Band: Kingdom Of Sorrow
Title: Behind The Blackest Tears
Label: Relapse Records
Distribution: Rough Trade Benelux
Release date: June 8th 2011
Review: CD

Kingdom Of Sorrow is a rather unique project. It once started when two experienced psychos joined forces again (‘again’, ‘cause they did work together in a project before, called Crowbreed, named after their main bands): Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed-fame and Kirk Windstein – think Down and Crowbar. In 2008, Relapse released the self-called debut, and since the duo did record a new one, we can’t talk about ‘just a hobby-project’ anymore.
This sophomore recording Behind The Blackest Tears, mixed again by Mister Zeuss, lasts for forty minutes and goes partly on in the vein of the first full length: monumental, groovy Sludge with lots of breaks and tempo-changes, elements from Doom, Hardcore and Emo-Punk, and a nice balance between vocals, guitar riffs and a pounding rhythm section. However, Behind The Blackest Tears is less heavy and more melodic (‘softer’, if you want to), and much more predictable and evident.
Groove / Doom / Sludge / Hardcore with a mainstream approach…

69/100

Ivan Tibos.