Kingdom of the Lie – About The Rising Star

Kingdom of the Lie is a Polish (Kętrzyn) death metal veteran band active in the early ’90s. Released on December 12th, 2025, by Moans Music, the official remastered reissue of About the Rising Star resurrects the 1993 cult demo by this Polish quartet. The line-up responsible for the release of the 23-minute, 6-track demo is comprised of: Daniel Ejmont (guitar & vocals), Paweł Palmowski (guitar), Marcin Matysiak (drums), and Darek Lotek (bass). Furthermore, About The Rising Star features guest guitar solos by Piotr “Peter” Wiwczarek of Vader.

Originally recorded in 1993, this 2025 release is a tribute to the late co-creator Marcin “Cinek” Matysiak. The first notable thing is the sound and atmosphere; back in 1993, the band already managed to find the right, uncompromising balance between raw brutality and technical skill. Additionally, the contributions by Vader’s Piotr Wiwczarek give the record massive historical value. Speaking of the late Marcin Matysiak, I find his drumming performance to be the dynamic heart of the album, driving the songs forward with numerous, often complex tempo shifts, precise fills, a distinct groove, and a few blast beats. Apart from the drums, their sound is driven forward by deep, fierce guttural vocals and a highly prominent bass, providing a warm, thick, and vividly audible groove that anchors the complex riffing of Paweł Palmowski.

The overall sound and production value have been updated for this re-release. Thus, the updated version of the six songs from About the Rising Star features a brand-new master by Michał “Miotła” Grabowski. The sound is cleaned up while still preserving the dark, raw, and authentic ’90s atmosphere depicted above.

The updated front cover artwork for the 2025 reissue draws direct inspiration from the original 1993 cassette release. It was designed and created by Polish artist Andrzej Kuziola, known for his work with Betrayer and Hideous Divinity.

About The Rising Star 2025 is highly recommended for all genre purists who worship honest, brutal, raw, yet technically skilled European-style death metal and bands like Vader, Christ Agony, Damnation, Deicide, and other Vader-era contemporaries.

You can stream the full demo at the link below, and you can still order the physical formats (limited vinyl and CDs) directly via the Kingdom of the Lie Bandcamp page.