Album Review: The Northern Crusades by Icestorm (Self Released)

Icestorm return with their fourth concept album, The Northern Crusades, which will be released independently on February 24th.

Icestorm, the Catalan warrior clan founded in 2006, culminate their incessant evolution with The Northern Crusades, a fourth concept album that places them as great masters of melodic death metal with an epic-historical theme. As the name suggests, The Northern Crusades focuses on the crusades in Northern Europe, a breeding ground for aggression, heroism, and battle chants.

Recorded by Oscar David at Axtudio and mastered by Tony Lindgren from Fascination Street Studios, Sweden, Icestorm’s new album has been impeccably finished off with a stunning cover and artwork by Piotr Arendzikowski. Through their acquired experience and a wide range of influences, encompassing bands such as Blind Guardian, Amon Amarth, Bolt Thrower, Turisas, Windir, and even Lamb Of God, Icestorm manage to thrill, using their talent and those influences to create a stunning piece of art with the Northern Crusades. With members like Jaume Roca (guitar and vocals), Thomas Meier (guitars), Alex Martinez (bass and vocals), Xavi Puiggali (drums) and Marc Storm, the imposing vocalist of Drakum, we expected nothing less.

The Northern Crusades story is told over 10 tracks and may also deserve an award for the longest track names on average across an album. We start off with Crusaders of God (Introduction to the Crusaders), which is as it states, an introduction. Cold winds blow, the atmosphere is set as spoken word narrates an introductory chapter explaining the scene, the characters and the purpose of the album. Set over dreamy orchestral music, it captures the imagination quickly as we head into Across the Baltic Seas (Ascent of the Northern Campaigns) with an explosion of hard hitting death metal. Ripping riffs and blasting drums blaze the trail with vocals the exude power and aggression.

It’s fast, and heavy and the Amon Amarth inspirations are easily noticeable. Additional melody on the guitars at points keeps the song in melodic death metal territory but in short, it is a ripper, layered with groove and sure to get your neck muscles working. The Iron Fist on the Lance Shaft (The Teutonic Knights March To War) keeps the heaviness in tone and atmosphere but sees the band expand their sound combining some more power metal melodies and tones to preceding’s. The overall melodic death metal style still reigns supreme but the creative touches make them stand out. The chanting in the backing of the chorus adds a sprinkling of folk authenticity as well all while the drums and guitars keep you pumped with a catchy rhythm.

I love the stop start riffing and the meaty growls. Icestorm are delivering by the bucket load here. The Night Before The Battle (Bonfires, Prayers And Songs At The Teutonic Camp) is shorter than it’s title but is absolutely gorgeous. A gentle, acoustic and orchestral melodic piece that is stunning to listen to and offers a nice respite before the brutality of The Power To Fight (Peipus Lake April 5th, 1242 – Dawn Of The Battle Of The Ice). Hitting serious darkness, with deep and booming vocals that have untold power, the drums and bass are ripping and the riffs drip with intensity. An occasional blast of melody pulls us back from the murky depths but only for short moments and to allow the explosion of death metal to have maximum impact with each return. I love this track.

Clash Of Titans (The Battle Begins) is a really clever track. Telling the start of the battle in song form but it feels tense, it feels like you are there. The build up, the scream of “Warriors, Stand Your Ground!” and then the creeping intensity of the music. It genuinely feels tense, like you are there. Outside of that intense feeling, you have a flurry of riffs and groove with a banging chorus that adds some orchestral backing and a load of extra bass emphasis.

The Teutonic Charge (Bishop Hermann of Dorpat Leading The Charge) continues the blasting ferocity Icestorm have delivered so far on The Northern Crusades. To keep the story element, it cleverly drops down into melody for some spoken word as we get some deeper explanation of what is going on. It helps to visualise it. It kicks back in with chanting and speed riffing combining folk, power and death in a wonderfully engaging way.

Fields of Death (Nevsky’s Ambush) comes at us hard with chunky riffing and some serious groove elements. The vocals are so strong and impressive again and the additional chorus backing adds even more power. The rhythms in this track are phenomenal, there is so much to enjoy in a track made for movement, made for headbanging and moshing. Novgorod Arise (Defeat Of The Teutonic Knights) is another banger, brining the tempo down just a touch and varying the sound to add a bit more power metal to keep things sounding fresh. It’s still fast, still aggressive but with a bit more melody from the lead guitars and a catchy chorus.

So we reach the end of the story with Triumph Of The Pagan Warriors (Lament For The Fallen Ones). You know how you always want an album to end on something really memorable? Well this is that. What a wonderful song this is….The acoustic moment in the intro leading to an explosion of power. The way the rough and aggressive vocals move with the lead guitar melody creates a type of harmonising you didn’t know you needed. It flows really well, feels big and epic, as the story ending demands. There is plenty of heaviness too but over a slowed tempo, full of big power chords that scream emotion at you.

Icestorm have delivered an absolute master class in story telling here. The Northern Crusades is a melodic death metal album but with a few touches of power and folk added in that keep it fresh over it’s runtime. It feels important when you listen to it. The atmosphere they have created with the clever song writing and the flow of the album makes you feel part of the story. Musically, I love everything they offer from the quick powerful riffing, the lead melodies, the wonderful drum skills and grooving ass but man, those vocals are the bomb. The Northern Crusades is a fantastic slab of metal that deserves high praise and high plays. Don’t miss this.

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