GEEZER LAKE's style of dark, turbulent indie rock could easily be a great disaster, considering that the band frequently sounds like a metalesque version of Archers of Loaf, -- not quite a promising description. 'King Frost' is so intelligently constructed, however, that the band manages to overshoot its sound and step into interestingly non-standard territory.

Once past their sludgy rock inclinations, they veer into clean, syncopated structures, which implies a knowledge beyond how to simply rock out ("Birds" alternates between the two tendencies, while "Twenty Five" shoots straight for some very appealing ground). The album also presents a sense of polish and ambition that wasn't nearly as strong on 1995's 'Hearts Won't Try This' -- rather than sounding deconstructive, the band's experimentation attempts to construct musical forms which are largely their own.