The two-man project known as GRAVE FLOWERS is the brainchild of Godgory mastermind Matte Andersson. Musically I feel remembered of Amorphis (Tales From A 1000 Lakes), Paradise Lost (Gothic, Icon) and partly My Dying Bride, so we are speaking about gothic metal with many guitar harmonies (sometimes extensive leads) and discreet keyboards. Singing is continuously clean and a little bit similar to Count Raven in its accent and pitch of voice amplified by some doom elements shining through.
With At Night and Lackrosy GRAVE FLOWERS give a good introduction to Incarcerated Sorrows: wonderful melodies, skilful breaks and necessary variety at right places added by a well-dosed pinch of melancholy. But already the next song Fear Of Future cannot hold this ground. Despite of deep singing and wonderful acoustic guitars this song displays lulling lengthy parts. Also most of the following songs show weaknesses proceeding with the same formula: starting strong, sagging stronger. They rarely manage to keep the aimed tension over the entire length of a song. Latest with the second strophe signs of boredom show up. That cannot work well.
Particularly negative examples are the two songs at the end of Incarcerated Sorrows, whereas Matte Andersson also reaches his vocal limits in Cold Dispair. The last song on the purchasable version of this CD is suitably a cover version of Count Raven’s Leaving The Warzone. It is not on this promo CD but I can imagine that this version is well done. It’s perfectly suiting GRAVE FLOWERS stylistics.
Nevertheless, Incarcerated Sorrows is definitely one of the worse Firebox releases. Due to mentioned lacks and missing originality I just rate with 5,5 points.