Release Date January 16th, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Progressive Metal
Country Finland
Pulling you into their one-of-a-kind heavy rock soundscape, Frozen Factory skillfully delivers diverse
prog-adjacent metal, exploring themes of good and evil, truth and deceit,
mystery and wonder. Drawing from a wide range of influences, from Pink Floyd, Iron
Maiden and Alice In Chains to Depeche Mode and many more, the band conjure up a
truly moody and meaningful listening experience, showing technical and musical
maturity both in the studio and on stage. In December 2018, as four unattached
guys with no plan, Frozen Factory formed and
hit the studio, leaving with three tracks. The songs felt like the start of
something big and caught the attention of British/Finnish vocalist Stephen Baker. After meeting band leader Tomi Hassinen for tea and checking out a new demo song,
Stephen wrote the lyrics for “The Truth Is So
Dead” the same day, and recorded it the next. Stephen
and Tomi immediately felt in sync and forged
a new deeper sound for Frozen Factory.
Soon, the band’s debut album “Planted Feet”, themed around social
and environmental crises, was ready. In January 2020, the band celebrated by
performing their live debut, with a dramatic set in Finland’s iconic Vernissa venue in Vantaa. The show was filmed in
full and is available to watch on YouTube. In 2021, the band welcomed
powerhouse drummer Marianne Heikkinen (Rabbit Cult, Jess By
The Lake) and followed “Planted Feet” with “The First Liquidation EP”,
an unorthodox less-than-30-minute 8-track EP/short album. Literally lifting off
where the debut album ended, it shifts the band into even more emotional themes
and provides a bridge to their second full-length album “Of Pearls & Perils”,
which was released in 2022 with 12 often-anthemic tracks. “Of Pearls &
Perils” impressed reviewers and earned high-profile radio play, such as on
Germany’s SWR1. Throughout 2023 and 2024,
the band, now including exceptional lead guitarist Zsolt
Szilagyi (Dreamtale, After Infinity), released several singles. First a
series of standalone singles, and then a few from the upcoming “Apocalypse Inc.”
album, including one with talented Silentium
singer Riina Rinkinen. With confidence
soaring, the band decided an album as killer as “Apocalypse Inc.” should be
released on a label with matching energy, and so started a new era in
partnership with WormHoleDeath.
The vocals from Stephen Baker cut through the noise. He sounds like he means every word. The lyrics deal with heavy stuff, money, greed, and the world going down the drain. It fits the music perfectly. The drums from Marianne Heikkinen drive the songs forward. They are loud and aggressive. The band plays well together. The production lets the instruments breathe without sounding too clean.
There
are some strange turns on this album. It is not a straight line from start to
finish. The band takes detours into weird soundscapes. Some people might find
it too experimental. But if you like metal that takes chances, this is for you.
The lead guitar work from Zsolt Szilagyi
adds a nice layer of melody on top of the heavy riffs. It is technical but not
boring. "Apocalypse Inc." is a strong release. It is not perfect, but
it is honest. It has a lot of character. The songs stick in your head after you
listen. It is a good soundtrack for bad times. If you are tired of the same old
metal, give this a spin. It might surprise you.
Score: 7.5
www.instagram.com/frozenfactorymusic
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