Review published on 09/10/2026.

Even though Kyvon has garnered a great reputation the last couple of years, I must admit I had not delved into his works before. My curiosity peaked when I saw he would perform at the Dark Dungeon Festival in 2026. It was stated he would perform Frozen Grimoire in its entirety, so since I pay the Festival a new visit this year (actually today, at the time of publishing), I evidently had to check it out. Research and preparation is everything before going to a festival, right?

Have you ever hiked in snowy woodlands during midwinter? If so, you may have realized certain sounds reach much farther and a perpetual echo seems present. The reverb of low-frequency sound and vibrations is tremendous. Great winter synth albums, deliberate or not, use a lot of reverb, and this is how a little bit of winter magic trickles into the tracks. This album is no exception, though I would go so far as to say Kyvon’s execution in this regard is perfect. I’m quite a fan of the works of Talvi, Örnatorpet, the winter albums of Umbria, and Heritage’s excellent A Tale for the Lost. However, after having listened to Frozen Grimoire, I’ve come to understand why some people regard this album as a modern classic. It has a slow, borderline ritualistic approach, but it is drenched in boreal atmospheres. Every touch, every note is meticulously chosen to serve as a means to summon the spirits of winter, and it succeeds gloriously in its ambition. It feels both organic and icy, for want of a better wording. This is in large part because of the excellent production and the crystal-clear mix. The album was first released in 2021, but I must admit I prefer the remaster of 2026. The mix is just a little bit more lush, allowing for the reverb to be retained just a little while longer, which in turn results in a slightly louder echo. It helps wonders in creating and maintaining that wintry vibe.

Approaching the Ice Lord's Tower starts with what I believe to be a field recording during midwinter involving whistling, howling wind, and that very same echo I’ve been talking about earlier, which Kyvon uses to plunge us deep into the heart of winter. We then hear melancholy keyboard tunes, spiced up by brief, yet incredibly effective crystalline synth touches to invoke a sense of magic to the music. It serves as a great gateway to winter, but the album takes off in earnest with the second track, which is a masterpiece. Frosty Wind and Magelight is a magnificent track, blending melancholy and majestic winter moods so beautifully it brings tears to my eyes. This is how I imagine myself wandering through snowy woodlands in the middle of nowhere on a starlit night. Kyvon takes a step back during the second half of the track by reimplementing the same distant drum beats the track started with before an icy melody freezes me both literally and figuratively. I stand utterly still as the winter cold wraps itself around me like a blanket, despite actually freezing me to death. A deathly peace comes over me. It’s a siren song, one I’m listening to willingly.

Chilly Foyer takes on a minimalistic approach, using a repetitive structure to lull me into a trance-like state. It hypnotizes me, keeping me in stasis as I imagine myself dreaming during hibernation or as an ice sculpture. Not truly dead, but remaining in a borderland between life and death whilst dreaming. We then get to the next true highlight of the album; Within the Chambers of the Ice Cave has the best build-up of the entire album. Mysterious clacking and trickling sounds (which I believe are partially mimicked by wooden claves) reverberate rhythmically through the caves, which slowly but surely build up towards a climax. Kyvon first adds a layer of ominous ambient music before perfectly placed keyboard touches come to the foreground. It doesn’t take long before their pitch is raised, culminating into a brilliant blend of massive percussions and . A sense of danger creeps up on me. Not a coincidence, since the album revolves around a party of adventurers assailing the stronghold of a supposedly villainous ice lord.

The penultimate track of the album is the darkest and most dynamic composition on this album by far, but Kyvon does not go overboard with dark moods. It is epic in nature (complete with deep drum beat and soaring melodies), but the meandering keyboard adds an emotional layer. It makes the music feel majestic, which is only befitting to an ice lord with a royal disposition. I may have preferred King Garnash's Final Symphony as the closure of the album (I like to go out with a bang), but I get why Kyvon chose Canticle for the Lost. It is serene and minimalistic, but with optimistic undertones. I like to imagine the repetitive melody mirrors the trickling of drops during a period when ice and snow thaw. It would seem the adventurers managed to confront the ice lord succesfully, but the conclusion of the story bittersweet, which is how the best stories are made.

Even though the season of winter brings a lot of challenges and issues for the less fortunate in society, I can’t help but sense a touch of wonder whenever winter comes around. Frozen Grimoire reminds me of that same sense of wonder, which is the biggest compliment I can give to a winter synth album. I can’t wait to see Kyvon’s approach when he brings this album to a live setting.

Fenix Silvermoon approves, and declares: