Release
date: June
12th
2020.
Label: Ripple
Music.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Excruciation
– Tracklisting
1.
Suicide By Drummer
2.
Disaster In Denial
3.
Novembre
4.
Worry Garden
5.
Excruciation
6.
Infinite Regression
7.
Black Box Warning
8.
Devil Doctor Blues
9.
Phoenix Risin’
Members
Ron
Vanacore – Guitars & Vocals
Brendan
Keefe – Bass & Vocals
Robert
Ives – Drums
Review
Stoner/Doom
Metallers Curse The Son had quite the journey between their new album
Excruciation and last album Isolator released back in 2016. The band
have changed band members and bassist Brendan Keefe suffered a
terrible accident back in 2018 and just when the band started
recording this album. Fast forward to 2020 and Curse The Son are back
with perhaps their heaviest and most devastating album to date.
The
band have progressed with the dark and heavy sounds heard on their
last album. Drawing on past musical influences such as Black
Sabbath, Saint Vitus and even Soundgarden. Excruciation is the type
of album that will feel right at home with both old school
Doom/Stoner Metal fans and Grunge Fans. As this album offers
listeners the best of both worlds and then some with enough inventive
heavy sounds to last a few albums never-mind just one.
Opening
song – Suicide By Drummer – is a bleak and dark offering with the
band showing their new style of music with the Doom Metal part of
their sound being the main driving force here. Strands of Classic
Hard Rock, Stoner Metal and Grunge play an equal part as well but
Curse The Son thrive on the more bleaker Sabbathian based grooves
they play here. Add a few claustrophobic Psychedelic riffs towards
the end of the song and Curse The Son are brimming with confidence
from start to finish.
Second
song – Disaster In Denial – has a 70’s Doom seedy underbelly
with twisted heavy guitars and drumming being played at a slow pace
and having a grizzled FUCKED-UP attitude to match. The vocals have a
slight Chris Cornell and Ozzy Osbourne vibe but with a more chilling
effect. The music can be quite “Drone” based in places but it
gives the album a whole gloomy dramatic effect.
The
rest of the album follows the same path as the opening two songs with
Curse The Son becoming more and more confident with their hybrid
Grunge, Doom and Stoner Metal sound allowing their band experiment
with the more twisted Psychedelic parts the album ultimately possess.
Standout
songs on the album include – Novembre, Worry Garden, Excruciation,
Black Box Warning and Devil Doctor Blues. As these are the songs that
Curse The Son ultimately excel at by playing wickedly addictive riffs
that’s helped along by superb lyrics and first rate vocals provided
by Ron and Brendan.
The
band are helped along by Robert Ives on drumming duties and he brings
his own style of drumming compared to previous drummer Michael
Petrucci. Robert could have easily followed Michael’s lead on drums
but he does his own thing on the album and this allows Curse The Son
to play a different style of music compared to previous releases.
Robert is part of Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal collective – Problems
With Dragons – if you want to check out his other great band.
Anyway,
this is Curse The Son’s show and what a show they have in store for
long time fans of the band with Excruciation. The album is bolstered
by top-notch production once again which is part of the parcel when
you’re currently signed to Ripple Music.
Excruciation
is another outstanding record from Curse The Son and you wouldn’t
expect anything less from this great band.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage
PR for the promo. Excruciation will be available to buy on
CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from June 12th 2020.
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