Frostbitt -MACHINE DESTROY

The opening title track on Frostbitt’s 2023 release MACHINE DESTROY comes at you like a lumbering armored truck outfitted with a chain gun. Powerful and steadily frantic, it sets the tone for the album.

There’s a metric shit ton of talent on this record. A melding of different styles results in a unique and new brand of heavy. Downtuned guitars by Emil Reitan and Kevin Renè Solheim’s bass, crushing drums by Stefan Amandus Nielsen and death-ray gun production lay the foundation for Ivan Hansen’s vocals that both soar and plumb the depths.

The four Norwegians have brought something new to the table here with this album. They’ve found a formula that allows for pure stank-faced riffage over (occasional) non-standard time signatures to still be approachable to many. There’s something that lives in Hansen’s vocals that makes this album very listener friendly. It feels reminiscent of *something,* but still stands alone on its own feet. Powerful, dark and brooding, but then they’ll turn a corner and bring sunlight into the room.

There are a ton of high points and standout tracks on this album. (Too many to mention in this short write up…) The album’s closing track, 106, is an absolutely delightfully brutal piece of music.

Score - 9.5

I’m loving this record and it has definitely found a place in my go-to playlist. I can’t wait to go through older albums and to see what they bring in the future.

@frostbittband #metalcore #progmetal #brutalitywitharaygun

- John