DESECRATE was formed in Istanbul, Turkey in 2005 by Oğuz Bulgurlular and Akcan Ergin. In 2006, they released the "Gods are Crying" demo, followed by an EP of the same name in 2009. They went on to release three singles - "Black Mask", "Schizophrenia" and "War" before releasing their first full-length album "Schizophrenia" in 2018. "Kingdom" is DESECRATE'S sophomore album released through WormHoleDeath in 2020.

DESECRATE play a style of riffy Melodic Death Metal that is remarkably heavy for the genre. While the guitar work is more in the vein of IRON MAIDEN than any kind of Death Metal, there is a really heavy use of double bass employed that adds a more brutal tone to the music. This gives the songs a thicker, heavier, meatier sound that winds up being more brutal than the "Power Metal with raspy vocals" format than many Melodic Death Metal bands stick to. The opening song "Narcissus" is a good example of this. While the main riff sounds like it could have come straight from "Piece of Mind", the thundering double bass drumming adds a layer of brutish force, reinforcing the galloping nature of the guitars. "Chaos" and "FTS" follow in a similar manner, although the double bass sections are more broken up with a more defined staccato gallop to their rhythm.

Melodic Death Metal usually stands or falls by the strength of its riffs and melodies. This is a strong point for DESECRATE as "Kingdom" is full of catchy, melodic riffs that hook the audience in on first listen. The aforementioned 'Narcissus' along with epic and majestic songs like 'Warchant' really drive this home. The style of melody is somewhere between classic 80s MAIDEN-esque Heavy Metal, Power Metal and Gothenburg-style Melodic Death Metal of the late 90s but of course underpinned by a heavier, more modern rhythm section.
"Cold of Death" has an interesting sound to it. Driven by melodic Heavy/Power Metal riffs, there is an interesting use of cymbals and percussion during some sections, adding an unusual layer to the music. The quality of the drumming on "Kingdom" should not be understated - it is very creative and essential to DESECRATE'S sound.

What gives "Kingdom" its kick is not just the strong songwriting, but the overall sound and production that gives it that heavy bottom end. It's important that this album is played on good speakers or headphones, as something is missing without that brutal underpinning. Combined with the high quality songwriting and musicianship, "Kingdom" is one of the best Melodic Death Metal albums I've heard for a while, and it's clear that the band worked hard to push the record into heavier directions with their rhythmic base. I would recommend "Kingdom" to fans of Melodic Death Metal, conventional Death Metal like BOLT THROWER, Power Metal and Heavy Metal in general.