Finland's Frozen Land plays music in line with that country's well-established power metal tradition on their third album, Icemelter. The songwriting is stripped down compared to previous albums, neither as flashy as the debut nor as experimental as the second album (by that, I mean the electronic/dance elements have thankfully been abandoned). There is a directness to the songs, so you get double-kick tempos, catchy choruses and lots of melodic playing served up straight and true. There are speedy numbers in the Celesty mold like "The Carrier" and quite a few mid-paced tracks like "Dead End" and "Dream Away" that remind me a lot of Deris-era Helloween. Keyboards are low in the mix and, while the guitar work is good, I think a little more interplay between the two could have livened the album up as it comes across a bit generic, but it is still entertaining. If your tastes include Celesty, Helloween, Timeless Miracle and other bands in that sphere, you should be able to find plenty on Icemelter to enjoy. It just isn't Frozen Land at their best.
