Frozen to Death at Le Studio TD, and it's Only November

“The best Montreal show we’ve ever played,” gasped Frozen Soul frontman Chad Green while wiping sweat off his face after a particularly energetic show. The Texas death metal act played at Le Studio TD last Thursday as part of their Assimila-Tour with 200 Stab Wounds, Judiciary, and Tribal Gaze.

Green’s post-show quote was far from hyperbole. Frozen Soul’s massive sound lit a fire under the audience right from the get-go, spinning the pit in an infinite circle while a barrage of crowd surfers launched from either end of the stage like a declaration of war. “You like those big boy riffs, huh?” Green spit as an army of devil horns shot up in his direction.

Frozen Soul have quickly launched up the corpse-orate ladder since their 2019 demo Encased in Ice. Although they deal riffs comparable to Bolt Thrower and other genre legends, Frozen Soul’s dedication to the ice theme has distinguished them from scene rivals. Their most recent Glacial Domination came out through Century Media – a humble brag for a band that otherwise sounds like most modern death metal acts. The ice gimmick was particularly fitting for the Montreal outing, given that the season’s first heavy snowfall hit early that morning, as Montrealers prepare for another deep freeze.

Gimmick or not, the band made their dedication to the local scene clear. Between energetic performances all around from the quintet, Green gave shoutouts to Montreal bands like Despised Icon and Spectral Wound (the latter being quite the underground name). The frontman also manned the venue exit immediately after their set, taking the time to shake hands with fans. Little things like these are what stick in your head after a show, and shed light on why Frozen Soul have been able to make so much headway in the scene.

The band repeatedly filled the show with memorable moments. A push-up competition was sparked halfway through their set, with about 10 sailors in Sanguisugabogg t-shirts dropping to the wet pit floor when prompted by Green. This military exercise definitely did not contribute to the “death metal smell” that was particularly rank at this meetup, a stench the Studio TD cleaning crew are probably still trying to air out of the venue.

Green also made one of the best song introductions possible. He prompted the audience – “Can you guess what the heaviest band of all time is?” After a few drunken callouts, the frontman turned around and slowly lifted his Cannibal Corpse tank, unveiling a Mortician tramp stamp right above his generous posterior. Frozen Soul immediately erupted into a scorching cover of “Witches Coven.”

When Green was asked about how he gets in the zone before a show, he answered “Apex Legends and Magic the Gathering, that’s my pre-game ritual.”

Although 200 Stab Wounds, Judiciary, and Tribal Gaze were nothing to shake a stick at, Frozen Soul’s personality made quite the impression. Make sure to check tour dates for an outing near you.