This is the debut album from US death/doom metal band Rotting Kingdom.

Rotting Kingdom’s 2017 EP of the same name was one that I very much enjoyed, so now that a full length is on the horizon, it’s time to immerse ourselves in the band’s worthy take on the death/doom style. At only 38 minutes in duration, A Deeper Shade of Sorrow is shorter than many albums of this style, and therefore doesn’t outstay its welcome. In fact, I could easily have taken a little more material.

This is old-school death metal and mournful doom merged exquisitely well. Some songs, (or parts of them), veer more towards death metal or doom than others, but overall Rotting Kingdom blend the two styles with affecting ease. There’s a modern touch to the songs too, which gives the band’s music a vibrancy that is absent from many of their peers.

Rotting Kingdom have a good grasp of sorrowful melodies, and they’re slotted into the musical structures in just the right places for maximum effect. There are lots of interesting and effective creative ideas strewn around the album, and each song has something, (usually many somethings), that gives it its own identity and character. Atmospheric flourishes and progressive enhancements help to further elevate this album well above the standard.

Full of well-crafted compositions, A Deeper Shade of Sorrow offers both emotive impact and dark heaviness. Tied together with songwriting skill and immersive performances, Rotting Kingdom are a band that have arrived with some considerable force.

Essential listening.