Ukraine's SORROWFUL LAND is a Doom Metal act; a one-man project of Max Molodtsov (from the band EDENIAN).  The band was created in spring of 2014 as a Swedish/Ukrainian collaboration studio act between Peter Laustsen (WHEN NOTHING REMAINS, NOX AUREA and Max Molodtsov. In July, 2014 "On Another's Sorrow" promo demo-track was released (the only track Peter participated in, he recorded the clean vocals parts). In early 2016 Peter Laustsen left SORROWFUL LAND. On November, 7, 2016, their debut album "Of Ruins..." was released through the Solitude Productions. Today, Max presents his latest album titled "I Remember."

"And Wilt Thou Weep when I am Low" opens with some depressing and somber piano notes, leading to a slow riff, with plenty of punch. Think SWALLOW THE SUN. The vocals are clean but effective at wrenching the life out of you with a slow bleed. "When the World's Gone Cold" opens with solitary guitar notes, leading to another weighted riff, with some lead guitar notes. When the Death vocals come in, they are almost low enough to tip the scales of the cosmos. They contrast nicely with the clean vocals here as well, sounding like the breath of the coldest wind that you can imagine. "A Father I Never Had" is another slow, lumbering track with heavy accents and anguished spoken words. The lyrics read "father that I never had, for me you were always dead...liar, lie to me again, gone forever...father that I never had, for me you were always dead...liar, would you like to me? Gone forever...the death vocals are angry screams calling out in anguish.

"Weep on, Weep on" is similar, though those Death vocals never cease to amaze me, sounding like they are coming from Lucifer himself. The doom and gloom are dialed up to the point where you feel like tossing in the towel of life. "I am the only Being Whose Doom" features some semi-harsh vocals with some soaring cleans, and low Death growls. This trifecta works well with the music...soft piano notes and ultra-low guitar notes that linger like the after-effects of a fire that burned for weeks. "The Kingdom of Nothingness" closes the album, opening with melancholy keys and a lot of dejection. The lyrics read "Thy monopoly of suffering, the dreaming of decay, corrosion lasts forever, in never ending prey." The delicate piano notes provide some balance to a song that drags you down deeper and deeper into despair.

Overall, this is a delightfully depressing affair. A little more variation from track to track could have gone a long way on the album, but it's excellent. Cold winds blow on a frozen landscape of grey as far as the eye can see. What stands out on the album is the varied vocal technique. I reviewed "Of Ruins..." and don't remember this many guest vocalists on that album as compared to this new one. Most bring a level of pain and anguish that haven't been felt before, and are the perfect accompaniment to the music.