Olhava – Frozen Bloom

Band: Olhava
Title: Frozen Bloom
Label: Independent (Digital) / Slowsnow Records (MC) / Avantgarde Music (CD&Vinyl)
Release Date: 02 April 2021
Country: Russia
Format Reviewed: High-quality Digital Recording

When I got the promo from the label Avantgarde Music I thought, “This I must listen to”. The reason? Well, just one, I loved the previous album (check here).

Released digitally by the band and on tape format by Slowsnow Records on April, will be released by the Italian label Avantgarde Music in May in CD and double 12″ vinyl. And… What we listen to here?

Some questions appeared in my head. It’s so good as the previous one? Is different? Is better? Will manage to transport me again to some feelings travels?

For the first question… Yes it is.
For the second question… No.
For the third question… Hmmm… Can’t really say that is better than the previous one even if is damn good.
For the fourth question… Oh, yes it did.

It’s difficult to not compare this album with the previous one. I feel that is a continuation of the previous one, that is good in my opinion, it looks like it is a continuation tale, but at the same time…

Well, at the same time, even if not different it managed to confort me with the melodies and the atmosphere around the songs. The mix of fast and calm parts still present in this album and it looks like they are better, or at least they “touched” me better.

Like in the previous album, one song with lyrics, one instrumental, but in this album, only 4 songs instead of the 9 songs in the previous one. That is bad? In my opinion is not and to be honest the playing time is almost the same.

And how I see/feel this album? Well, that is simple to describe. The first part, the song “The Queen of Fields” is the beginning of the tale/travel and it managed to touch me in a very very good way with the riffs/melody present. It is the longest track of the album. More than 20minutes and I assure you that is not boring, very far from it. Trust me, if you want.

The second song “Adrift”… it’s an instrumental one, a very calm one, felt, sensitive, relaxing, and at the same time a passage to the second part of the album… This song is like… Is like… Is like a “need to stop and rest before going on again”, like an “I need to look around and enjoy the nature around me” is like a “feeling the wind in your face and be ready again for the fight”, that is the feelings part… But talking about music in a cold way, if that is possible, this song is a passage to the final “battle”.

The final “battle” and second part of this album is divided in two songs. “Frozen Bloom I” and “Frozen Bloom II”
The first song of this second part is the Black Metal part, fast, melodic but still agressive, atmospheric and strong, and with almost 15 minutes I felt life and guts to go on, that kind of feeling. The second song of this second part of the album… Well, is the sensation that you managed to do all very well, the sensation of “victory” after a long journey and now is time to rest…

This album is a mix of feelings to be honest. I only mentioned the good ones here, but at the same time this album can be easily turn up side down (in the good meaning, cause the album is good) and the feelings can be the most dark ones. Strange? Well, no. Everyone see/feel in different ways, but in this I did saw/felt both ways. Only decided to talk about the good ones. So… Once more I give. 8.5/10 The Key Keeper 666

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Slowsnow Records

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Avantgarde Music

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8.5/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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