{{Short description|Italian power metal band}} {{redirect|Winterbane|the band|Winter's Bane}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Frozen Crown | image = File:Frozen Crown (1) (54310650398).jpg | caption = Frozen Crown heading the Milady Metalfest 2025 | landscape = yes | origin = [[Milan]], Italy | genre = {{flatlist| *[[Power metal]] *[[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] }} | years_active = 2017–present | label = [[Scarlet Records]], [[Napalm Records]] | website = {{URL|frozencrown.net/}} | current_members = Giada "Jade" Etro<br/>Federico Mondelli<br/>Francesco Zof<br/>Niso Tomasini<br/>Alessia Lanzone<br/>Alexandra Lioness | past_members = Thalia Bellazecca<br/>Filippo Zavattari<br/>Alberto Mezzanotte<br/>Fabiola "Sheena" Bellomo }} '''Frozen Crown''' is an Italian [[power metal]] band formed in 2017 in [[Milan]], [[Lombardy]].
==History== In 2018, they released their debut album ''The Fallen King''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Regadas {{!}}|first=Jaime|date=2017-12-19|title=Album Review: Frozen Crown - 'The Fallen King'|url=http://metalnexus.net/album-review-frozen-crown-the-fallen-king/|access-date=2020-06-12|website=Metal Nexus|language=en-US}}</ref> Four tracks from the album were also released as singles. The band's second album, ''Crowned in Frost'', was released in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scarletrecords.it/artists/frozen-crown/|title=FROZEN CROWN – SCARLET RECORDS – OFFICIAL SITE|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-16}}</ref>
In April 2019, Frozen Crown played ten European venues together with Israeli metal act Desert and fellow Italian act [[Elvenking (band)|Elvenking]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=DESERT RETURNS TO EUROPE {{!}} DESERT BAND|url=https://www.desertband.com/home/european-tour-announcement-april-2019/|access-date=2020-06-12|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612102917/https://www.desertband.com/home/european-tour-announcement-april-2019/|url-status=dead}}</ref> while in the following summer they appeared at [[Metalfest|Metalfest Czech Republic]] and [[Sabaton Open Air]] in Sweden.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Search for setlists: frozen crown {{!}} setlist.fm|url=https://www.setlist.fm/search?query=frozen+crown&year=2019|access-date=2020-06-12|website=www.setlist.fm}}</ref> In February 2020, they toured 13 European cities in support of British metal group [[DragonForce]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]]|title=FROZEN CROWN - Live Quarantine Q&A With The Fans And Acoustic Set Posted|url=http://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-live-quarantine-q-a-with-the-fans-and-acoustic-set-posted|access-date=2020-06-12|website=bravewords.com|date=11 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref> A summer tour in 2020 including venues in Spain had to be called off due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Egurrola|first=Jose E.|title=FROZEN CROWN cancela por el Coronavirus – Metalcry.com :: Tu Web de Rock y Metal|date=24 June 2020 |url=https://metalcry.com/frozen-crown-cancela-por-el-coronavirus/|access-date=2021-01-09|language=es}}</ref> In November 2020, the band announced that their third album was officially in pre-production.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Frozen Crown|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3669581789815809&id=1674174926023182|access-date=2021-01-09|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}</ref>
The band announced in January 2021 that Alberto Mezzanotte, Thalia Bellazecca, and Filippo Zavattari left the band for personal reasons, as they found it difficult to be part of a band during the lockdown. The band released a final video with the original lineup, "Battles in the Night", as a farewell to those members.<ref name="quits">{{Cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-guitarist-bassist-and-drummer-call-it-quits-final-video-featuring-original-band-line-up-released|title=FROZEN CROWN Guitarist, Bassist And Drummer Call It Quits; Final Video Featuring Original Band Line-Up Released|date=January 29, 2021|website=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]]|access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref> A month later the band announced the new members, guitarist Fabiola "Sheena" Bellomo, bassist Francesco Zof and drummer Niso Tomasini. The new members were announced alongside the new album, ''Winterbane''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-18|title=FROZEN CROWN - NEW LINE-UP REVEALED|url=https://www.metal-rules.com/2021/02/18/frozen-crown-new-line-up-revealed/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Metal-Rules.com|language=en-US}}</ref> The album was already underway when the former members left, and as Mondelli and Etro are the main songwriters of the band their departure was not a significant delay.<ref name="quits"/>
''Winterbane'' was released in April by Scarlett Records, and by Marquee Inc. / Avalon in Japan. The band said "''Winterbane'' is the third Frozen Crown album, and by far the most obscure of our works. The third chapter consolidates the classic Frozen Crown trademark sound and brings it to the next level, giving priority to a straightforward and in-your-face approach based on powerful and dynamic drums and thundering bass lines. Guitar work plays a key role again, this time richer and more intricate than ever, drawing catchy melodies along lead singer Giada Etro's vocals."<ref name="Winterbane">{{cite web |url= https://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/news-frozen-crown-release-third-studio-album-winterbane/|title= FROZEN CROWN Release Third Studio Album 'Winterbane'|author= |date= April 23, 2021|publisher= Metal Forces|accessdate=April 30, 2024}}</ref> The album has a cover of [[Judas Priest]]'s "Nightcrawler", and singer Federica Lanna from [[Volturian]], a side-project of Mondelli, provided guest vocals in the song "Angels in Disguise". The album had previous videoclips for the songs "Far Beyond" and "Embrace the Night", and released another for "The Water Dancer" alongside the album. The aesthetics of this videoclip were based on the novel ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' and the TV series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', and had a guest appearance of Damien Von Dunkenwald and his Northern Wolfdogs Pack.<ref name="Winterbane"/>
On 10 March 2023, Frozen Crown released its fourth studio album, ''Call of the North''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elitist |first=Eldritch |date=2023-03-10 |title=Frozen Crown - Call of the North Review |url=https://www.angrymetalguy.com/frozen-crown-call-of-the-north-review/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Angry Metal Guy |language=en-US}}</ref> The following day, the band began touring in support of the album and fellow Italian metal act [[Nanowar of Steel]] across 19 European venues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=BraveWords |title=FROZEN CROWN Announce European Tour With NANOWAR OF STEEL For March / April 2023 |url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-announce-european-tour-with-nanowar-of-steel-for-march-april-2023 |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]] |date=16 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref> [[File:Frozen Crown-11 (54310654503).jpg|thumb|left|Fabiola Bellomo (''left'') and Alessia Lanzone (''right'').]] In June 2023 the band announced to have signed a deal with [[Napalm Records]] for the release of their upcoming album, leaving Scarlet Records with which they released all the records until then.
On 5 September 2023, Frozen Crown announced the addition of Alessia Lanzone, a third guitarist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FROZEN CROWN Add Third Guitarist ALESSIA LANZONE - "We Want To Sound As Live As Possible" |url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-add-third-guitarist-alessia-lanzone-we-want-to-sound-as-live-as-possible |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=[[Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles]] |date=5 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Lanzone, aged 18, had only played in a local [[cover band]] before then. She was a fan of Frozen Crown and followed them on social networks, the band met her because of her videos playing guitar. As for the reason to bring a third guitarist, Mondelli explained that the band writes highly complex guitar solos, sometimes in excess of 16 guitar layers, and that they are too complex for him and Bellomo to properly play live. The sound engineers proposed to use [[backing track]]s, but Mondelli rejected the idea. He preferred to add a new real person to the band. He also liked the idea to expand the band, which he called "The Frozen Crown family", for social reasons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adams |first1=Gregory |title="All these sound engineers and friends were advising us to use a backing track… we really despise that! We wanted a real person": How an 18-year-old shredder supersized Frozen Crown's triple-guitar power metal assault |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/frozen-crown-war-hearts |website=Guitar World |access-date=10 March 2025 |date=December 18, 2024}}</ref>
''War Hearts'', the fifth album and the first with Napalm Records, was released in October 2024. They said that "War Hearts is our fifth album, but it's also the first one as a six-piece band and the first one on Napalm Records. It's also the first album where all members actually make their appearance on the recording. For these reasons, War Hearts represents a new beginning, a fresh start, and it may be considered the first episode of FROZEN CROWN ‘reboot’."<ref name="SAG">{{cite web |url= https://distortedsoundmag.com/frozen-crown-announce-new-album-war-hearts/|title= Frozen Crown announce new album 'War Hearts'|author= James Weaver|date= August 7, 2024|publisher= Distorted Sound|accessdate=August 7, 2024}}</ref> The first single for the album was "Steel and Gold", filmed on Castello dei Doria, in [[Dolceacqua]], Italy.<ref name="SAG"/> The band headed the Milady Metal Fest at the end of 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://femmetal.rocks/2024/10/23/news-milady-metal-fest-announce-the-complete-bill-for-the-2025-edition/|title= NEWS: Milady Metal Fest announce the complete bill for the 2025 edition|author= Benedetta Baldin|date= October 23, 2024|publisher= FemMetal|accessdate=January 29, 2025}}</ref> This is followed by their first tour across Europe as the headlining band, alongside the bands Fellowship and [[Lutharo]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FROZEN CROWN Announce War Hearts European Tour 2025; FELLOWSHIP And LUTHARO Confirmed As Support |url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-announce-war-hearts-european-tour-2025-fellowship-and-lutharo-confirmed-as-support/ |website=Brave Words |access-date=11 March 2025 |date=November 28, 2024}}</ref> Fabiola Bellomo left the band after the tour, to focus on personal duties and try other music genres.<ref>{{cite web |title=FROZEN CROWN Part Ways With Guitarist FABIOLA "SHEENA" BELLOMO |url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-part-ways-with-guitarist-fabiola-sheena-bellomo/ |website=Brave Words |access-date=16 May 2025 |date=May 16, 2025}}</ref> She was replaced by Serbian guitarist Aleksandra Stamenković, who fronts the band Jenner and adopts the artistic name "Alexandra Lioness".<ref name="FFPalex">{{Cite web |url=https://www.femalefrontedpower.com/frozen-crown-welcome-alexandra-lioness-as-their-new-guitarist/ | title=FROZEN CROWN welcome Alexandra Lioness as their new guitarist |date=2025-05-19 |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Female Fronted Power |language=en-US}}</ref> Besides her role as a guitarist, she aids Mondelli in videomaking, producer and manager work. Although she lives at a distant country, the band took her as a member because of the help she provided during Jade's health problems and the lineup changes.<ref>{{cite web |title=FROZEN CROWN – New Guitarist ALEXANDRA LIONESS Featured On Latest Episode Of "A Coffee With JADE" (Video) |url=https://bravewords.com/news/frozen-crown-new-guitarist-alexandra-lioness-featured-on-latest-episode-of-a-coffee-with-jade-video/ |website=Brave Words |access-date=8 July 2025 |date=June 30, 2025}}</ref>
== Band members == {{Gallery |title=Members of Frozen Crown |width=120 | height=170 |align=center |File:Frozen Crown (9) - 52850567341 01.jpg |Giada Etro |File:Frozen Crown (9) - 52850567341 03.jpg |Federico Mondelli |File:Frozen Crown @ Parma Tattoo Nerd Fest - Area Fieristica di Parma (PR) 10-06-2023 (2) (52980903344).jpg |Francesco Zof |File:Frozen Crown (38) - 52850566991.jpg |Niso Tomasini |File:Frozen Crown-16 (54309527872).jpg |Alessia Lanzone |File:Frozen Crown Rockharz 2025 19.jpg |Alexandra Lioness }}
'''Current''' * Giada "Jade" Etro – vocals (2017–present) * Federico Mondelli – guitars, keyboards, vocals (2017–present) * Francesco Zof – bass (2021–present) * Niso Tomasini – drums (2021–present) * Alessia Lanzone – guitars (2023–present) * Alexandra Lioness – guitars (2025–present)
'''Former''' * Thalia Bellazecca – guitars (lead) (2017–2020) * Filippo Zavattari – bass (2017–2020) * Alberto Mezzanotte – drums (2017–2020) * Fabiola "Sheena" Bellomo – guitars (2021–2025)
'''Timeline''' {{#tag:timeline| ImageSize = width:805 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea =left:150 bottom:60 top:0 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/2017 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:2017 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:2018
Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:keyboard value:purple legend:Keyboards id:studio value:black legend:Studio_albums
BarData = bar:Giada text:"Giada ""Jade"" Etro" bar:Federico text:"Federico Mondelli" bar:Thalia text:"Thalia Bellazecca" bar:Fabiola text:"Fabiola ""Sheena"" Bellomo" bar:Alessia text:"Alessia Lanzone" bar:Alexandra text:"Alexandra Lioness" bar:Filippo text:"Filippo Zavattari" bar:Francesco text:"Francesco Zof" bar:Alberto text:"Alberto Mezzanotte" bar:Niso text:"Niso Tomasini"
PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Giada from:01/01/2017 till:end color:vocals bar:Federico from:01/01/2017 till:end color:guitar bar:Thalia from:01/01/2017 till:31/12/2020 color:guitar bar:Fabiola from:01/01/2021 till:15/05/2025 color:guitar bar:Alessia from:10/09/2023 till:end color:guitar bar:Alexandra from:19/05/2025 till:end color:guitar bar:Filippo from:01/01/2017 till:31/12/2020 color:bass bar:Francesco from:01/01/2021 till:end color:bass bar:Alberto from:01/01/2017 till:31/12/2020 color:drums bar:Niso from:01/01/2021 till:end color:drums width:3 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Federico from:01/01/2017 till:end color:vocals width:7 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Federico from:01/01/2017 till:end color:keyboard
LineData = layer:back color:studio at:09/02/2018 at:22/03/2019 at:23/02/2021 at:10/03/2023 at:11/10/2024 }}
== Discography == === Studio albums === * ''The Fallen King'' (2018) * ''Crowned in Frost'' (2019) * ''Winterbane'' (2021) * ''Call of the North'' (2023) * ''War Hearts'' (2024)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commonscat}} * [https://frozencrown.net/ Official site] * [https://scarletrecords.it/artists/frozen-crown/ Scarlet Records site] * [https://napalmrecords.com/english/frozen-crown?product_list_dir=desc&product_list_order=release_date Napalm Records site] * {{AllMusic | id= mn0003697960 | title= Frozen Crown}}
[[Category:Italian power metal musical groups]] [[Category:Italian heavy metal musical groups]] [[Category:Scarlet Records artists]] [[Category:Napalm Records artists]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 2017]] [[Category:Musical groups from Milan]] [[Category:2017 establishments in Italy]] [[Category:Female-fronted musical groups]] [[Category:Mixed-gender musical sextets]]