Weaved with Frozen Factory’s signature mixed sound of alt-rock, metal and proggy elements, ‘Of Pearls & Perils’ marks their second full-length album and third LP/EP release. Its 12 songs, including their traditional short intro & outro tracks, explore topics of equality, life, the afterlife, and the climate crisis. The sound twists and turns through a range of heavy and light soundscapes that draw careful influence from classic acts such as Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, Iron Maiden & Depeche Mode, while nodding at many others.
The album starts with a voice recorded by one of our most active fans, Angela C., whom They’ve never actually met in person, as she lives abroad! Her voice also features in several other little moments throughout the record – it’s a delight to include people who support us! Two of her lines are in French, a language the band also featured on ‘The First Liquidation EP’. Stephen chose to use some minor French moments for these two records, because the French language includes some absolutely killer phrases that don’t work so well in English. Angela’s opener for ‘Murder in the Depths’ translates as “Only a fool would never change their mind”.
The lyrical themes are dark tones of the album reflect Vocalist Stephen Baker’s inner struggle with the behaviour of much of the human race, including himself.
“I really cannot comprehend why we’re so careless with our home planet and the living communities that depend on it. I’m sad when I see regular people fighting with other regular people and then voting to give power to people who’re hell-bent on destroying regular folk. I feel like we’ve become so easy to influence, so easy to deceive, so easy to distract with trivial differences.”
“I’d like to see a safe world where every kind and life-respecting human has the opportunity to reach their potential, no matter what kind of body they possess, beliefs they follow or lifestyle they lead. Our songs are usually a wake-up call, and often written to push myself as well as anyone else who listens, because I sometimes feel lazy and inactive about things that should anger me to the core. I want to be more. I want to do more to help. I want human civilisation to succeed.”
‘Of Pearls & Perils’ is written entirely by Bassist Tomi Hassinen and Vocalist Stephen, however, but they must credit teir Drummer Marianne Heikkinen for completely levelling up the songs with her immense drumming skill. They’d also like to highlight Guitarists, Mici Ehnqvist and Joni Koivumäki, for adding their excellent flourishes on Lead and Rhythm respectively.
