Appalachian Winter - I Become the Frozen Land

TRACK LISTING

1. Northern Blood
2. Winterdance
3. Bearhearted
4. The Rage of the Great Mountain
5. The Freezing Night Howls
6. Call of the Lonesome Wind
7. Deep Within the Mountain Forest
8. The Storm and the Mountains
9. I Become the Frozen Land

Total playing time: 58:34

September 12, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Black metal from the U.S. never ceases to amaze me. I still fail to understand how a band from Kentucky can paint their faces in the corpse-painted revelry that was once the underground Norwegian scene and take itself seriously, let alone expect anyone else to feel the same. Seriously, what the hell could we possibly know about the cold winds of Scandinavia ripping through our hair? That said, every now and then you get a project that manages to stimulate your inner Viking accordingly and just get your head moving and your blood pumping furiously.

From Pennsylvania we have the one-man show called Appalachian Winter that produces some of the finer black/folk metal I’ve heard in some time. With serious attention paid to the essence and imagery created within the music, D. George Klyne calls upon some very fine influences in I Become the Frozen Land. I certainly hear some Ensiferum, Mithotyn, Immortal and my latest favorite Moonsorrow in tracks like “The Freezing Night Howls” and “Winterdance”. When I think of the myriad of bands that attempt this style and fall flat on their painted faces it makes me laugh that a guy from the steel mill epicenter manages to effectively eradicate the false idols with a seemingly perfect vision of what black folk metal is supposed to sound like.

Intense slower parts which are keyboard-reliant for atmosphere mesh ever sweetly with the faster-paced black feel we’ve all come to know and love from the masters. I really enjoy “Call of the Lonesome Wind” with its slow, even sensual acoustic energy that is made all the more serene with the whispered lyrics that could easily come off as clichéd, but manage to enlighten with the simple yet effective progression. “Deep Within the Mountain Forest” charges out into the open field and plants its flag directly into the white-blanketed soil under the soaring vocalization that is a song to hall up high for many fans of the genre. One has to guess the late great Quorthon himself would smile proudly at this effort from halfway around the globe. When you are settled into the notion of a grand, enticing track with which to forge battle, the middle cuts off the head and forces you to stop and notice the extreme beauty that surrounds your senses. The amazing vocal performance is nothing short of perfect in itself.

Every track on this release resonates, creates a visual setting of cold winter-like conditions that are both beautifully crafted and easily corrupted. Your senses will most assuredly have to work overtime to keep up with this barrage of emotions and settings your mind’s eye will undoubtedly create. Everything here is a winner, bar none. I sincerely hope this guy keeps putting out such incredible music because we’re all the better for his contributions.        

Release Date: April 23, 2010
Label: Metal Blade Records

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I Become the Frozen Land