The year is 2008 and in the kingdom of sorrow, known as New Orleans, Louisiana, the new black knights are marching with thunder. New? Hmm, well… Kingdom of Sorrow is a project by veterans steeled in southern metal a long time ago. The founders are Kirk Windstein of the sludge metal icons Crowbar (also a main figure in Anselmo’s Down), and the singer of the hardcore machines Hatebreed, Jamey Jasta. Besides them, on the crusade they are marching the man who helped Kirk to revive Crowbar, the ex-touring guitarist of Black Label Society (and son of Barry Gibb of Bee Gees) Steve Gibb, the drummer of Unearth and Seemless Derek Kerswill, and the young bass player Matthew Brunson. Just in the spirit of NOLA, the guys demonstrate almost family unity and cooperate criminally well. Their debut beats harder than a brick tied in a woolen sock. Behind the killer artwork there are stalking 11 compositions that will firmly lodge like shrapnels in the chests of fans of aggressive American metal, forged in the heat of the Southern States with low-tuned guitars, leaded bass, strong drumming and hoarse throat. Imagine the crossover bucksaws of Crowbar mixed with brutal hardcore growls (“Grieve a Lifetime”), but diluted with apocalyptic and crushing slow riffs a-la Down (“Screaming into the Sky”) and sincere hardcore fists (“Led into Demise”). Imagine that while listening to music you may get into a fight with the nearest wall. Imagine that the apocalypse is escorted by a sludge-core soundtrack and this is the last thing you will hear before being smashed by the black sky... Actually, you don’t have to imagine. Just buy the CD and invite the rude southern metal blown from the dusty streets of Louisiana in your homes.