Cursed, III: Architects of Troubled Sleep
There’s got to be something going on in Canada to really piss off the dudes from Cursed. III: Architects of Troubled Sleep is an abrasive, caustic and thoroughly infuriated album chock full of noise, chaotic drums, sludge and bitter vocals. Purveyors of noisy, grinding hardcore, the quartet tear through track after track channeling all those worldly elements that infuriate to no end — served cold and stripped down to it’s utmost, ugly core.
Building on their collective influences, Cursed are, at one moment, trudging through sludgy swamps of the bayou and then jumping into a rusty blender the next, bouncing all over the place haphazardly to great effect. Never one for complacency, the band makes good on the title of this latest effort — there’s no rest of the listener when it comes to this raging album.
Architects of Troubled Sleep
The opening track is built on several choice sound clips. It’s an intro, but an important one as it let’s the listener in on what to expect topically from Cursed.
Night Terrors
After that brief intro a huge scream erupts violently from the speakers and the band tears into the first song on the album. This minute and a half track is volcanic and unstable. It’s aggressive, grinding hardcore in the vein of Converge mixed with Discharge and perhaps a little Napalm Death in there. What a way to really open up the album.
Magic Fingers
Wasting no time, the band transitions into “Magic Fingers” with muddy, sludgy riffs and pummeling drums. This is a churning track full of chugging riffs and raw, uncompromising vocals. The shift at the 2:35 mark, right before the end of the song is killer.
Antihero Resuscitator
I love the opening build up of this next song. It continues to build and build upon itself until the caustic vocals come in. Surprisingly, it’s actually got a great groove to it.
Friends in the Music Business
There is zero transition from track to track as the band shifts to thick, sludgy riffs on this great song. Railing against the ills of the music industry, Cursed lumber through big guitar tones and a crushing bass/drum combination through the sarcastically titled “Friends in the Music Business.” Throw in some static and noise along with the repetitive final lyrics and you have yourself an instant classic.
Into the Hive
“Into the Hive” boils over at the seams as Cursed pile drive your already dented skull through the floor boards with crushing noise and riffs. It’s Cursed at their best.
III
The title track starts out with a memorable riff before the rest of the band joins in, creating a solid wall of doom. The instrumental track ends with one finel thick explosion from the band.
Unnecessary Person
This one has a tortured feel to it, driven by the lead vocals. I’m sure the feeling of being “unnecessary” can’t be a good one to have — this song sounds exactly as I believe that overwelming emotion must feel like. This is a slowly paced, erie track with warbling guitar tones and plodding drum work. It’s a bit of a change up for the band, yet works well building off of the sound of “III.”
Hegel’s Bastards
After the sludgy and doomy “Unnecessary Person,” Cursed pick the pace back up following a brief sound clip. “Hegel’s Bastards” is a driving, churning piece of metal full of creative drum work and noisy guitars. There’s a chugging repetition to this one that works well in reinforcing the lyrics.
Dead Air at the Pulpit
The chaotic opening to this next track transitions seamlessly from the previous as the band crunch their way through the album. The vocals get a little drowned in the churning riffs and bludgeoning drums here and there, but overall this is a crushing song.
Gutters
The final track on III starts off slowly with an erie bit of discordant guitar work. The slightly melancholy guitar is the only musical element on this 7 minute plus instrumental besides the closing sound clip. After the caustic ride through the previous 10 tracks, this was an appropriate end to the trip.
~ ~ ~
Taking cues from their past releases and their overall influences, Cursed’s latest album is full of anti-social vitriol and noise filled, grinding hardcore. Fans of the band will be delighted with III: Architects of Troubled Sleep and new fans will have plenty to sink their sick, fetid teeth into. Prepare to be bulldozed.
Favorite Tracks:
All of them
Additional Notes:
N/A