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By GREG MAKI
In the world of heavy music, a partnership between Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta and Kirk Windstein of Crowbar/Down fame seems far from logical. Maybe that’s why it works.
With Windstein’s signature downtuned riffing at the heart of the sound, Kingdom of Sorrow favors his side of the musical spectrum more than Jasta’s, falling somewhere between Down’s Southern metal and the swamp-drenched sludge of Crowbar. (Does that make this “sludge-core”?) Jasta’s hardcore leanings come into play with faster tempos than we usually get from Crowbar, the occasional menacing breakdown and the vocals, which he shares with Windstein. Jasta displays more range in his tough-guy growl than he does in Hatebreed, while Windstein’s melodic tone (relatively speaking) provides a nice contrast. The disparate musical styles and backgrounds merge most effectively on “Lead into Demise” and “Demon Eyes (Demonized).” “With Unspoken Words” and “Screaming into the Sky” are standouts that sound like they could be selections from the next Crowbar album. Hatebreed fans, meanwhile, should get their kicks from “Lead the Ghosts Astray” and the unforgiving, all-out assault of “Begging for the Truth.”
The other musicians on this disc, whose contributions should not be discounted, are drummer Derek Kerswill (Seemless/Unearth), guitarist Steve Gibb (Crowbar/ex-Black Label Society) and Zeuss, who plays guitar in addition to sharing production duties with Jasta and mixing the record.
Jasta and Windstein are on to something here. The clash of styles has created a distinct sound in which I see a lot of potential. Both men have other obligations, but I hope Kingdom of Sorrow is not a one-off deal. I’m ready to ride into battle with that knight on the album cover.
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