Artist..: War Curse

Album...: Confession

Genre...: Metal                      | Label...: Blacklight Media
Year....: 2023                       | Cat.No..:

R.date..: 2023-10-19                 | S.date..: 2023-10-20

Source..: WEB (24bit)                | Encoder.: libFLAC
Bitrate.: 1713kbps avg.              | F.Rate..: 44.1kHz

http://open.qobuz.com/album/n89ttj4hyx5kc

Disc 1 / 1

01. The Nothing (That is Me)                                        5:06
02. Fortress of Agony                                               3:24
03. Confession                                                      4:07
04. Miracle Broker                                                  3:19
05. Power of the Powerless                                          4:45
06. The Convoy                                                      5:13
07. Return to Dust                                                  4:49
08. Sowing Division                                                 4:20
09. Rusty Nail                                                      3:26
10. Illusion of Choice                                              4:27

(552.27MB) 00:42:56

Ohio bruisers War Curse return after having unlocked their thrash shackles
with something a bit more melodic. Don’t worry there is still the
requisite amount of razor sharp riffage but they’ve expanded their sound
to something darker and punchier. The band put this change down to the
recruitment of singer Blaine Gordon who is more versatile than the fella
before thus allowing the band to develop their songs.

Opener ‘The Nothing (That Is Me)’ starts with some dark melodic lines
before a twin lead gets us to the grungy riff and Gordon shows us his
masculine pipes. They ease back on the chorus before changing gears on the
verses. ‘Fortress Of Agony’ starts slow and is crushingly heavy before
they kick it up the butt and it drives along on Johnnie Wallace’s bass
line then ‘Confession’ keeps the crush going. The subject matter is pretty
heavy too, I won’t spoil it for you but suffice to say the band are saying
what needs to be said! Wallace gives us another fine line as the guitars
join him on the riff for ‘Miracle Broker’ and Gordon gives us his harsher
voice to put the point across. It’s heavy as hell and the punches leave
huge bruises everywhere and it continues on ‘Power Of The Powerless’ which
gallops along into the modern groove metal of ‘The Convoy’ ain’t no
‘Rubber Duck’ (showing my age) on this – just huge down tuned guitars and
a battering from drummer James Goetz. This is arena sized modern metal and
another fine almost operatic vocal from Gordon. ‘Return To Dust’ has an
epic feel as it grinds into your head and unceremoniously squats there.
It’s huge, heavy and hard to shift. ‘Sowing Division’ is not about
needlework! If it is, it’s heaviest song about tapestry and cross
stitching I’ve ever heard. This stomps and crushes with cement boots.
Things pick up a pace on the jagged ‘Rusty Nail’ before the final chug
fest of ‘Illusion Of Choice’ shows the bands thrash roots.

I like heavy music, but I also like melodic music and when you add the
best of both you get a wonderful mix. Guitarists Justin Roth and Joshua
Murphy have given us some of the heaviest riffage and singer Blaine Gordon
has added some fabulous melodies with his clean voice. Somehow it makes it
heavier and more accessible for the listener. There are a few of these
bands coming up like Pryma and King Herd and now War Curse are here. This
is impressive with fine songcraft in evidence and a superb production. The
band used their full live rigs in the studio so what you hear on the
record is what you will hear on stage. They say it’s not perfect – hey
it’s come close though. Thoroughly recommended you would be a fool not to
get this!

ixxu!imp