NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – October 23, 2026
Out Now! Breakdowns, Melody, and Mayhem! Montreal’s KILLED BY SORROW Unleashes New Album “Empire of Excess”
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Montreal metal outfit Killed By Sorrow is proud to announce the release of their brand-new full-length album, “Empire of Excess,” available now as of October 23, 2026. Blending melodic intensity, crushing aggression, and emotionally charged songwriting, the ten-track record represents the band’s most ambitious and refined work to date.
Following the successful release of videos “The End is Near,” “The Burial,” and “Betrayal,” “Empire of Excess” showcases a band continuing to evolve while staying true to the heavy-hitting sound that first connected with fans.
Speaking on behalf of the band, rhythm guitarist Samuel Ham shared insight into the creation and vision behind the album.
“Fans will connect strongly with this release. It captures the intensity and aggression that defined our early sound, but with a more mature and refined mix. Long-time listeners will recognize the roots of Killed By Sorrow, while new fans will appreciate the clearer production, tighter songwriting, and deeper atmosphere. This release feels like a natural evolution while remaining familiar enough for existing fans.”
Melodic, aggressive, emotional, dynamic, and intense, “Empire of Excess” takes listeners on a journey through themes of societal collapse, personal struggle, betrayal, resilience, friendship, and self-discovery. The album balances crushing breakdowns, soaring melodies, punk-infused energy, and memorable hooks across a diverse collection of tracks.
According to Samuel Ham, the band’s goal was simple:
“The goal is to blend heaviness and melody in a way that pulls listeners into the story behind each track. Every song is meant to hit hard, connect on a personal level, and leave listeners with the sense that they’ve gone through something meaningful from start to finish.”
The collaborative nature of Killed By Sorrow has been a key component of the album’s development. Every song was reviewed and refined by the entire band, with primary songwriting duties shared between bassist Martin Bersier-Carpentier and guitarist Samuel Ham. The band also credits Martin for helping shape the group’s evolving sound and bringing a fresh creative perspective to the songwriting process.
Lyrically, “Empire of Excess” explores a wide range of subjects, from apocalyptic devastation in “The End is Near” to consumerism and societal decline in the title track, while songs like “Never Give Up” deliver messages of perseverance and strength. The band intentionally crafted an album with varied moods and styles, ensuring there is something for every listener.
“There is definitely a track that will please any listener. We pride ourselves on making sure the album has a different vibe from start to finish,” adds Ham.
The release also marks a significant milestone for the band, which expanded the project into a full-length album by writing additional material to complete the ten-song collection. Fans can also look forward to more music, with the band’s next album reportedly already well underway.
Known for their energetic stage presence and engaging live performances, Killed By Sorrow continue to build momentum on the local scene, led by frontman Sebastien’s commanding presence and the band’s undeniable chemistry on stage.
Recommended for fans of Unearth, Killswitch Engage, Poison The Well, Trivium, and Lamb of God, “Empire of Excess” is available as of October 23rd, 2026, at the following links:
Spotify – https://killedbysorrow.fanlink.tv/EMPIREOFEXCESS
Bandcamp – https://killedbysorrow.bandcamp.com/
Videos:
“The End is Near” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKZuGNhoqH8
“The Burial” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QAW0l6NjTg
“Betrayal” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0PWyiTedfs
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Track Listing:
1. The End is Near – 3:38
2. Empire of Excess – 3:04
3. The Burial – 3:28
4. Betrayal – 3:51
5. Never Give Up – 2:37
6. All My Brothers – 3:18
7. In The Spotlight – 3:17
8. Killed By Sorrow – 3:29
9. Unchained – 3:42
10. Stay In Line – 3:28
Album Length: 33:55
Band Line-up:
Sébastien Mailloux – Vocals
Martin Bersier-Carpentier – Bass
Tommy Forand – Lead Guitar
Samuel Ham – Guitar Rhythm
Mathieu Lassonde – Drums
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/KilledbySorrow/
https://www.instagram.com/killedbysorrowband
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“Killed by Sorrow frappe très fort avec Empire of Excess et prouve qu’il a tout ce qu’il faut pour se tailler une place parmi les formations à surveiller de la scène metalcore québécoise. Entre les riffs percutants, les refrains accrocheurs et les breakdowns là où ça compte, le groupe livre un album solide qui ne manque ni de mordant ni de personnalité. Les dix morceaux témoignent d’une formation qui sait comment allier puissance et mélodie sans perdre de vue l’efficacité. Bref, KBS nous offre ici un album qui fait plus que le travail et qui donne surtout envie de monter le volume : une bonne dose d’intensité qu’on a envie de se remettre dans les oreilles!” – 9.5/10 – Metal Universe
“Killed by Sorrow hits incredibly hard with Empire of Excess and proves that it has everything it takes to establish itself as one of the bands to watch on Quebec’s metalcore scene. Between the crushing riffs, catchy choruses, and breakdowns that hit exactly where they should, the band delivers a solid album that lacks neither bite nor personality. These ten tracks showcase a band that knows how to combine power and melody without sacrificing effectiveness. In short, KBS delivers an album that goes well beyond expectations and, most importantly, makes you want to crank up the volume. A serious dose of intensity you’ll want to blast through your speakers again and again!” – 9.5/10 – Metal Universe
“The follow up to 2023 sophomore EP “Careless of This Sadness” it (Empire of Excess) represents half an hour of power in ten emotionally charged tunes built on explosive breakdowns and raw emotional intensity.” – Metal Noise
“The band injects plenty of energy and intensity into these songs. ” – Heavy Music Headquarters
“Almost every metal band that writes about death writes about the fight. Killed By Sorrow have gone the other way. The Burial is about the part after the fight is over — the slow, procedural, unglamorous business of the ground closing over someone. It is the second single from Empire Of Excess, the Quebec band’s debut full-length, out October 23. The band call it “a dark, ritual-like descent into death where silence, decay, and inevitability swallow everything.” They are not overselling it. Where first single Betrayal came out swinging, this one takes its time, and the patience is the whole argument.” – See Rock Live Magazine
“The band pulls from metalcore, thrash and progressive metal, with melodic leads and hardcore-punk bite running underneath. The comparisons that come with the release are Unearth, Killswitch Engage, Poison the Well, Trivium and Lamb of God, and the lineage is easy to hear in a style that values big hooks without surrendering the heaviness. It is the kind of crowded, high-energy approach that has long thrived in Quebec’s metal scene, and it sits comfortably alongside the harder Canadian acts we have covered, such as Comeback Kid and Shroud.” – See Rock Live Magazine (The End is Near – single)
“Canadian underground hardcore punks in Killed By Sorrow’s newest single, Betrayal, definitely stays loyal to the metalcore scene by actually sounding like thrash metal tones mixed with a hardcore punk grit and attitude. Heavily distorted rhythms sound closer to your traditional hardcore, but paired with your traditional style of hardcore punk vocals, Betrayal lets you know not to cross Killed By Sorrow. Huge basslines underneath and in-the-pocket drumming made this one an interesting approach in a crowded metalcore genre, and it’s more than worth a few listens.” – Metal Institute of Thrashology (2026)
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