Frost Like Ashes
Christian black metal band known for extreme vocals and corpse paint.
Frost Like Ashes is an American Christian black metal band formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 2001. Their music combines black metal, death metal, and thrash metal with keyboards and virtuosic vocals that switch between about ten different extreme styles within a given song. The band is notable for applying Christian themes to black metal's typical subjects and for using corpse paint, a visual style associated with black metal.
- Formed
- 2001
- Origin
- Kansas City, Missouri, United States
- Genre
- Christian black metal, death metal, thrash metal
- Years active
- 2001–2010 (hiatus), 2019–present
- Label
- Psycho Acoustix Records, Sullen Records (imprint of Open Grave Records), Rottweiler Records
- Known for
- Christian black metal with extreme vocal versatility and controversial live acts
Lore & Background
Frost Like Ashes was formed in 2001 on the vision of guitarist Sebat, who recruited vocalist Azahel and bassist Syntyche. Drummer Adonijah completed the group, and they appeared on the Arachnid Terror Sampler in 2002. Their first EP, Pure as the Blood Covered Snow, was released in 2003 on SoTD Records. In January 2003, Qoheleth joined as the first full-time keyboardist; previously Adonijah composed and recorded keyboard parts. In 2004, Syntyche left and Ruach joined on bass. The band's first full-length album, Tophet, was released in 2006. On March 13, 2008, Blabbermouth.net reported that the band signed with Sullen Records for the EP Born to Pieces, which sold out quickly and later had a limited edition 7-inch vinyl release. Fire, of the Polish black metal band Elgibbor, played bass at the Cornerstone Festival concert on July 3, 2008, and became a permanent member. The band worked on a concept album based on a book vocalist Azahel was writing, tentatively titled Gods of the Great Whore, but it was put on hold on January 2, 2009. They also wrote material for another album, tentatively titled Who Walks in the Darkness, based on R. A. Salvatore's novel Homeland. In 2010, the band announced a hiatus, stating they would make new music but not in the near future. In 2017, Sebat formed Nosral Recordings, which re-released all of Frost Like Ashes' music and the Live in Omaha DVD. On February 24, 2019, the project returned to record a new album with a lineup including Sebat, Azahel, Fire, Qoheleth, and new drummer Grond, replacing Adonijah. The band signed with Rottweiler Records. On May 29, 2020, Grond left and was replaced by the Blastronaut. On March 26, 2021, the band released the single 'The Weight of Ice and Fog' from the upcoming release Fellowship of Suffering.
Reader's Guide
Frost Like Ashes occupies a unique niche in extreme metal as a Christian black metal band that fully embraces the genre's visual and sonic aesthetics, including corpse paint and aggressive stage antics, while subverting its typical anti-Christian themes. Their live act famously involved tearing up a Satanic Bible and smashing a goat-skull-adorned pentagram with a sword, reversing stereotypical black metal imagery. The band's significance lies in their demonstration that Christian themes can be expressed through black metal's harsh musical language, and in their technical prowess, particularly vocalist Azahel's ability to switch between about ten extreme vocal styles within a single song. Their discography includes one full-length album, Tophet, and three EPs, with songs appearing on three compilation albums. The band's use of aliases with biblical meanings (Azahel, Adonijah, Qoheleth) mirrors black metal's tradition of pseudonyms while grounding them in Christian scripture. Their hiatus in 2010 and return in 2019, along with lineup changes, reflect the challenges of sustaining a niche project. Their legacy includes influencing the Christian extreme metal scene and demonstrating that black metal's musical and visual elements can be repurposed for Christian expression.
More in American black metal musical groups 1-24
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