On Saturday June 22nd, the epicenter of the NWOTHM universe coalesced in Fresno, CA. The celebrated festival Frozen in Time 2 drew crowds from as far away as Europe along with many familiar faces local to the scene. Nine epic bands played with fire, ice, and heart on a day that will not soon be forgotten. The second installment of the festival, run by the venerable Trevor William Church, proves that the new wave of traditional heavy metal is alive on the West Coast and continues to grow unabated.
Strummer’s in Fresno, CA should be regarded as a premier venue for any occasion. Against the oppressive Central California heat, it was a cool oasis for those attending. In addition, they were stocked with plenty of ice-cold water, beverages of every sort, and delicious food. The success of this event is in no small part because of how well run this venue is. A huge shout out to the Strummer’s team!
Outside of the venue, the air was electric with anticipation. The amazing family that is devoted to the NWOTHM is spirited, diverse, and filled with conviviality. Before the doors opened we all shared amazing stories of bands on the scene that we like, thoughts about the upcoming show, and so much more. It’s truly amazing to see so many people come together in unity to support this genre.
In order of appearance, here is the lineup of bands that performed:
- Angel Fury (Los Angeles, CA)
- Devolution (San Francisco, CA)
- Knight & Gallow (Sacramento, CA)
- SABER (Los Angeles, CA)
- Beastmaker (Fresno, CA)
- Durbin (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Greyhawk (Seattle, WA)
- Hellfire (San Francisco, CA)
- Haunt (Fresno, CA)
Here’s a quick rundown of each band.
Angel Fury
An up-and-coming band from Los Angeles that is new to the scene. They promote themselves as being heavy/speed metal and live up to every word of that. Delivering a forceful and spirited performance, this band shows that they’ve got the right stuff to make a name for themselves on the landscape. Luna on vocals packs a punch with her powerhouse vocals with Miguel and James summoning a dual axe attack to go along. Conan and David lay down a solid back line on bass and drums, respectively. This band is worthy of keeping an eye on, and they have several gigs happening in the next few months. Hit their socials and give them a shout!
DEVOLUTION
Jonathan Fenno is a fixture of metal shows up and down the entire West Coast, but he is based in San Francisco, CA. It was a mandatory thing to make sure and see his band at this festival. They immediately went on the attack to rev up the early crowd at the festival. With a highly acrobatic set featuring hot licks, searing solos, and everything in between… they did not disappoint. I reached out to Jonathan and asked him about the festival, and he enthusiastically offered, “It was a very special event to start the DEVOLUTION at the Frozen in Time 2 Festival in the burning heat of Fresno.” He has energy for days and it’s infectious. If DEVOLUTION is playing near you… GO SEE THEM!
Knight & Gallow
Their first full length release “For Honor and Bloodshed” (2022) demonstrates why this band is one you need to pay attention to. They are a blast of epic heavy metal that is not for the faint of heart. Getting heavy out of the gate quickly, they raged through a set filled with soaring vocals (Ryan), crushing bass (Gibson), quaking drums (Ryan), and mind-searing guitars (Calvin). Their music conjures images of epic battles, quests to complete, and the epic battle of good against evil. The growing crowd showed them a lot of love and the band kept the momentum growing with their special brand of metal.
SABER
Steve Turbo and the rest of SABER were shot out of a cannon and onto the Frozen in Time 2 stage. Joel and Yogi traded face-melting leads. David and Hat (bass and drums) did their best to act as the bulwark to the onslaught and held the bottom end quite well. This… is… SABER. The quintet from Los Angeles, CA played their best set in recent memory, and proved to be one the of the best at the festival. They made metal look effortless as they used all the stage for their performance. If you’re not following along with their career, you need to get plugged in. They are the heir apparent on the landscape and their second album is coming soon (“Lost in Flames”). When asked about the performance at the festival, Joel Dominguez said, “SABER was happy to put the Frozen in Time 2 audience on blast with our own brand of hot and juicy metal. Any time we can get up close and personal with our fans, we will bring the fire.” Full support and love for this band!
Beastmaker
It was a rare treat to have been able to see this band reformed by Trevor William Church. Though drastically different that his current project, Haunt, this band did not disappoint. Along with Andy Saldate and John Tucker, this horror doom trio is heavy. Many people in the crowd were there specifically for them, and the room was nearly full as they moved through their set. Trevor continues to prove that his talent knows no bounds as he fronted two acts for the festival. What more can be said? Get more Beastmaker in your life.
Durbin
James Durbin brings a lot of clout to the stage. His vocal prowess speaks for itself and proves that he’s ready for stages around the world. With his band firing on all cylinders, they threatened to blow the doors clean off the place. This high-energy set crashed hard into the audience and revved the engines of everyone in the room. If you haven’t explored his catalog, you’re in for a treat. Get to know them and put yourself in the room for a live show. They will not disappoint!
Greyhawk
Fresh off their April 2024 release of “Thunderheart” this band from Seattle, WA is everything you want from the elite of the NWOTHM movement. With lyrical themes that whisk you away to another realm… you’ll want to take up a blade, don your armor, and will be ready to fight anything that comes your way. They delivered a spirited set with soaring vocals, mythical riffs, and a bottom end thundering like horses on the plains. They appear to be on the road quite a bit and you need to check them out. Anthony (vocals), Darin (bass), Rob (guitar), Jesse (guitar), and Nate (drums) come together in what is the prototype of the genre. From their fortress deep in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, they sent this scroll to us, “It was amazing for us to visit the Central Valley for the first time and be immersed in in the California underground metal scene. The talent on display was remarkable, and it was an honor for us to stand alongside all those bands.” Heaps of praise for Greyhawk!
Hellfire
This band needs no introduction. The moment that Jake (vocals/guitar), Tony (guitar), Mike (dums), and Kai (bass) hit the stage… the room exploded. Their music is aggressive, fast, and loud as hell. Well-seasoned in their craft, this band delivers with every note. The crowd immediately erupted into a chaotic mosh pit and reveled in the moment. Jake took only a few moments to thank the crowd and let them know that it is “FresYES” and not “FresNO”. He then got back to the business of breaking necks and piercing ear drums. If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know who Hellfire is… rectify this immediately.
Haunt
This band is the high-water mark in the NWOTHM movement. Trevor (vocals/guitar), Sam (bass), Andy (drums), and Joel from Saber (guitars) brought a searing ice storm to the Frozen in Time audience. This band has been releasing records at a swift pace and playing a blur of shows around the world. Their reputation stretches far and wide across the universe. The prowess of this band on a live stage is awe-inspiring. The time put into their craft is evident. With Trevor firmly ensconced as the mastermind, he has done well to surround himself with experts in their respective areas. Simply put, this band is the apex of the genre. No Haunt show is complete without a patented metal hug from Trevor. While his stature grows, he remains humble and approachable – this is refreshing and welcoming. Haunt rules.
Frozen in Time 2 has been etched into the hallowed halls of the NWOTHM pantheon. It was an epic day filled with an astounding level of talent and gusto for metal. People from around the world came to pay their respect and support this amazing family. This underground movement is alive and well, and there’s no stopping where it can go next. Hopefully, Frozen in Time 3 begins to take shape very soon and we can release more details.
As a final note, we did catch a few of the people in the crowd. Some of them were kind enough to offer their quick thoughts on the festival. Thanks to these friends for hanging out and sharing the passion for metal!
Tyler Heath (Leather Duchess) – “FUCK YEAH!!!!”
Grant Mohler (MOHLER) – “After attending both Frozen in Time festivals, I have to say the music, the crowd, and the conversations make me wish it could last forever. No better name for this thing than ‘Frozen in Time’!”
Derek Abrams (former Ministry drummer, veteran stage manager) “The NWOTHM is an exciting space and there were a ton of great bands on the stage today. SABER absolutely blew me away!”
Alex “Scarsoul” Stoyanov (fellow TheNWOTHM.com contributor) – “Coming to Frozen in Time from Eastern Europe was a pleasure, privilege, and a well executed plan. All the fun, adventure, amazing new friends and acquaintances will forever be engraved in my mind. I am already shaping plans for the next edition, since Heavy Metal is eternity!”
Finally, I reached out to the man, the myth, the legend… Trevor William Church for his thoughts. He simply provided this: “I love you all!”
Enough said!
See you in 2025!
BONUS COVERAGE: Enjoy these photos of the action! All photos courtesy of Alex “Scarsoul” Stoyanov.
Leave a comment