ALBUM REVIEW: Kingdom of Lies – Osiah

OSIAH have been carving a bit of a legacy of destruction during their short time as a unit. The deathcore troupe wield the modern sound with real confidence, and have never been afraid to throw their weight around, with vocalist Ricky Lee Roper providing the ever important final sheen with his demonic noises. Ultimately it led to the group being dubbed the heaviest band in the country by Metal Hammer with their previous album Terra Firma. The title was well earnt, but Terra Firma felt like it was missing something that truly allowed it to transcend being just a heavy album.

This is where Kingdom of Lies takes off from their first outing. Things feel personal this time round, as Return To The Old World quite literally gives no breathing room as it opens the album with a brutal thrashing. Things are tight, as one would expect, but there is a venom in the way OSIAH play. The riffs sound clear, and the drums offer a pounding heartbeat for the band to keep in rhythm with as they lampoon the listener with pummeling and jarring breakdowns.

This does lead us to our first downfall of Kingdom of Lies though, and that is whilst it does well to inject the basic deathcore blueprint with ample modern anger, there is still the reliance on crushing breakdowns to really hit home with the sheer gargantuan weight they are clearly going for. Reflections of A Monster is a pretty good example, given that not only does it boast a colossal groove mid song, but also goes for the jugular with it’s despicably brutal final moments. It’s awe inspiring upon first listen, but once the novelty of the drop wears off there remains a need for something else to cling too.

One thing that simply cannot be taken away from OSIAH is the step up from Terra Firma. OSIAH have a clearer understanding of who they are as a unit, and also their capabilities. Which helps result in the frantic riffs of Awakening that are as jagged as a rusty blade, and just as dangerous. Kingdom of Lies feels to be an album of intent from OSIAH, as they not only amp up their intensity from the previously mentioned breakdowns, but also in their lyrics, vocal delivery and general song writing. Hellborn runs at a whiteknuckle pace, and never seems to relent either, instead picking up the pace with each coming section before it all comes crashing down with furious fervor.

OSIAH were already on their way to being shining examples of what a true modern heavy band can sound like. And with Kingdom of Lies, OSIAH return to try and claim the throne by force. Kingdom of Lies benefits from a clearer sense of identity and better songwriting as a result. Whilst the same pitfalls are met by other stable mates, you cannot deny that OSIAH represent a new generation of band that are able to define what it means to be heavy in a modern age. The crystal clear production, whilst contestable with how clean it makes the mix sound, offers a platform for OSIAH to deliver an attempted killing blow with Kingdom of Lies.

Rating: 7/10

Kingdom of Lies is out now via Unique Leader Records. 

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