Ice Age : “Breaking the Ice” CD& LP October 2017 GMR Music Group. Swedish Thrash Metal band. When I bought the LP I couldn’t open it (yeah I know it’s crazy for some) but I like to keep it sealed and new 🙂 So I managed to listen to the whole album! (Thanks to spotify for that although I hate it, but bands use it a lot…)
After years of so called “reunion” from this all Thrash Metal girl band who released mainly demos and few videos back in the late eighties. They always had a fan base (I’m one of them) who followed them for years. Been in touch for many years with the guitarist on myspace.. then moved to facebook. Until I got in touch with Sabrina who wanted to bring the band back but found herself let down by half of the original members for many reasons. She finally decided it was time to have a child.
Like everyone in the music you have to get back to it and knowing that Sweden is full of MetalHeads she didn’t have long to reach the right people and managed to get a full band to play some live shows.
Yet the musicians had over commitments in different bands so she had to find the ones to record this new album and will conquer the world again with live shows.
Starting with “Fleet Street”, a song that keeps the heavy riffs and Sabrina Kihlstrand vocals on the line of previous songs from the eighties, like they never stopped. You are plunged into their style they have forged for decades and swallow you to hear more. “Hell or Nothing” the second song is straight to the point with melodies and Thrashy riffs that will make you mosh , it’s clean well worked and lyrically expressive.
The third song “Breaking the Ice” the title album and the video to launch this amazing album gives the whole sound with great solos from Linnea Landstedt who is an awesome guitarist player from Tyranex.
The fourth song “Clever” has those Megadeth riffs from “Rust in piece” with a much melodic play in Ice Age way giving those four first tracks a real identity never lost but precious to show that those ladies are still kicking your butt and hears! Viktoria Larsson is still here to pound those heavy tunes from the bass and makes the band with the two main members after all these years it is brilliant. Not to forget the only man who joined forces to drive the train of those Metal women André Holmqvist , he has the best place… playing also in Manimal.
A revisted song “General Alert “getting back to the late eighties demos but in a very different version and the next one ” Instant Justice” is on the same modification with more melodic voices and thrash riffs to kick it and you feel the essence of Ice Age is still alive with creations! Those songs sound like new ones and they will revive some memories or bring new fans.
You have lots of messages such as “No need to Bleed” talking about the wars and religions. The last song “A case of Celebral Death” is talking to me as I had a car accident and it’s really strange time in your life with a bit of Metallica influence from Master of Puppets.
Ten songs that keep the roots of Thrash Metal from the eighties with influences you might hear pieces of inspirations such as Annihilator… the main thing is Ice Age is still here and we can only wish them to stick around for another few decades as they are really good musicians and thanks to Sabrina and Viktoria for keeping the soul of the band. There is so much work and effort to get that album sounding so perfect , it deserves a lot of recognition and respect, so please buy and support this band it’s awesome 100/100.