BRIGHT CURSE
“BEFORE THE SHORE”
Album Review By Barry Vest Sr
10/10
Another 70’s vibe and another killer groove. Metal of the 70’s is back in full swing with this whole retro-metal deal. I really enjoy it and it definitely takes me back. Now we just need a new millennium Woodstock and life will be complete. Lady Freedom rocks us out right out of the gates and the music keeps coming with entry two, The Shore. A slow and melodic venture into another place and time. A little over halfway the tempo picks up and the band’s power rears up, only to mellow back out and break into some bluesy guitar work. Beautiful work ascending into controlled chaos, with crashing cymbals and a bass guitar laying on thick constitutions of self-awareness. Oh the power of invocation, the presence gained is phenomenal here.
What a couple of killer openers, followed by this cool cat track getting my leg and torso moving. Hell, I’m even typing to the beat, how crazy. Cheating Pain, musically, is killing it. However, the background vocals here fall a little flat. Just a nit-pick from a parent of a Chorus Major. Nevertheless, the song’s interlude is haunting and comes back strong with a killer hook and wonderful beat that keeps me stomping.
Starting out slow and crashing a crescendo into the opening lyrics of Walking In a Graveyard (Bloody Witch), this song is strong. A feeling of a smoke filled bar down the cellar stairs, late at night. Starting in a chair with a neat 20 year-old scotch and a killer Cuban cigar. Only to find yourself around the 2-minute mark spilling that scotch as you jump from the table to rock the fuck out! Dammit man, this song works into a fever pitch at 3:12, and will have you screaming “HELL YEAH” while you feel like the only one in the room. Oh, wait a minute, I am! How crazy was that… I gotta say this is the best song I’ve heard in a long while. It has it all. Fan-fucking-tastic!!
If the previous track wasn’t good enough for you then don’t fret, because there is not just one on this album, oh no. It seems that these guys don’t know how to write bad material. Therefore, I get no breather at all. Which, by the way, is perfectly fine for me. As the slow beat starts, you know it’s going to be a killer ride. You can just feel it in the bass line of Candles and Flowers. The feeling behind the lyrics to every song really sells them. It’s like the early days of The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, etc. I even hear a little Danzig in there…wtf?!? How did they pull that off? This is going on the Ipod for sure. Loving this track as well. It all feels so live and the feedback is there with the echo, so authentic.
Northern Sky takes us to church with the organ. The temple, however, is a beautiful woman and the song builds like explosive sex in a strobe light. Disorienting and totally fulfilling as the song fades off at the tap of the cymbal. Last but not least, we have the outro Earth’s Last Song. A showcase of bluesy goodness. I’m back in that bar, sitting back down for a reprieve. Well then, I will not be sitting still by any means. Goodness gracious, they even managed to metal up the blues. You have to check out this song brother. You know who you are… Wow, 5 minutes in and it’s still getting good. Damn! So old school badass! Oh my god, the instrumental sections are just freaking mental!!!!!!! This song may start slow, but you better wait for it. You will thank me!
Well, I’m gobsmacked. This is a piece of fine art here. The cover, the lyrics, the musicianship, it is amazing on an epic scale. I can’t even believe what I’ve just heard. This album must be, I REPEAT, must be a part of any metalhead’s collection that is worth a grain of salt. Seriously it belongs beside the greats. I must see these guys live or I will simply not be relevant anymore. Good freaking God this album is perfect. Thank you!
Bright Curse are:
Romain “Shaman” Daut (Vocals/Guitar)
Max Ternebring (Bass)
Zacharie Mizzi (Drums)
TRACKLIST
Lady Freedom
The Shore
Cheating Pain
Walking In A Graveyard (Bloody Witch)
Candles And Flowers
Northern Sky
Earth’s Last Song
http://brightcurse.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BrightCurse/?fref=nf
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