Wow. Simply amazing. This is the most Norwegian-sounding release to come out of the USA...ever. These guys hail from Maryland (and allegedly feature members of black metal band Aurora Borealis), but are totally enamored of mid-period Immortal (think Pure Holocaust and Battles in the North). Normally, "ice-and-snow" lyrics tick me off if it is coming from a band that doesn't reside in a cold place, but I.C.E. takes it to such an extreme...everything from their stage names (IceSickKill, Blisserred, etc.), to their dress...that you can't help but revel in it. This album is--sonically speaking--the equivalent of frostbite. The speed of Marduk, the aesthetic of Immortal, and an attitude that is totally unique in the black metal world. I am eagerly looking forward to future releases from Imperial Crystalline Entombment.
