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Album Reviews : Red Descending – Kingdoms

By on September 13, 2011

With its epic sounding folk introduction, one would be easily forgiven for forecasting an album full of grandiose fables of heroic proportions. And given the overall impression of Red Descending’s album Kingdoms, one isn’t too far off the mark, with both the lyrical and musical aspects of the band’s second full length moulding a solid hours of gallant material.

Formed in 2003, the bands previous work showed promise alongside signs of immaturity in musicianship and song writing. Thankfully, the four-piece have taken the step up they needed with a more coherent approach from a group who have begun to understand their music

Tracks such as Infected Misery and Inferno show ample love to bands like Insomnium and Kalmah, with the melodies and tremolo picking lending moments that qualify as some of the highlights of the album. Another standout is Reprieve, which with a fantastic grooving middle segment and chunky riffing enticing live headbanging.

Kingdoms delivers a solid collection of Symphonic Melodic Death metal tracks, with a key folk tinge in both melody and lyrical composition that’s worth a look into if you’re a fan of bands such as Equilibrium, Insomium and Battlelore. Fantasy heads will enjoy the triumphant folk skewed lyrics, talking about battles, journeys and such, while those who enjoy a cleanly produced album will also revel, with a great mix giving focus where there needs in the varying dark and triumphant sections.

7/10

Band: Red Descending
Album: Kingdoms
Year: 2011
Genre: Death/Folk Metal
Label: Self Released
Origin: Perth, Australia
http://www.reddescending.com/

Track listing:
1. Intro
2. Burned To Death
3. Inferno
4. Kings of Torture
5. Reprieve
6. Infected Misery
7. Through Unknown
8. This Endless War
9. The Wilderness
10. Kingdoms

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