Hailing from the UK, WOLVES IN EXILE formed in 2016. They call themselves a "Fantasy Themed Black Metal Band with Atmospheric/Melodic/Symphonic tendencies." "Frost and Ruin" is the band's debut album, and contains seven tracks. "Frozen Underworld" leads off the album, with an eerie sound. Some daunting piano notes poke around while an ominous feeling swirls in the background. Then, the wall of sound hits you, with big guitars and relentless drumming. The vocals are sort of a cross between Black and Death Metal, never reaching that full screech.

"The Night Madness" opens with brief piano notes before knocking you out with a full punch to the face. The chaos comes so quickly and with passion and energy. The half-spoken word lyrics add another dimension to the song, especially when the keys come into play. The band is clearly not afraid to stray from the path that was laid before them. "The Master Unseen" opens with melodious lead guitar and blast beat drumming. The vocals are raspy but I would not call them full-on Black Metal. An atmospheric passage appears around the half way mark, followed by spoken words. "Mirror and Prophecy" is a little slower, and with a grinding quality. The vocal notes are held for more effect. Some light symphonic elements can be heard in the background.

"The Ancient Red Lake" opens with heavy strummed guitars and a more traditional and straightforward sound. Another ambient passage appears just after the half-way mark, but it is short lived. "Interlude - The Freezing Rest" is just that...a short, two-minutes of piano and light symphonic elements. It's quite charming. "River of Thorns" closes the album. It's a nine-minute opus. The spoken words are very harrowing, and the song moves slowly and cautiously. Following an extended instrumental passage, the song ends strongly, with a clean guitar fade-out. Overall, I like that the band experimented a bit here with some variant qualities. It shows that they don't want to be just another Black Metal band on par with thousands of others. If you're in the mood for something a bit off the beaten path, give "Frost and Ruin" a spin.