New Music Review: ARRIVAL OF AUTUMN ‘Kingdom Undone’

ARRIVAL OF AUTUMN 'Kingdom Undone' - COVER PHOTO

Rating: 8 / 10 Stars

ARRIVAL OF AUTUMN is: Jamison Friesen (vocals), Ryan Sorensen (guitar), Brendan Anderson (guitar), Ty Fox (drums), Liam Frith (bass)

REVIEW – Some albums don’t just emerge—they erupt, shaped by the unforgiving landscapes that bore them. Arrival of Autumn, hailing from the remote chill of Grande Prairie, Alberta, deliver exactly that kind of record with their sophomore full-length, Kingdom Undone. Released via Nuclear Blast, this eleven-track behemoth isn’t simply a collection of heavy songs—it’s a statement of identity carved into permafrost and rage.

280 miles north of Edmonton on the road to Alaska, Grande Prairie isn’t exactly a musical epicenter. It’s a place where snow blankets the ground for more than half the year, where bear attacks are more common than band showcases. Yet from this icy isolation, Arrival of Autumn has forged something uniquely explosive: a fusion of technical precision, raw metalcore aggression, and melodic altitude that hits like a blizzard in motion.

Formed by lifelong friends Jamison Friesen (vocals) and Brendan Anderson (guitar), and later joined by Ty Fox (drums), Ryan Sorensen (guitar), and Liam Frith (bass), the band channels the restless energy of the cold into something defiant and urgent. Drawing influence from heavyweights like Dream Theater, Opeth, and Bullet For My Valentine, the group first made waves with 2019’s Harbinger, sharing stages with In Flames and other genre titans. But Kingdom Undone isn’t a follow-up—it’s a level-up.

Right out of the gate, opener “Scars” sets the tone: fierce, technical, and emotionally confrontational. “Why don’t you show your scars?” becomes less a lyric and more a demand—for vulnerability, for authenticity, for truth in a world built on performative strength.

That theme is masterfully echoed in the lead single “Ghosts,” a devastating indictment of historical genocide masked by religious dogma. With blunt-force riffs and a haunting chorus, the song addresses Canada’s shameful past—specifically, the unmarked graves of Indigenous children abused by the Catholic Church. It’s one of the record’s most powerful moments, both musically and morally. “Genocidal hate” is not just a line—it’s a wound being ripped open and disinfected with sound.

But the band doesn’t just dwell in the dark. Tracks like “One More Day” and “Trust” charge forward with defiant resolve. The former rides galloping riffs into a melodic chorus that offers just enough light to guide you through the misery: “You’re at the end of your rope, but hang on.” It’s gritty. It’s grounded. And it hits with the honesty of someone who’s been there.

“Bury Me” and “Hallowed” bring the album to a climax, with seismic solos and guttural wails that serve as both catharsis and closure. The final notes of Kingdom Undone don’t fade—they linger, like steam rising off cracked earth.

Producer Mark Lewis (Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder) shapes the entire record with razor-sharp clarity. Every riff snaps. Every scream cuts. Every groove lands with purpose.

Ultimately, Arrival of Autumn doesn’t just aim to be another cog in the metalcore machine. They’re crafting a sound that feels like it could only come from their corner of the world—frigid, fierce, and ferociously alive. Kingdom Undone captures what it means to feel displaced, ignored, and angry—but still willing to fight for something more.

So don’t come expecting comfort. Come expecting fire in the snow.