Sorrow - Forgotten Sunrise

SORROW - Forgotten Sunrise (R/C Records CD 1991)

Normally you would think that if it's 1992 and you're in death metal band, which just got signed to one of the bigger labels around, then the success is guaranteed. For many bands it surely was, but there are always some exceptions. Take a look at Sorrow, an American death metal, which was signed to R/C Records. This label managed to do a great job for bands like Obituary, Sepultura, Deicide, Pestilence or Suffocation. But Sorrow was unlucky one. They released two materials for R/C: "Forgotten Sunrise" EP in 1991 and "Hatred and Disgust" album in 1992. They are solid releases, yes, but that's pretty much all you can say about Sorrow, because the band never managed to get more attention. They were just another mediocre death metal band in the old days, without the quality, which would allow them to join the top league of death metal. I'm almost surprised that they even managed to get signed to R/C! They were just not good enough in my opinion! Sure, it was a solid band, you can enjoy their music, but it's far from the quality of top R/C bands from that time.  

Sorrow with "Forgotten Sunrise" is a decent sounding underground band, which you could place in the same box with US bands like Accidental Suicide, Gutted, Morgue, Cianide, Paralysis. They were all bunch of good and interesting old death metal bands, who did some solid recordings, but which you cannot say that were especially groundbreaking and influential. At the time of 1991-93 their albums have mostly gone unnoticed, and only now they get more attention and appreciation, simply because nowadays everything that's death metal and is from the early 90's is immediately called killer, cult and classic, even if it's not. 

"Forgotten Sunrise" brings four doomy death metal tracks. They sound fine, I definitely like the gloomy, sort of mournful aura of their music, which at the same time sounds really heavy and brutal. You can definitely spot some influence from Death, Obituary, Cianide, Winter, even Delirium. So, they had good influences, they also had some great riffs for sure and everything was not that bad at all, but... But this EP didn't age so well and nowadays it all sounds not only quite boring, but sloppy and just terribly mediocre also. I don’t know, if it's a matter of production or maybe this music just sounds lazy and forgettable, but it completely lacks vitality, power and aggression, which would make you want to bang the head and crush you into putrid pieces. This music should feel like every sound was going to bring utter destruction and be massive heavy. "Forgotten Sunrise", even though is not bad, lacks that aspect and so it doesn't have an impact I would want it to have. Yes, there are some good riffs, quite nice guitar work here and there, but that's all positive I can find here. The vocals are weak, the drumming is boring and all together this EP lacks tension and something more than just decent quality.  

As I mentioned above, it seems like the music didn't age that well. For some it may be a positive thing, for others it won't be. It doesn't sound as archaic as bands like Delirium, but just compare it to such "Cause of Death". "Cause of Death" 25 years since its recording still sounds incredibly strong and unbelievably brutal. I know that there are two different budgets, two different qualities. But even bands like Gutted or Accidental Suicide sound fantastic these days, while "Forgotten Sunrise" isn't more than your average death / doom. So, I wouldn't put this EP in the list of "must to have in my collection" releases. You can skip it, save the money for something else, especially if you're more picky. It's better to grab  "Hatred and Disgust", which personally I like a little bit more. 

Standout tracks: "Awaiting the Savior" probably? 

Final rate: 65/100