well-produced demo with a beautiful cover in which FROZEN SHADOWS even allow themselves the indulgence to sing in french. But be careful, this demo is exclusively reserved to the fans of the most extreme black metal..."

METALLIAN, France

"Frozen Shadows have come with a very competent and professional demo. Extremely scandinavian in style, Frozen Shadows works with some intense speeds and great screeching Black Metal vocals. It actually reminds me a bit of Australia's Inverted Prophet, which is definitely not a bad thing. Offering five tracks in total, the demo has a good running time and great presentation. The tracks are all pretty similar, and what impresses me about the band is the passion they play with, and of course their consistency. A little samey throughout, but there's an undoubted fanbase for lightning speed Black Metal, and that's what Frozen Shadows have to offer. There are a few deviations here and there, but all in all the speed is king. Fans of Marduk, Allegiance, Setherial, Dark Funeral etc. should check this out for sure."

HERESY MAGAZINE, Australia

"Awesome 5 song demo of incredible Northern Black Metal from this raging quartet from Québec, Canada. A near-perfect execution of Nordic-styled darkness complete with full-on Emperor-like keyboards fills and breaks! An explosive blasting intensity propelled by high-energy drumming that is both insanely hyperactive, as well as tastefully dynamic in finesse! This NOT the typical death-grind blastbeat-driven crust that you'd expect to come out of post-Blasphemy Canada, but what this definitely is can be best described as true Scandinavian influenced BM in all it's mayhemic glory to make Euronymous proud (if he were still alive)! A clear old-school speed projecting the inspiration of early Bathory, Marduk, Darkthrone & Immortal is evident to win the blackhearts of even the most diehard BM elitists!!!"

EXTREME SUBTERRANEA, www.blackmetal.com

"This is the first Canadian Black Metal band I've heard in ages, so I was a bit sceptic to it in the beginning, but all in all it's a very good demo actually. The music just rips you apart and kills, this is truly evil and fast black metal! Five songs/30 minutes with pro-dubbed tape and coloured cover for US$6, give it a try!"

OSKEREI MAGAZINE, Norway

"An outfit from Québec, Frozen Shadows offers us a very powerful Black Metal with a symphonic edge. The group plays in a brutal and chaotic way without any concessions. The keyboards is very present and strenghtens the overall dark atmosphere. The drums are a little loud in the mix, but the sound does not suffer from it... Pure Satanic Black Metal for Maniacs! A band to follow..."

ABLAZINE, Belgium

"Far be it from me to be a sufficient judge on black metal, but this band is one of the best I have come across in my experiences with that particuliar scene. A raw productions does not belie the barbaric drumming presented in this recording and the superior vocalization that comes from a throat inhuman. This is also a band of integrity and principles, and is one that will rise above the petty quarrels and feuds in their scene to conquer."

MORTAL COIL, USA

"Frozen Shadows features in it's ranks Myrkhaal, former vocalist of Tenebrae on their godly "Serenades of the Damned" demo! Well, F.S. are straight on furious black metal. Played at hyper speeds, near the pace and not far off in style from bands like Immortal, Marduk and Dark Funeral. The packaging is well done and the five trax come on a chrome cassette with writing on the shell. Now onto the compositions whose arrangements are decent but can use some improvements. Keyboards are mixed in with speedy and fairly catchy riffing, a blitzkrieg drum performance, and not to be forgotten the great gurgling venomous spew of Myrkhaal. This tape is recommended to those with a taste for dark and evil, black metal attacks of 2 speeds (fast and faster)."

CANADIAN ASSAULT, Canada

"First masterpiece by this brutal Black Metal band that has kept an emotion most have lost along the way... The songs have just the right amount of harmony to express dark feelings of painful bitterness. The music is very fast and without any compromise. The atmosphere here is cold and slimy. This group proves once again that we have a lot to learn from Canada in terms of brutality and originality. Some of the guitarworks have a Pagan Metal feel, like in "Adrift in the sepulchral snow" or "Coldest Infinity". Another interesting thing: the first song, "Au seuil des ténèbres", is written in french. An excellent demo, get your hands on it fast!"

SIGURD, France

"A Québec-based band which consists of former Tenebrae members which graces us with their debut demo, a five-song affair of very intense and extreme black metal... One song is in French while the others are in English. It's mostly fast and reminds me a bit of The Black, but there are some slow and melancholic parts too with great keyboards and dark male vocals. It wouldn't hurt if they add some more slow parts 'cause they sometimes just play too fast for their own good. The hysterical vocals could also be toned down. Empires de Glace comes with a coloured cover with lyrics+photo. A pretty strong debut that all black metallers should like, it costs $6."

MASTER OF BRUTALITY, Netherlands

"It is very rare to see a black metal band emerge from Canada, but here is finally one that made it, and it can look any of it's european counterparts right in the eyes! First of all the packaging is excellent: photo, lyrics (one song is in french), very impressive cover, pro-dubbed tape... For the music, by far the most important thing, Frozen Shadows evolves in a very powerful and symphonic black metal with grand keyboards and a monstrous kick in the face. Promising!"

VELVET MUSIC INTERNATIONAL, France

"Very good canadian group, whose style is reminiscent of Emperor ("In the Nightside Eclipse" period). The keyboards are very well used, enhancing the dark atmosphere. They are perhaps a bit loud in the mix, leaving the other instruments in the background. The demo has a very good presentation, and one of the songs, namely "Au Seuil des Ténèbres", is in french. Keep an eye on this band!"

LORD'S INCANTATION, France

"If one could recognize evil, one recognizes FROZEN SHADOWS, black metal from Canada. Opening intro of chilling synths did a wonderful job of atmospheric entrance to "Au Seuil des Ténèbres", a hideous assault of blaspheming total fuzz, total destruction black metal piece. Until the 4/4 tempo drummings came on , I was still lost in their EMPEROR-like guitar fuzz riffery. Speaking of EMPEROR, the synths amidst the chaos spooked a little light resemblance to EMPEROR/ENSLAVED split CD Hordances Land. FROZEN SHADOWS got that classic sound, no doubt. To the point where I suspect that they just lift some influences from EMPEROR. Recreating that atmosphere is not wrong but FROZEN SHADOWS should enhance more of its style. Overall, Empires De Glace is impressive."

BLEED, Singapore