BIOGRAPHY


The story of Frozen Eyes goes way back to the early eighties.
Mattias Eklundh, more known as IA Eklundh (now in Freak Kitchen) started out as a drummer and hooked up with the guitar player Magnus Johansson and the band Blaze was formed. Later they went through different band names, like: Stallion, Avenger and Lizzard.
Finally decided to call the band Frozen Eyes. By this time IA was still playing the drums. On vocals Aulis Hultin and on the bass Leif Larssson (now in RAM). I believe they did some gigs with this line-up. IA got more serious interested of the guitar and rumors say he started to practice 10 hour a day. A very good move, that would later to give him cred as one of the best guitar players in the world (visit: www.freakguitar.com)


Very early photo of Frozen Eyes.

The first demo
In august 1985 Frozen Eyes recorded a three track demo titled; Have some breakfast. The demo was recorded in Memory Studio, Gamlestaden, Gothenburg.

Since IA now was a guitar player, drummer Mika Ilo was added to lineup
Leif Larsson was no longer in the band so Aulis played the bass live.

TRACKS:
1, "Frozen Eyes"
2, "R.I.P."
3, "The Avenger".

Line up:
Aulis Hultin - vocals
Mattias IA Eklundh - guitar, bass on R.I.P. and The Avenger
Magnus Johansson - guitar, bass on Frozen Eyes
Mika ILO - drums

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The second demo - "Eyes Cream"
released in March 1986. Recorded in Night Studio (?)

For the second demo guitar player Magnus and drummer Mika was out of the band. Joakim Sjöberg was the new kid on the block. This was Joakim's first recording session - EVER.

TRACKS:
1, "Catch the Wind"
2, "Icebound"
3, "Kill At Midnight"
4, "A Storm Coming In"
5, "Heading For Hell"

Line up:
Aulis Hultin - vocals, bass
Mattias IA Eklundh - guitars
Joakim Sjöberg - drums

The third demo
The third demo Frozen Eyes recorded in Memory Studio, Gamlestaden, Gothenburg. But was never released. Due the bad sound quality and lack of really good material the band wasn't satisfied with the demo at all. For this demo old time friend Leif Larsson was back in the band. Leif who was fired back in the Stallion's time. The songs got a new depth by Leif bass player and it was not that plain and simple as before. Leif also CO-wrote"The Gift" with Mattias.

The songs recorded were:
1, "The Gift"
2, "The Disobedient mind"
3, "Existence on Fire"

Line up:
Aulis Hultin - vocals
Mattias IA Eklundh - guitars
Leif Larsson - bass
Joakim Sjöberg - drums

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The forth demo - "The Winter's Gate"
The forth demo, titled "The Winter's Gate", was recorded in December 1986 by Tommy Natta at Studio Night Music (?).

TRACKS:
1, "The Winter's Gate",
2, "Fashion In my Ear"
3, "Deliverer Of Chaos".

Line up:
Aulis Hultin - vocals
Mattias IA Eklundh - guitars
Leif Larsson - bass
Joakim Sjöberg - drums

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The last - fifth demo - "The Dolls of success"
The last demo Frozen Eyes recorded by Tommy Natta at Studio Night Music.
Released in December 1987.

The band had left the thrash-metal sound a little bit. The songs was more down-tempo then earlier. Same lineup as on the forth demo. The title of the demo had two different cover art work.

TRACKS:
1, "The Dolls of Success"
2, "Lorraine Cocaine"
3, "Cold Turkey"
4, "Man Enough"

Line up:
Aulis Hultin - vocals
Mattias IA Eklundh - guitars
Leif Larsson - bass
Joakim Sjöberg - drums

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The Metal Collection III
In March 1987 Frozen Eyes recorded the song "Intruder (World of Madness)" for the English label Ebony Music and the compilation LP "The Metal Collection volume 3". A bunch of English garage rockers did their best to show what they had and I believe Frozen Eyes was the only non-English band featured. The LP was meant to result in a record contract but it all ran out in the sand. This piece is extremely rare and hard to get your hands on.

Joakim's memories on this:
"We went by boat to Harwitch. Then train to London and further on to North Yorkshire where we recorded the song in Ebony Studio. I was suffering from a stomach disorder all this time."



Frozen Eyes on their way to England.
"Hail, hail to England"...


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The Frozen Eyes LP - 1988
After sending out a lot of demos the band finally got in touch with a record company. Bums Records in Denmark, wanted them to record an album. But the band had to invest a lot of their own money in this. A very bad move. The album did not sound very well (I would say the demos have a lot more energy and feel to it) The biggest problem was after all not the production, but the fact Bums was not a serious record company. The album did not make it to the big market (people sometimes jokes this album was only printed to the closest friends...)



Frozen Eyes 1988 LP cover



TRACKS:
1, "The Dolls of Success"
2, "Lipstick Boogie" (same song as Fashion in my ear , with different lyrics)
3, "Winter's Gate"
4, "Existence on Fire"
5, "Frozen Eyes" (different lyrics than on the 1:st demo)
6, "Lorraine Cocaine"
7, "Icebound"
8, "The Club" (same song as Heading for hell, with different lyrics)
"...And then I went home".

Deliverer Of Chaos was also recorded for the LP but did not make it to the final pressing.

Reissued
The album was later, in 1996, reissued by Bums Records on CD.

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The story ends
After the recording of the LP the band was in chaos. Aulis wasn't interested of being in the band anymore. So they went separate ways. Frozen Eyes tried to find a replacement. But it didn't work. In the meantime Mattias got in contact with the Danish glam-metal band Fate who needed a new guitarist. Mattias went on audition and the Danish glam-boys were pleased with Mattias talent.

Frozen Eyes was no more...

Where are they now?
After Frozen Eyes broke up Joakim later went to USA, to study the drums at MI in Los Angeles with his idol and later friend Mark Craney (Jethro Tull and more). Sadly he passed away in 2005. RIP.

Mattias only stayed in Fate until 1992, when he decided to form his own band, where he also would handle the singing. Mattias called up old Frozen Eyes drummer Joakim Sjöberg who went home from LA. Bass player Christian Grönlund was found a a club in Gothenburg. Freak Kitchen was born in 1992. In 2000 Joakim and Christain left Freak Kitchen. Please visit my Freak Kitchen page to read more! (www.appetizerpage.com)

Joakim changed his name and are now days known as Envind Redin. He don't play the drums anymore.

Bass player Leif Larsson is still in the music biz. For some years he played in NME WITHIN. Spend some time in Black Ingvars, playing covers at pubs & bars. Leif latest band is called RAM (visit RAM official website: www.ram-metal.com)

Aulis has retired from the music scene.
Magnus and Mika I don't know what they are doing. Please email me if anyone knows!

In late 1998 Winters Gate Productions released a two CD set with all the 5 demos. Limited in 10 copies worldwide. These two CD package soon became a rare collectors item.

This biography, written by me, Patrik Ek is in no way complete and some stuff might be a little incorrect. If you know something that should be in this biography, please email me!


/Patrik Ek
December 2005

 


 Long live Frozen Eyes - in our hearts...
This photo is taken cirka 1987

 

Fun trivia
According to Joakim Frozen Eyes played at these places over the years
(I do not know the date/year)
Here is the list - of the World Frozen Tour ;)

Finlandföreningen, Mölnlycke
Landvetter
Mölnlycke
Freja Gården, Mölndal
Ugglegården
Furulund
Blå Stället, Angered
Drouper
Valvet
Ålborg
Århus
Esbjers


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