Review by Andy Houghton for MPM
Frozen Tears are a melodic hard rock band from Melbourne, Australia. ‘Brazen Whisper’ is their second album, and not before time – it’s been almost a quarter of a century since their first album ‘Silence of the Night’ was released!
Their debut album established the template for the band’s sound, a blend of melodic rock/AOR with an overtone of hard rock/metal, which referenced the band’s key influences (KISS, Whitesnake, Dokken and White Sister).
Both of the band’s musicians – Thanis Akritidis (vocal) and Jon Powers (guitars/keyboards/bass) – have a vast amount of experience between them, having led bands since the 1980s (melodic rockers Knight in the case of Akritidis; metal bands Blood on Kisses and Bloodstone in the case of Powers). And it shows, for ‘Brazen Whisper’ marks a polished and powerful return for the duo.
The album opens with title track ‘Brazen Whisper’, and it’s immediately clear that Frozen Tears have lost none of their skill during their extended hiatus since 1997.
It’s not long before the first heavy riff of the album kicks in, and what a great riff it is. Akrididis’s crisp vocals soar over the stunning guitar work, whetting our appetites for what follows.
‘You’ marks an early highlight, opening with yet more stellar guitar work before delivering the most melodic track on the album, a rich tapestry woven from shifts in tempo and mood, before we’re treated to a delicate piano outro.
‘Hold on Tight’ gives us a slice of anthemic rock with a chorus that demands audience participation and will doubtless go down a storm at gigs.
With ‘Love Can Be Real’ we reach the album’s mid-point and another AOR-oriented track, before reaching the jazz/funk-inspired ‘Set Me Free’, another highlight. Punchy and precise, this track showcases Powers’s instrumental skills at their peak.
‘Can’t Stop’ brings a change in pace, providing us with a pleasing ballad that features acoustic guitars and orchestral violins. Finally, the album wraps up with a cover version of the KISS fan favourite ‘C’mon and Love Me’, which featured on their 1975 album ‘Dressed to Kill’.
It’s well-delivered, although in general I’m not a huge fan of cover versions – I’d sooner have heard more of the band’s own material, not least because it’s so darn good.
Frozen Tears have delivered an outstanding second album with Brazen Whisper’, and it’s great to see them back. With an album that’s this good, I hope we don’t have to wait another 25 years until the next one.
Band Line-Up:
Thanis Akritidis – Vocals & Backing Vocals
Jon Powers – Guitars / Keyboards / Bass
Glenn Wellman | Drums
Ash Battle | Bass (‘You’)
Erik Johnson (BOMBAY BLACK) | Backing Vocals
Bobby Miller | Backing Vocals (‘Set Me Free’)
Betania Hernandez | Violins/Viola (‘Can’t Stop’)

Tracklisting:
1.Brazen Whisper
2.You
3.Hold On Tight
4.Love Can Be Real
5.Set Me Free
6.Can’t Stop
7.C’mon & Love Me (KISS)
‘Brazen Whisper’ is released in August 2021 by MR Records
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frozentearsaustralia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frozentearsofficial/