Suits and Daggers - Frozen Planet (2018)

Suits and Daggers is a Victory Metal band from Saginaw Michigan. They are a blend of metal genres forged into one project. Their music features a minor tonality, a range of screams, powerful clean vocal harmonies, heavy and tasteful breakdowns, completed with progressive lyrical content.

Suits and Daggers was originally founded by Andy Martin back in 2015 with hopes of chasing his dreams and spreading a positive message while traveling with his best friends Jerry Loyselle the Bassist, and backing voice, and Noah Barber the second guitarist. Later After the band began to pick up steam, these 3 best friends were desperately in need of a dedicated drummer. Jeff Douglas answered the call. As an old friend of Andy's, Jeff joined Suits and Daggers and completed the line up.

Frozen Planet begins with a gentle piano melody and a flash of female vocals that entwine to lull the listener into a false sense of security. Just as soon as these pieces begin to settle in, a heart-dropping scream disrupts the serenity, followed by a molten guitar riff that carves its way into the mix. That guitar is soon accompanied by thunderous drums, a wall of rhythm guitar, and a booming bass, all of which sweep through the track and descend onto the listener without warning.



Frozen Planet is the newest record from Michigan-based progressive metal outfit Suits and Daggers. In a scene that’s fraught with minuscule subgenre distinctions, Suits and Daggers were able to avoid all that discussion by creating a genre of their own: Victory Metal. While this self-ascribed label preemptively dismantles many of the needless genre-centered debates that occur between metal elitists, it also serves a more critical role offering a glimpse at the way Suits and Daggers approach their music.
“Built on the pillars of hard work, dedication, teamwork and integrity” Suits and Daggers offer a unique spin on the progressive metal sound that revels in a positive outlook on life. Taking cues from some of the genre’s greats like Parkway Drive and Erra, the band’s debut is a life-affirming, confidence-boosting, and powerfully-strong addition to the metal scene.
Given this uniquely-upbeat approach to a typically-dour genre, the band spends the lion’s share of Frozen Planet’s 45 minutes chasing their dreams and encouraging listeners to do the same. It’s a transitive joy that rubs off on the listener before the first song is over.
While the Suits and Daggers are obviously influenced by the some of the genre’s biggest names, Frozen Planet also bears a quaint charm of lesser-known acts like Skies of December and Settle the Sky.
The interspersed piano adds an orchestral flair à-la In Fear and Faith, and an unabashed
love for group chants hints at an infatuation for Burden of a Day. All in all good company to be in, especially for a band this young.
Influences aside, there are also dozens of brilliant and unique moments scattered throughout Frozen Planet. Interjections of piano throughout “Defender,” unrelenting spitfire vocals on “Velvet Glove,” and a towering riff on “Empathy” are just a few of the album’s many highlights.



Late-album cut “Tranquility” allows the listener a moment of breathing room before
immediately launching into another barrage of brutal screams and punchy riffs. As cymbals crash and guitar shreds back and forth, the track swiftly transitions to the titular “Frozen Planet” which bears the album’s most aggressive instrumentals and hard-hitting lyrics.
Centered around a crushing breakdown and Andy Martin’s heartfelt songwriting, the album’s penultimate song speaks for itself as to why it is worthy of the album’s namesake.
Overall Frozen Planet is a fun, heartfelt, and inspirational metal album. For long-time fans of the genre who are searching for an exciting new act, look no further than Suits and Daggers.

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/SuitsandDaggers/
https://twitter.com/SuitsDaggers?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/suitsanddaggersinsta/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQrZI7ZWnMI