SKALDIC CURSE

Emerging on the scene in 2001, British black metallers Skaldic Curse released their debut album, 'Pathogen', five years later and here arrives sophomore full-length 'World Suicide Machine' on Dark Essence Records. With the press sheet informing me the band's "goal was to create nihilistic and progressive black metal" and inspirations that include Mayhem, Voivod, Darkthrone and Rush, I hold high hopes before spinning this disc of something a little different from the all too often self-imitative genre of black metal. And Skaldic Curse don't disappoint...to a degree. Nihilism seems to be a term inextricably associated with blackened forms of metal which, I guess, manifests lyrically on 'World Suicide Machine' with axiomatically nihilistic themes inherent in the song titles such as 'Genocide Storm' and the album's title track. However, it is the progressive dynamic deployed in their music that transcends these Brits above the glut of many so called black metal acts out there who inexcusably still plague the scene with their mediocre rehashing of the genre's hegemonists. Sure, there are black metal idioms present in all of the tracks here otherwise, beyond the 'nihilistic' lyrics, their claim of affiliation to the genre would be a lie, but their forward thinking compositional approach makes for engaging listening and is where the album really shines. And it is compositional innovation backed up by skilled musicianship as stylistically complex ideas are executed with precise conviction. Check out the polyrhythmic structures on the title track - like a discordantly blackened Rush that gives way to a deftly performed solo over atmospheric clean guitar arpeggios. All in all, very impressive stuff that is worthy of attention by both black metal aficionados and fans of progressive music in general.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Dark Essence Records

Album

WORLD SUICIDE MACHINE

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

43:42

RELEASE DATE:

23rd Feb 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Pest Against Pest
2) World Suicide Machine
3) Worm
4) Genocide Storm
5) Carcinogen
6) Invoking Mai-Being

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

UK

"...it is the progressive dynamic deployed in their music that transcends these Brits above the glut of many so called black metal acts out there who inexcusably still plague the scene with their mediocre rehashing of the genre's hegemonists."