EPK – Trollwar – Tales From the Frozen Wastes (2024) – Out Nov 15th
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“We think the EP will be received pretty well by our fans. Since Oath of the Storm, we have been working really hard on refining our sound, which is now aimed more at a melodic and symphonic dimension. On top of that, we added more progressive elements, and also exciting guests. This will be the most complex and complete Trollwar release, despite presenting only an EP.
“This EP aims at transporting the listener into a darker dimension, where shadows lurk and where deities reign supreme. The four songs are a succession of different events based on the realm of the dead, a falling pantheon and a glooming curse for adventurers who traveled to a place where they are not welcome. It is considered a pretty full experience with hints of progressive metal, black metal, and refined symphonic orchestration to push this whole dimension to a new level.” – Trollwar
For fans of Wintersun, Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, Kalmah, Equilibrium
Trollwar.wixsite.com/trollwar | Facebook.com/Trollwar | x.com/trollwarqc | Instagram.com/trollwarmetal/ | Youtube.com/@TrollwarOfficial
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EP Digital – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/trollwar/tales-from-the-frozen-wastes
“Trollwar waste no time lighting a fire under the listener with blazing and darting riffage, booming and battering drums, soaring symphonics, savage snarls, and heroic choral singing. But a finger-tapped guitar also introduces magically swirling melodies; grim vibrating fretwork and heavily jolting grooves throw us into fierce combat; and rippling keyboard tones add to the song’s fantastical glories. The band build toward an extravagant finale, hard-hitting and sky-flying, entirely in keeping with the song’s overarching mythic aura.” (Single – Bane of The Underworld) – No Clean Singing
“Quebec symphonic, melodic heroes Trollwar drop their next EP, Tales from the Frozen Wastes, on November 15… The record fuses the band’s roots with even more symphonic orchestration, progressive elements, and all-around big sounds. As always, the lyrics are also a big part of the journey, transporting you through to a fantastical realm.” – Decibel Magazine
“Vocalist Simon-Pierre Fortin-Leclerc commands with his growing vocal style, reminiscent of Necrophobic’s Anders Strokirk. The production exudes a warmness and clarity with the symphonic elements taking a backseat to the melodic guitars and heavy drumming… The instrumental, folky opener “Prologue” segues into the 7-minute “The Unseen One”, tackling blackness and melodic guitar with smooth transitions that shows TrollWar at their best. Follow-up “Bane Of The Underworld” holds a triumphant gallop that is basically if Wind Rose added extreme elements to their music. A fist-pumping chorus elevates this one to the next level…. Good stuff and fills that need for some melodic, folky death metal.” – Bravewords
“No scene outplays another on this vivid EP. From start to finish, the blend of orchestration and metal is curated in a way that the Fantasy plays through, while the harshness of its tale is presented with wicked solos, stunning riffs, and masterful sound. As a Fantasy fanatic, and a metalhead, this EP is a stunning display of talent and imagination, utilizing skill and story to present to us one hell of an adventure. 9/10” – All Father Metal
“The 24 minute album may not last long, but it takes the listener on an epic, dark adventure with topics such as fallen gods, the realm of the dead and the consequences of too much ambition. The album’s music and lyrics are the result of years of hard work and growth and its story is fascinating. 4/5” – Metal-Rules
“A fine EP drenched in melody and saturated in musicality, this marks a new era for the band.” 8/10 – Powerplay Magazine UK
“Vous trouvez Amon Amarth tristounet? L’envie de partir batailler à coup de hache vous titille, mais vous n’osez pas sortir parce qu’il pleut ? Trollwar a la solution. En cinq pistes gorgées de testostérone et d’entrain, vous serez à nouveau prêts à fracasser le crâne de vos adversaires et aurez retrouvé la joie de vivre. Inspirées de la mythologie scandinave et grecque, mais aussi d’Elden Ring (oui oui !), les paroles vous expédient dans un au-delà guerrier, où l’important demeure, vous l’aurez compris, d’en foutre sur la gueule de vos ennemis, le tout avec le sourire ! S’il est vrai que jamais conquête du Valhalla n’aura été aussi enjouée, l’ensemble reste diablement efficace, et réjouira les fans de Wintersun ou d’Ensiferum, mais aussi les maîtres de donjon en quête d’une B.O. épique pour animer leurs parties. Pensez tout de même à ranger les choppes de cervoise au moment du pogo!” – Metallian France
” Do you find Amon Amarth a bit gloomy? The urge to go battle with axes is tempting you, but you don’t dare go out because it’s raining? Trollwar has the solution. With five tracks full of testosterone and enthusiasm, you’ll be ready to smash your opponents’ skulls and regain your zest for life. Inspired by Scandinavian and Greek mythology, but also by Elden Ring (yes indeed!), the lyrics send you into a warrior afterlife, where the key point, as you might guess, is to smash your enemies’ faces, all with a smile! While it’s true that no conquest of Valhalla has ever been this cheerful, the overall effect is devilishly effective and will delight fans of Wintersun or Ensiferum, as well as dungeon masters in search of an epic soundtrack to liven up their games. Just remember to put away the mugs of ale when it’s time for the pogo!” – Metallian France
“After six long years, this Quebec-based Folk/Death Metal horde attacks again with a new EP, boasting increased technicality and a new direction with their sound.” – The Headbanging Moose
“Trollwar adds to the legacy of killer Canadian epic/folk metal” – Teeth of The Divine
“Pour ce court album, le groupe fait preuve d’un savoir-faire métallurgique incroyable. Les pièces s’écoutent toutes seules et les 25 minutes passent en un clin d’œil : on en voudrait plus! De bons riffs, des mélodies accrocheuses, des refrains à scander et une bonne dose d’agressivité énergisante sauront satisfaire tout metalleux qui aime boire son hydromel dans une corne. L’ensemble s’accorde parfaitement aux histoires racontées au travers des chansons, que ce soit sur la déesse nordique Hel, sur l’Odyssée ou même inspirées du jeu Elden Ring! Les membres du groupe affirment que l’EP marque un renouveau dans leur son, une nouvelle maturité pour leur musique, ce qui est très prometteur! Le métal forgé sur Tales From the Frozen Wastes est de top qualité. Peut-on considérer ceci comme un avant-goût de ce que les forgerons québécois nous offriront à l’avenir? On ne peut qu’espérer! Un groupe à surveiller de près.” – Metal Universe QC
“For this short album, the band demonstrates incredible metallurgical know-how. The songs are easy to listen to and the 25 minutes go by in the blink of an eye: we would like more! Good riffs, catchy melodies, chantable choruses and a good dose of energizing aggression will satisfy any metalhead who likes to drink his mead from a horn. The whole thing fits perfectly with the stories told through the songs, whether about the Nordic goddess Hel, the Odyssey or even inspired by the game Elden Ring ! The band members claim that the EP marks a renewal in their sound, a new maturity for their music, which is very promising! The metal forged on Tales From the Frozen Wastes is top quality. Can we consider this as a taste of what the Quebec blacksmiths will offer us in the future? We can only hope! A band to watch closely.” – Metal Universe QC
“Last but certainly not least this week, we have some amazing folk-death out of Canada. It’s awesome too, a real epic slab of heaviness, catchiness and power. It’s like a more power metal-infused Amon Amarth, and I loved every second of it. From the huge intro into the amazing ‘The Unseen One’, the release starts off incredibly strong. Then you have the other three tracks which are equally amazing, and it really makes for a solid EP. Somehow I’d never heard of the band before despite them having three albums out, but I’ll definitely be going back to check those out now! The band have a big new fan in me, and this is another easy 8/10!” – OverTone Magazine
EP Artwork by Artem Demura
[Downlaod EP Artwork | Download EP Lyrics]
Band: Trollwar
EP Title: Bane of the Underworld
Release Date: November 15, 2024
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid
Track Listing:
1. Prologue (2:00)
2. The Unseen One (7:05) ft. Keyboard Solo by Veli-Matti Kananen (Kalmah)
3. Bane of the Underworld (5:26)
4. In The Fields of Frost (4:05)
5. The Offering (5:46) ft. Clean Vocal / Choir by Mattias Sippola (Atavistia)
EP Length: 24:24
EP Credits:
All songs performed by: Trollwar
All songs written by: Trollwar
Produced by: Trollwar
Mixed & Mastered by: Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy)
Album Artwork by: Artem Demura
Orchestration Written by: Jonathan Mathieu
Orchestration Arrangement : Mattias Sippola
Member of SOCAN
Canadian Content – MAPL
EP Band Line Up:
Steeve Jobin-Fortin (guitar)
Mathieu Chauvette (guitar)
Yanick Tremblay (drums)
Keven Villeneuve (bass)
Jonathan Mathieu (Orchestration/Keyboard)
Simon-Pierre Fortin-Leclerc (vocals)
Special Guest:
• The Unseen One (4:42): Veli-Matti Kananen Keyboard Solo (Kalmah)
• The Offering (1:40/4:24): Mattias Sippola (Atavistia) Clean Vocal / Choir
Live Band
Steeve Jobin-Fortin (guitar)
Mathieu Chauvette (guitar)
Yanick Tremblay (drums)
Keven Villeneuve (bass)
Simon-Pierre Fortin-Leclerc (vocals)
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About The Album Artwork
The artwork represents the journey to the underworld, with a desolate land, ruled by a higher force, where darkness looms over all. Yet still, through this evil sky, light can be seen piercing the night. I think that it describes really how our music sounds. It reflects and captures the energy, which is by part epic and hopeful, and by part dark and malicious.
About the EP as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
I think our EP could really be described as a renewal. A renewal of our music and a new maturity for our music. I do think that you can hear it through our songs in this release. The Unseen One and In the Fields of Frost are both great songs that we wrote a couple of years ago, while Bane of the Underworld and The Offering are pretty much the new Trollwar that you should expect going forward. These two songs show a clear upgrade of how we write our music.
Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)
1. Prologue (Intro)
2. The Unseen One is a song inspired by Hel, the ruler of the underworld in Norse mythology. It speaks about her army of the dead being unleashed against the other gods.
3. Bane of the Underworld is a song about warriors sending their foes to their end. Thus being sent to the underworld. This song’s lyrics were written while reading the Odyssey so it might have a touch of Greek myths here and there.
4. In the Fields of Frost is about an adventurer being awakened amidst a desolate land, where higher deities scheme for power. This song’s lyrics are inspired by the game Elden Ring and its mysterious plot.
5. The Offering is a song about a band of warriors being cursed by an offering. Forced to eternally march against their foes they wander guided by the stars.
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Band comments about EP Tracks:
The Unseen One:
‘’The Unseen One’’ was the first song that was written for the album. We are talking years ago. It has taken a way different approach as we refined it, with the ambient/symphonic elements being pushed forward, and also introducing both a Guest Synthesizer solo and a Guitar Solo. The breakdown in the middle of the song gives the listener an enjoyable build-up, leading slowly to an apex of dynamics and brutality.
The Unseen One is a song inspired by Hel, the ruler of the underworld in Norse mythology. It speaks about her army of the dead being unleashed against the other gods.
‘Bane of the Underworld:
‘’Bane of the Underworld ‘’ was a song that we worked on pretty recently. We previously had a skeleton for this song, but it went into a major facelift. We introduced progressive metal breakdowns with guitar-tapping melodies, and even a catchy piano melody to create a very enjoyable, yet technical layer on the song’s melodic breakdown. All of that mixed with a solid chorus.
As if it was not enough, some brutal old-school death metal-sounding riffs were introduced, and then mixed with some heavy symphonic elements, creating an intricate-sounding end to the song. The perfect icing on the cake.
Bane of the Underworld is a song about warriors sending their foes to their end. Thus being sent to the underworld. This song’s lyrics were written while reading the Odyssey so it might have a touch of Greek myths here and there.
In The Fields of Frost:
‘’In The Fields of Frost’’ is also a song that was basically composed years ago, and then reworked. It was always a song aiming to give the listener a ‘’Glorious’’ listening experience with great mixes of power-influenced melodies, a catchy chorus, and devastating riffs. We try to incorporate more and more ‘’pure metal riffs into our songs, keeping the whole songs complex, but enjoyable to the listener. This also creates epic moments in our live shows. The crowd loves good old-school brutal riffs.
This song is one of the less technically complex songs, but one that is really enjoyable and one that has definitely a ‘’vibe’’ to it!
In the Fields of Frost is about an adventurer being awakened amidst a desolate land, where higher deities scheme for power. This song’s lyrics are inspired by the game Elden Ring and its mysterious plot.
The Offering:
‘’The Offering’’ is the most recent song composition-wise. We think that this one is the best representation of up to where the ‘’Trollwar’’ sound has evolved. It contains some great Melodic Death Metal riffs, a good chorus, epic symphonies.. the whole package.
This is also the 2nd song where we have a guest coming in to push the limit of the song with astonishing power metal vocals and choirs.
The black-metal elements are also brought forward, with an epic evil bridge that will give chills to the symphonic black metal enjoyers.
The transitions are smooth and flow easily.
This is the last song of the album, leaving the listener with an enjoyable symphonic epilogue, and giving hints of something greater to come.
The Offering is a song about a band of warriors being cursed by an offering. Forced to eternally march against their foes they wander guided by the stars.
Photo Credit – STVFX Stephan Tremblay
Quebec-based melodic symphonic metal band Trollwar gearing up to release their fifth record “Tales from the Frozen Wastes” on November 15, 2024. The band is excited to reveal the stunning album artwork, along with offering fans a glimpse into the dark and epic world they’ve created with a new album teaser. They share their thoughts on the recording:
“We think our album could really be described as a renewal. A renewal of our music and a new maturity for our music. We do think that you can hear it through our songs in this release. “The Unseen One” and “In the Fields of Frost” are both great songs that we wrote a couple of years ago, while “Bane of the Underworld” and “The Offering” are pretty much the new Trollwar that you should expect going forward. These two songs show a clear upgrade of how we write our music.”
“Tales from the Frozen Wastes” promises to be Trollwar’s most complex and complete release to date, showcasing the band’s evolution towards a more melodic and symphonic sound while incorporating progressive elements. The EP features five tracks, including a prologue, that will transport listeners into a darker dimension ruled by shadows and supreme deities.
The album artwork depicts a desolate landscape ruled by a higher force, where darkness looms over all. This visual representation perfectly captures the essence of Trollwar’s music – epic and hopeful, yet dark and malicious. It is recommended for fans of Wintersun, Ensiferum, and Amon Amarth.
Discography:
Tales From the Frozen Wastes EP (2024)
Oath of the Storm LP (2018)
Distrollbar Split (2017)
The Traveler’s Path EP (2017)
Omens of Victory Single (2016)
Earthdawn Groves LP (2013)
Bloodshed Forges EP (2011)
SharedStage: Kalmah, Alestorm, Arkona, Gloryhammer, Æther Realm, Hollow, Seth, Necronomicon, Beyond Creation, Blinded by Faith, Aeternam, Vesperia, Gone in April, Les Bâtards du Nord, Valknatch, Valfreya, Nordheim, Sanguine Glacialis and many more.
Festivals:
FEQ (Festival d’été de Québec), QC (2017)
INNERFEST, Saguenay, QC (2015)
SAGUENAY Viking Fest, Saguenay, QC (2015)
MTL Viking Fest – Montréal, QC (2014)
QC Viking Fest – Austin, QC (2013)
Hellfest Lanaudière, Mandeville, QC (2012)
Bildofest, La Baie, QC (2011)
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