SORROWFUL LAND is a one band melodic death/doom project from the Ukraine that was formed in 2014 by mastermind Max Molodtsov in 2014. “Faded Anchors Of The Past,” is the project's third full length album; he has also released one demo, an EP, and a split album. This is my first experience with SORROWFUL LAND but I am impressed—this is one solid doom album. This album zeroes in on what makes this style of doom so great. It is appropriately dark and heavy but Max’s ability to write a song is undeniably strong—all eight tracks are well put together. Despite their length and all the content within, they flow well. The album is a little over an hour long but never once does it get boring or go off the rails.<p>
It certainly doesn’t hurt the album to have a plethora of great guest stars. Pierre Laube (Doomed), Henrik Ekholm (Hadriel), Stefan Nordstorm (Soliloquium and Desolator, among others), Kaivan Saraei (A Dream Of Poe), and Bruno Spell (A Dream Of Poe) all lend their considerable talents to the already very capable Max. The overall sound is slow and melodic, taking almost a funeral doom quality at times but not as cavernous. As the cover art might suggest, the seas may be dark and rough but also wide open to possibilities. Despite the overall sullen mood, this album is a fun and pleasurable listen because I can just feel the love and care that went into its making by all parties involved.<p>
“As Long As We Breathe,” begins the album and I immediately noticed how much the bass pops through the production—great, because doom always needs that low end. Speaking of low end, how about those death growls? Ridiculously good yet I can understand what he is saying. The song is pieced together by well placed melodic leads and back up with intricate drumming and subtle but effective keyboards. All the songs are focused on the instrumental aspect but…..also just as focused on the vocals. It nails them both, as evident in this song. “The Cold Gray Fog Of Dawn,” begins simple but smoky as the images the title might conjure. Through the low hanging clouds of dense, distorted doom riffs bits of melodic, both clean and otherwise, shine through. The cleans and death growls work so well here. The broken, crunchy riffs and the drums keep the song going strong while the lead guitar steers it towards the vocals, which in turn let the bass shine. This song just shows how each piece of this album is put together to benefit the one after it. Amazing song writing.<p>
The death growls on “As I Behold Them Once Again,” are among the best on the album—harrowing but marking the importance of the sorrow laced melodies and spoken word that comes afterwards. The lead guitar rules this song, highlighting each moment for the other instruments to show their prowess yet telling a story on its own. The later half is magical, what with the clever keyboards and guitars that swirl together to bring about a strong finish. “The Night Is Darkening Around Me,” does have a certain feel to it that lends itself to sounding even better after dark. The beginning is simple but the song writing subtleties cannot be denied as more and more layers are added. As this musical tapestry climbs it paints an ever darkening picture. The lead guitar and death growls both compare and contrast each other to the music around them but, much like night itself, it is what you can’t see that has the most impact. The spaces in between, the little moments as the song builds itself speak volumes.<p>
The final track, “When Oceans Calm,” is a nice outro and one that actually fits the mood and atmosphere of the album. After the huge journey my ears just finished, having a nice, serene moment isn’t a bad idea although I wouldn’t have complained it was longer and more detailed. Still, a fine way to end a fine album. SORROWFUL LAND’S “Faded Anchors Of The Past,” is a monumental album full of scope but the song writing and instrumental chops to back it up. There is no way this album won’t be remembered as the months of this year tick by.<p>
