Customer Reviews

Frozen (Reis)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tied with their other seven full-length releases, each one a magnum opus in its own right. This is certainly the most atmospheric of the eight. Both the synergistic confidence of the band's new lineup and the production quality had improved greatly from Down (this album's predecessor and new singer Ville Laihala's first with the band). They really hit their stride with Frozen, and some might say their creative peak. While the next few efforts were all solid and possessed many strong moments that in some cases overshadow the best songs from earlier in their catalogue, they did arguably begin to repeat themselves after Frozen; probably lending to their decision to end on a high note with the career-retrospective Funeral Album. Either way, there is a pronounced element of genuine melancholy to their sound in the works leading up to and including Frozen that is absent (or at least far more understated) in the subsequent three. Songs like The Suicider, however, foreshadow new trends such as the shift toward tongue-in-cheek black humor that would later become a lyrical trademark.

One thing I must object to is the constant comparisons of Laihala to James Hetfield of Metallica, who in my opinion is a far inferior vocalist (and guitarist, for that matter). I'll grant that there may be similarities in their overall vocal style (deep, aggressive clean singing that approaches but never quite crosses over into growling), and perhaps even their voices (though Ville's is virtually angelic, whereas James's is still more or less that of the pubescent boy who shrieked Hit The Lights) - but as far as range and skill are concerned there is absolutely no contest whatsoever, rendering any mention of Hetfield trite and useless.

Sentenced are that rare great band, who - despite having a great vocalist - leave you looking forward to their technically sound and emotively potent instrumentals.

This is one amazing piece of work! Sentenced is awesome! The vocalist sounds somewhat like James Hetfield (from Metallica) but musically these guys are unique. "Farewell" is the best song on here, with "One with Misery" not far behind. There are no bad songs, they are all amazing in their own way. "Mourn" is right up there with Metallica's "Call of Ktulu" on my list of favorite instrumentals. Just beautiful. I want it played at my funeral. While this CD does have the most depressing lyrics I have ever heard (they make Staind sound cheery by comparison), it is very emotional and very good. If you like Metallica, Black Sabbath, Candlemass, or just good music in general, you would be wise to pick this up. It's a shame more people don't know about this band. They must be heard.

Either this or Down is probably Sentenced's finest cd. On this one it seems like the band really just went all out, literally every song (besides the instrumentals) is about suicide, and even the ones with no lyrics sound depressing. I like this cd a lot, and either this or Down should probably be your first buy if you want to get into this awesome Finnish band. Miika Tenkula's songwriting skills are amazing as always on this album, and I also want to point out rhythm guitarist Sami Lopakka's awesome ability to write the most depressingly poetic lyrics I've ever read. If I was forced to pick standout tracks they would probably be "Drown Together", "Let Go", "The Rain Comes Falling Down" and the instrumental "Mourn". Get this album now.

It is, as others have said, a masterpiece, music that truly makes you feel. And if there ever was a perfect song, Mourn would certainly qualify. It is one of the greatest pieces of instrumental music I have ever heard, painful and powerful, rivaling the likes of Dream Theater's Eve. This album is a must-have for any metal fan.

I've never been a huge Sentenced fan, but their 1998 album Frozen is pretty hard to resist. The Finnish band started out as a death metal outfit, but by the late 90's had pretty much made a complete transition to gothic metal. Keep in mind that at the time, gothic metal wasn't the established force that it is today, with Hot Topic darlings like HIM or countless female-fronted bands. The sound was still developing, largely following the lead of Paradise Lost, and bands like Moonspell, Tiamat and Sentenced played a major role in the genre's definition.

Frozen was Sentenced's second album with vocalist Ville Laihala, whose melancholy voice added incredible depth and emotion to the band's already bleak and cold sound. Frozen also has the band making a push into a more hard rock sound. It's still a heavy album, and it's still a metal album, but like Paradise Lost on Icon and Draconian Times, you can see Sentenced trying for a more Sisters of Mercy-inspired goth rock sound. For the most part, I think this works. Of course it helps that Frozen features some of the most depressing lyrics this side of My Dying Bride, which helps balance the more melodic aspect of the album.

One of gothic metal's defining moments, Frozen is at once a completely catchy and accessible yet completely cold and depressing slab of Scandinavian depression. If you're into gothic metal - and I mean more than just the "beauty and the beast" bands - Frozen is an essential purchase, especially now that it has been reissued.

Edition Notes: Century Media reissued Frozen in 2007. The reissue features expanded liner notes and four bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are all cover songs - Radiohead's "Creep", Faith No More's "Digging the Grave", "W.A.S.P's "I Wanna Be Somebody" and the traditional American blues song "House of the Rising Sun" (based on The Animals' famous version). These songs were previously available on a very limited digipack version of Frozen, so it's good to see them added here. I probably wouldn't have bothered with this reissue if the bonus tracks were demos or live songs, but I can't resist a good cover song, and these are better than most.

Sentenced hail from finland and have released yet another stunning album. They rereleased Frozen as a digipak and have added bonus tracks! They did four cover songs and have accomplished a great deal by making them as fresh and new as the original recording artists. The album was amazing to begin with. The somber mood and depressing lyrics make you feel the agony that convinced them to write the material. Songs like burn, drown together, the suicider, for the love i bear, one with misery tell the tale of heartbreak and desire. Along with these they added House of the rising sun, which i feel is the stand out track of the new material included here. Along with that they arranged the original song order and it feels like a whole new composition when you hear it. This is a great band and continue to release quality records and never disappoint the fan. I recommend this Cd to older fans and will appeal to new listeners. Hail Sentenced!

If someone had played Amok and then Frozen back to back before I became too familiar with Sentenced and then told me that it was the same band, I'd have laughed loudly and long into their face-- but it is. Gone is Taneli Jarva to other pursuits, but into his place has stepped the very capable Ville Laihaila-- actually, this change took place before 96's Down, but it is noteworthy now more than ever because of the versatility and color that Ville displays on this disc-- the man is a singer after all, folks! He has proven his ability to belt out the harsh extreme vocals without batting his eye, but this time opens his pipes and achieves a pretty good clean sound-- he's no Bruce Dickinson, but he's great in his own right. The ever-paradoxical Sentenced has put out an album which is both the complete antithesis to anything they have released and is, at the same time, the only album they could have made. My only disappointment lies in the fact that No Tomorrow, which was included on the Story: A Recollection album, is ommitted again here-- it would have fit in perfectly were it snuggled somewhere between this album's two best tracks, This Love I Bear and The Suicider. Hail the Northernmost Killers-- for they have earned that somewhat boastful self-moniker. These guys can back it up, however, as this album proves. ESSENTIAL!!!!!

Senetnced, in my opinion is the most under rated metal band, regardless of sub genre. I do like a couple of their other works better than this one, but not by much. Its another awesome CD from a great bandm and it gets 5 stars from me.

This is actually the first Sentenced album I've heard, but what a one to pick. This is an incredible collection of songs. I never got bored with any song on theis album. I noticed that the lead singer sounds just like James Hetfield from Metallica on several tracks. This isn't a bad thing, just strange to hear from a European country. Sentenced has a unique sound that is different what I usually hear from metal bands.

I heard a lot of albums by a lot of bands in my life... after hearing dawn and frozen by SENTENCED, those have become my favorite albums !
great lyrics by lopakka and lahiala! great music by tenkula!
since lahiala(vocalist on all albums saince dawn) came instad of jarwa(the vocalist of every album previus to dawn), the band is doing great in my oppinion!
recomanded to anyone with good taste of music!