“Search of Solace” begins with a very strong Darkthrone A Blaze in the Northern Sky, guitar tone.  I love this since that is my favorite DT album, and the opening riff, just like on that DT album, has some Celtic Frost leanings.  The mid-pace portion gives way to intense blasting as vocalist, Asbjörn Steffensen, lets loose with his gruff style of blackened death metal vocals.  He enunciates quite well, in fact.  Mads Gath is the new guitarist and he pairs well with Tommy Christensen.  Andreas Posselt is back to punish us with the drums and this song takes on an atmospheric aspect midway through, slowing down in order for some of those melodic black metal riffs to breathe.

“Chanting Fire” is up next and blazing blasts erupt immediately for full-throttle impact.  Onkel Kusse’s bass guitar is somewhat audible, other times it does get buried in the mix.  This track has a multitude of tempo shifts with quite a lot of atmosphere.  At this point, with my review, it’s safe to say the band has made the shift to melodic black metal.  Now while there are some death metal influences with a variety of gruffer/deeper vocal tones and certain musical structures, they’re not enough to call Crocell a blackened death metal band.  Crocell is in the black metal category now, fine by me, since the band still brings it!!  But if you were to compare this and some of their more recent offerings to their earlier releases it’s apparent this is no longer a death metal band.

“Serpent’s Hunger” is a great song, with a little bass slide to open the track and monstrous blasts.  The isolated drums at the 1.20 mark, where it’s just drums and vocals for a short period of time, before the other instruments come into the picture, is a neat and clever idea.  These little moments, throughout the album, help with the creativity and Crocell has an interesting take on this style of metal, for sure.

“Fierce Desire” opens with a nifty drum roll as the mid-paced galloping has a very late 80’s metal vibe to it.  Very catchy.  This song actually has more death metal leanings, and the galloping pace is quite similar to certain moments on Celtic Frost’s To Mega Therion legendary 1985 album.  There’s some talented guitar solos happening which are played with much emotion and that galloping pace returns in full swing as the black metal riffing continues onward.  This is my favorite song on the album.

If you’re just coming back to the Crocell fold after knowing them, initially, as a death metal band, then be prepared for the genre shift.  Of Frost, of Flame, of Flesh is a black metal album with melodic moments, as well as atmosphere and brutal blasting moments throughout the album.  The band is quite proficient with their instruments and there are many interesting and captivating moments on this album.  Damn good music!!

“Chariots of Hellfire” opens the first ep Baptized in Bullets.  Brief start before the monster blast beat kicks into high gear. Then the tune gets into mid-paced speed before atmospheric moments with an epic and anthemic buildup.  The thunderous drums guiding this part as it sounds like a march and then right into brutal blackened death metal blasts.  Pretty intense opener. “Lustrous Bayonets” is up next and the mid- paced rumbling heaviness is great. Crocell really pushing the envelope of the blackened death metal.  The melodies and riffing are black metal for sure. Almost a little old school Dissection, in spots.  The song slows and then back to some mid-paced heaviness and blast beats. Dual-layered vocals add to the intensity as the song slows and more melodic picking. Creative guitar work and “By Demons and Devils” is another damn good song. Monstrous blast beats.  Terrific blackened death metal. If you were looking for more of their chunky riffing and death metal leanings found on their previous releases understand Crocell have gone in a more blackened death metal direction on this.  So the production on this ep is maybe more geared towards a black metal album.  So a bit more trebly as compared to a heavier death metal sound. Regardless; this first ep works and this last song is intense as all hell.

Funeral Bliss is the second ep also with four songs. “Marching As One” is up next and the production is heavier. Leaning more towards their earlier efforts. I notice more of a heaviness in the guitar production.  Still with black metal influence but a bit more death metal to the punch with a fuller production and deeper vocals are also on this song alongside the raspy vocals. Classic speeds take us back to the early 90’s before more intense blasts erupt. Again a real cool opener on this ep before “Scornful” comes in. Epic buildup right into a ferocious blast beat. Terrific tones on this with regards to vocals and guitar melodies. The guitar tone resembling Soulburn’s meaty blackened death metal riffing. It’s heavy and thunderous with double bass on the slower and mid paced moments. More buildup moments right before the 3 minute mark. This part is excellent. The song gets into a quick mid-paced chug as the singer lets out a Tom Warrior Celtic Frost stylized uggghhhhh. Then into a mid-paced part. Awesome moment.  This ep title track ends the ep with a ferociously heavy filthy and dirty ditty of a tune.  Plodding, excellent melodies as well as thunderous drums. Great vocals and pounding moments erupt in the middle of the song with the rumbling heaviness. This title track is one of the very best songs Crocell has ever written. Perfect ep closer.

Baptized in Bullets/Funeral Bliss are 2 very good ep’s. The first one having more of a black metal production, vocal and music wise while the second ep infuses more of their death metal influence into the music and production. Therefore the listener will understand the reason for the 2 separate eps. But sometimes a dual release like this can confuse fans and the scene.  For me it would not have made sense if this was just 1 album. I get what Crocell were setting out to do. It’s pretty damn cool.  Crocell are original in many ways and with pretty much a stable lineup for years operate as 1 cohesive unit. Get these pair of ep’s from one of the underground gems who bring it each time on their releases. Now someone please sign Crocell damnit!!

Prophet’s Breath opens with the brutal “Tyrant of Iron”, that does have some nice dual guitar melodies that are played over some brutal blast beats.  “Kingdom of Corruption” is a personal fave since it begins with a vicious brutal groove.  Vocals are outstanding, throaty, powerful and understandable.  3.30 has some nice double bass drumming, drum fills over guitar melodies and soloing.  A massive head banger of a tune, as we have come to expect from Crocell, with these types of tunes.  “Usurper” is brutality to the max. It opens with a killer guitar part before ripping into a vicious blast beat.  The guitar riff played over the blast beat is catchy.  The 1:10 part gets into a stop/start groove, that eventually gets into a guitar solo then goes back to the stop/start part and then returns to blasting away, like the beginning.  This song is short, pummeling and one of my favorite the band has done up to this point.

The production is top notch.  The musicianship is outstanding and the band has a stable line-up, over their last 2 releases, now.  All instruments breathe, nothing overtakes the other and a very nice audible bass sound resonates throughout.  Crocell continue to churn out not only quality music, but a standout in death metal releases for 2015.  The cd is nicely layed out with lyrics and pics.  My only gripe is the album cover scan/artwork is kinda bush league looking.  Deepsend Records scored with this band, big time, as they did with their pick-up, last year of Sickening Horror.  Prophet’s Breath is as good as the bands earlier releases, yes, maybe a tad more melodic, this time around, but trust me, plenty of bludgeoning throughout.  Buy or take a “Cross to your Grave”, and be sure to invert it!!