Album Review: Kalidia - The Frozen Throne

I'm not sure why the idea of having 'pride' in your identity ever came to be. When it comes to my heritage, I've never sought out things from those areas, and when something does come along, I don't give it any special consideration. Kalidia is an Italian power metal band, so am I supposed to have some connection to them because my ancestors shared a piece of land with theirs? It's a confusing topic, but it's the sort of thing that comes to mind when a band like Kalidia pops up. There are a lot of Italian power metal bands, but I'll be honest and say I don't get around to listening to most of them. It is the land that gave us Rhapsody, so I guess we know what we're getting into.

Thankfully, Kalidia doesn't sound anything like Rhapsody. They are both power metal, but Kalidia is on the side of the ledger that has a bit more heaviness, sharper riffs, and far less cheese. Listening to "The Frozen Throne" is not like attending a fondue party. The opening title track has some chunky chugging to get across the point this is a metal record, even if there are going to be a few sonic additions that add some color here and there. Nicoletta Rosellini helps the cause with her voice, which is a touch lower and breathier than we often hear from power metal singers, male or female.

In "Circe's Spell", we get hints of orchestration to widen the sound, while "Black Sails" adds a Celtic guitar melody. Those little details do their job, giving each song an identity that lets them stand apart from each other, even as they blend together to establish the album's tone. That is the sort of thing that bands and producers don't always think about, and in fairness it isn't always necessary, but it can be a vitally important stitch in the tapestry of a record.

The record gets off to a slow start with the title track, which is the least appealing track here. It has a nice metallic edge, but it has the least amount of melody for Nicoletta to work with, which makes it less interesting to listen to. The songs that follow lean more towards a lush melodic side, which is where the band finds their footing. Everything that comes after is rather enjoyable power metal that plays with the styles that bands like Delain and their cohorts lead the way with, and do it comparably well. "The Frozen Crown" is a polished record that stands up well to the competition.

I'm not going to say this record is amazing, because it doesn't reach those heights. While the songs are melodic and engaging, they don't have razor sharp hooks. They are good, but they can get lost in the sea of releases we have to deal with. I would say this is right up there as one of the better albums of the type I've heard this year, easily. Compared to the album Sirenia released recently, this is clearly the superior one. So while it may not be one of the best albums of the year, "The Frozen Crown" is still a good record that shows Kalidia to be capable of climbing up another ring on the ladder. They've done well here.