Freeze The Fall’s The Red Garden (June 18th) doesn’t just expand their sound. It refines their intent. The Kelowna-based trio returns with a second EP that draws from metalcore and alt-metal roots while plunging deeper into conceptual storytelling and sonic experimentation. What emerges is a concise and emotionally charged collection that showcases a band unafraid to push their boundaries while staying grounded in a tight and heavy groove.
While the haunting instrumental “Denial” immediately sets the tone, it bleeds into “Rot” and then throws the doors wide open to a world where medieval metaphor meets modern confusion. Vocalist and guitarist Quinn Mitzel delivers with grit and control which is balanced by Aria Becker’s bass work which carries equal weight in tone and tension. The low-end spine supporting melodic chaos feels deliberate and painstakingly thought out.
Tracks like “Hypothermia” and “VHS” are where Freeze The Fall show their teeth. “Hypothermia” leans into electronic chill and rhythmic intricacy by building a sense of detachment that suits its commentary on anonymity. “VHS,” by contrast, hits like a punch in the gut and draws on horror influences. It’s all sharp edges and shifting dynamics with drummer Jonah Goncalves steering these changes effortlessly by giving even the most turbulent moments firm structure.
But The Red Garden isn’t just about fury. “Aurora” introduces a melodic curveball. Driven by the tension between vulnerability and strength, it’s eerie and delicate and offers a welcome contrast without undercutting the momentum. “Oubliette” follows with one of the EP’s most intriguing choices, a verse sung in French that elevates the atmosphere while nodding to the band’s thematic ambition. The closer “Lace” strips things back. It’s the most minimal track here, but not the weakest. Instead, it ends the EP with the stark clarity of a raw moment that underscores the project’s emotional throughline.
What makes The Red Garden stand out is how tight the vision feels. Freeze The Fall doesn’t just throw influences at the wall but they shape them into something intentional. In a scene often stuck in the cycle of recycling, Freeze The Fall is actively writing their own chapter. The Red Garden is not a reinvention but a focused evolution. The band doubles down on the narrative core that’s always driven their work and emerges with a release that is a cinematic and riff driven plunge into chaos and control.
