Short Reviews [Ice Exiled - 2024 - "Reset The Sky"]

The debut album from Finnish band Ice Exiled is a blast from beginning to end, and while I can see it being called progressive metal, symphonic metal, melodic metal or similar, all one needs to know is they have a slight twist which makes all the difference. The line-up is Miika Matilainen (vocals), Oskari Kilpi (guitars, keyboards), Roger Gottleben (bass), Ville Nummisalo (drums), Veikko Sajaniemi (cello, vocals). Yes, you read that right, here we have a metal band who are blasting away onstage with a cello in their midst, but it is not a gimmick but is an integral part of their overall sound. It adds to the bottom end at times, comes in over the top at others. Miika has a wonderfully broad voice which allows him to sing melodically or growl when the time is right, while the rest of the band are locked in tight, really cooking. Apparently, they formed in 2016 under the name Archares, releasing a few singles and an EP. They had a rethink during the pandemic, working on new material and rebranding with a new name (the last line-up of Archares is the same as Ice Exiled), so even though the name may be new they have been plying their craft for some time. It is the type of metal which can hit really hard when they want to, be more melodic at others, but always striving with a breadth and depth which feels like a breath of fresh air in the current climate. Surely with this album behind them they will be touring hard, as this is a superb debut which anyone who likes melodic metal needs to find discover immediately, if not sooner.