Album Reviews

Holy fuckin’ shit! Cursed’s new album should have no problem doing for CD’s what “The Ring” did for videotapes. The only difference? You don’t have to wait a week before you die, your heart will simply explode after the last notes of “III : Architects Of Troubled Sleep” have faded out.

After “II” and last year’s EP “Blackout At Sunrise”, Cursed had everyone waiting for new material and I have to say that it doesn’t disappoint for one single second. These dudes have to be the meanest, most vicious hardcore band around and they come at you with an all-out visceral attack. The album starts with a nasty collage of soundclips that helps set the mood before these guys blow you away with “Night Terrors”. Vocalist Chris Colohan’s screams never sounded sicker while he’s exorcising all of his personal demons at the same time and one song probably does for this guy what ten years in therapy would never achieve. And the best thing about it is that the guy actually has smart, eloquent lyrics and along with all of the chips on his shoulder (organized religion, the daily drudgeries of life, politics,…), this is a killer combo.

Throw in some truly scary sounding buzzsaw guitars and a drummer who’s beating his drumkit like the damn thing ran over his dog, raped his girlfriend and shot his grandmother and you know you’ve got one massive album on your hands that will have lesser hardcore bands running for shelter. While they stay true to their sludgy, crusty and downright dirty brand of hardcore, they’ve written a more varied album and coupled it to a flawless execution. “III” is definitely the band’s best album so far and probably even the best hardcore album I’ve heard this year.