COLDSPELL – Frozen Paradise [bonus track edition] (2013)

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After two great albums, Swedes COLDSPELL will release their third full-length CD tomorrow, entitled “Frozen Paradise”, via Escape Music.
I loved their previous efforts, but I can tell you with high confidence that this one is even better than anything ColdSpell has released before.

As you’ll expect if you’re already familiar with this band from Kiruna (a mining town located far north of the Arctic Circle), the sound here is big, well-honed and powerful, with a strong edge and soaring melodies throughout.
If you are new to ColdSpell, their style mix late ’80s hard rock songwriting with some Euro melodic hard overtones, emotional (but not over-the-top) vocals, crunchy, fiery guitar, and a tight, driving rhythm section — all packaged in pristine production courtesy of Tommy Hansen.
The voice of Niklas Swendentorp is like a cross of David Coverdale, Jorn Lande and Lizzy Borden (usually during the chorus and harmony vocals for the Borden comparison) – deep and soulful one moment to high and soaring the next. Guitarist Michael Larrson supplies down and dirty grooves and stunning leads. The blending of the guitar and voice work to perfection for the two, and sound as if they have been working together forever.

Songwise, the new album brings to mind Back For the Attack-era Dokken, Queensryche (in their heyday), modern Whitesnake as well as Lynch Mob and Scorpions. All good references if that’s your thing.
The album opens with two killer melodious hard rockers that have a great eighties sheen: the high-flying beauty “Paradise” and the passionate “Angel Of The World”, both embellished by outstanding guitar playing and Matti Eklund’s glossy, gorgeous keyboards.
Just like on ColdSpell’s previous albums, the musicianship is stellar throughout and Swedentorp’s vocals have that flawless, crystal-clear power that puts an extra measure of light and soul into every track. “Life Has Just Begun” really shows off his vocal chops, as well as some bombastic drumming from Perra Johnson, and more heart-racing guitar goodness from Larsson.

As good as that opening trio of tracks is, ColdSpell really gets in gear when they rock out just a bit harder and heavier, as they do on the hooky “Goin’ All The Way” with its absolutely slamming rhythm section and a dirtier edge to the vocals and guitar; and on the defiant “Alive” with its terrifically catchy chorus. Both tracks are definite standouts for me here.
“Life 2 Live” puts the keyboards front and center and also threads some great bass work from Chris Goldsmith through the tune, while the decidedly badass ’80s-flavored “On The Run” amps things up again with speeding guitar riffs and a memorable chorus with hint of Joey Temptest’s Europe.
The stirring “Soldiers” has a little Celtic, Thin Lizzy flavor in the intro, then goes epically and hard-rockingly huge in the middle, before closing with echoes of a marching drum.

ColdSpell saves some of the best for last, and the final three tracks are also three of of my favorites on “Frozen Paradise”.
“Falling” feels a bit moodier than the rest of the album and has a real ‘Kashmir’ vibe and swing to it, and then “Dark Reflections” rocks hard and sharp right from the beginning with a very melodic riff and a very melodic, catchy as hell rhythm adding a Southern / heavy kind of twist that I didn’t expect. I just love the way the band really lets loose on this one.
Last track “Legacy” is just fan-frigging-tastic with the five guys going melodic-hard via a dark riff and turning everything up to 11: huge sound, a guitar barrage and vocals that just blow you away (again).
If you pre-order the CD on amazon, you get the bonus track “Rise And Fall”, perhaps the heavier track on the album which immediatly bring to mind Lynch Mob, not only in style but fot the flashy six-string work. Great groovin’ song that deserved to be included into the regular edition.

“Frozen Paradise” is a powerful blast of majestic hard rock magic from ColdSpell, melodic and catchy but with tons of punch and bite. Crunchy but incredibly clean guitars, a monster rhythm section, the right keys where needed and truly awesome vocals makes this 3rd offering from these Swedes a mandatory listen.
This is an album where you simply can’t play favourites, no matter how much of a cliché that sounds.
ColdSpell takes what us lucky listeners have heard before and amplifies it to the maximum helping add to a legacy and fine body of work that in years to cone I’m sure will be looked back on as one of the highpoints not only of the genre, but of Rock music in general.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

01 – Paradise
02 – Angel of the World
03 – Life Has Just Begun
04 – Goin All the Way
05 – Alive
06 – Life 2 Live
07 – On the Run
08 – Soldiers
09 – Fallin
10 – Dark Reflections
11 – Legacy
12 – Rise And Fall (Bonus Track)

Niclas Swedentorp: vocals
Micke Larsson: guitars, backing vocals
Matti Eklund: keyboards, hammond
Chris Goldsmith: bass, backing vocals
Perra Johansson: drums

Pre-Order ;
www.amazon.co.uk/Frozen-Paradise-Coldspell/dp/B00E35X8KC
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