Review by George Stiglic on April 6, 2025.

In recent years, Grima has been aggressively promoted in Russia. Advertisements for their concerts and merchandise have flooded Russian social media. The band is presented as a leading force in Russian black metal. But is this really the case? I believe the reality is more complex.

Before listening to this album, I had only heard fragments of their work, which never inspired me to explore further. The music I saw in their YouTube videos felt dull, clichéd, and uninteresting, while the band’s image left no impression. However, it’s undeniable that Grima is a prominent name in the scene. People talk about them, and their concerts draw an audience. But does popularity equate to musical quality? For me, it does not.

I decided to spend 50 minutes listening to their album Frostbitten. Unfortunately, these were painfully monotonous, endlessly long minutes. From the first track, I found myself wishing the time would pass faster, but it dragged on mercilessly. The album presented itself as unremarkable atmospheric black metal, with generic riffs and lifeless melodies. The compositions were not only uninteresting but also overly drawn out. There were no standout moments - not a single memorable melody or riff throughout the album. It almost feels like the musicians possess a unique talent for making music as boring as possible.

One would expect a random spark of creativity or a notable moment by chance, but this album offers none. Instead, it features bafflingly misplaced accordion sections and a complete lack of musical imagination. The atmosphere relies on delay effects on the guitars and some background keyboards. The vocals are harsh but weak and thin overall. I’d compare them to Dani Filth at his absolute minimum. The lyrics are not just awkward but downright cringeworthy. As a native Russian speaker, I found them deeply ridiculous. The band’s music can best be described as flavorless. Must say - everyone has the right to create whatever music they want, and even dull, unremarkable music has its place.

Take, for example, the track “Giant's Eternal Sleep.” It begins with a dull clean guitar section, followed by a lead guitar solo that is not only uninspired but poorly executed. The guitarist struggles with synchronization, resulting in messy, poorly articulated notes. The fast-paced section that follows adds nothing of interest, with no strong melodies or engaging riffs. This track serves as a microcosm of the entire album.

I am not a big connoisseur of atmospheric black metal, so I can only compare the band's music with traditional ones. There are some echoes of Immortal and Vinterland, and there is also something from early Satyricon and Agalloch. The music is mostly based on tremolo from the parts of 2 guitars. One guitar plays chords, the second builds bland melodies in a minor mood around it.

If there’s one positive aspect, it’s the relatively decent production quality for a Russian band. However, good production cannot disguise the poor quality of the compositions.

Rating: 1 out of 10