Hi Lucas, we don't recommend freezing a starter for long-term storage, although some bakers have had good luck with this. I think it depends on how long your starter was in the freezer. I've tested a starter that was frozen for a few days, and it revived quite well, but I haven't tried longer than that. For a mature starter the refrigerator generally works fine for storage, even if you're not able to feed it for a few months. It will likely just need 2-3 days of twice a day feeding at room temperature to bring it back to full vitality. 

If this is an established starter that you'd hate to lose, then I don't see the harm in giving it a few days of twice a day feedings at room temperature to see if it revives. If anything, the loss of gluten structure sounds like your starter is fairly acidic and doing something. I'm not sure what the dark/grey layer on top is, but it doesn't sound harmful. Do you have the starter container covered well with plastic wrap or a lid? Is it possible the starter is drying out on top? The reason we say to cover loosely isn't because the starter needs airflow in order to ferment properly (it doesn't), but because fermentation gases can build up in a tightly lidded container and cause the lid to pop off. Plastic wrap will flex, and as long as you have some head room above the starter level for the gases to collect, and you open the jar now and then to vent the gases, a lid shouldn't cause any issues either. 

If you're concerned about wasting too much flour trying to revive your starter you could consider reducing it to a smaller starter, at least until it begins to rise predictably. 

I hope this helps! Let us know how it goes. 

Barb

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