Endless Wound

Black Curse is a blackened death metal side project formed by Morris Kolontyrsky and Eli Wendler of Blood Incantation and Spectral Voice. They released their first demo titled "Endless Wound" in 2019 that served as a preview of what was to come. However, no one expected their debut album "Endless Wound" that released next year to sound as destructive and brutal as it was. Not only is it an improvement of their previous demo, but it pulls off a sick blend of black and death metal that left listeners speechless.

From the first track "Charnel Rift", the main basis of the instrumentals lean towards the death metal side, with the guitars playing deep and ugly riffs while the drums beat in a technical, almost hypnotic beat pattern. However, there is also plenty of black metal elements thrown into the instruments, most notable in the riffs, where some of the riffs in the track have a raw and loud sound that evokes a more disturbing and eerie atmosphere that only adds to the brutality of the sound. There's even a bit of death/doom influences in some parts of the album, most notably in "Enraptured by Decay", where the mood is generally more slower and agonizing than usual, bringing in a more bombastic soundscape in the mix. While this album does use a bunch of styles in extreme metal, each is done well enough that it doesn't overshadow others, effectively being a perfect mix between the dark and brutal elements of black metal and death metal. While both Charnel Rift and Enraptured by Decay are my personal favorites, I also really like "Crowned in (Floral) Vice" and especially the final track 'Finality I Behold" with its devastating riffs. With these genres blended together, this album shows little to no mercy with brutal and deep riffs and drumming that pound with passion.

As for the vocals, they're also just as disturbing. Eli Wendler does the vocals on here, and his voice is no doubt one of the best elements on this album. While he does some typical deep growls found in the most death metal albums, it's his intense high-pitched shrieks that really leave a mark on the tracks, particularly in "Endless Wound". Given the track's more chaotic nature, Eli's growls and shrieks not only flow well with the riffs, but his shrieks in that very track emit a more agonized and crazed personality, leaving off an eerie picture of being burned alive, just as the very person on the album cover. Eli's vocals sound terrible, but in a good way that only fits the disturbed nature of the album.

Even the lyrics are just as creepy. The band mainly uses occult themes in their lyrics, which work really well in this album. Take the track "Enraptured by Decay" for instance, where this verse quotes:

I am godhood
And I enter your wound
Drinking your blood as I lick the wound
I ride on your wings towards my death.

Here, Eli shrieks about entering the wounds as he prepares for death. We can assume that the protagonist is currently partaking in a sacrifice as part of the cult, which is portrayed well with its simple, yet effective descriptions of the graphic ceremony taking place in the song. Not only that, but given the more death/doom style of the particular track, the pain the character is going through feels more slow and agonizing with the slow riffs contrasting the lyrics, and makes the whole thing sound even more painful with Eli's insane screams. The occult lyrics on this album are a bit short, but nevertheless paint detailed descriptions of the occult and their sacrifices.

I heard someone once described this album as an experiment where death metal musicians were locked in a studio and forced the make a black metal album, and that description couldn't be anymore truer. In addition to having an excellent mix of black metal and death metal, the psychotic vocals and the unsettling lyrics makes this album one of the most brutal releases from the band members. Even though the band doesn't have a lot of releases at the moment, I am most certainly looking forward for their next album of madness.

Following their debut demo, Black Curse are back with a full length album of mysterious blackened death metal.

Guitars and drums storm in with utmost malice, almost a war metal style of vicious instrumental violence is conveyed while the maniacal howls and growls of the vocalist spew even more vitriol over the crushing instrumental onslaught. A cavernous blend of chiming cymbals and convulsive riffs swirl with disdain in really unsettling and visceral display of unhinged extremity. Doomy sections add a dragging and spectral dimension to the already diverse soundscapes. Black Curse are a hard band to place but the only comparison I could give is if Teitanblood met Abyssal with a touch of Obliteration, certainly a complementary blend of sounds.

Moving forward, the ravenous blasting drums and misanthropic putridity of the riffs give a fit-inducing siege of barbarity and claustrophobic intensity, matched by the unrivalled and downright demented vocals that complete the mix alongside some mental shred attacks that occasionally pop up and then disappear to allow the rhythmic battery to march onwards. Blistering and scathing with their monstrous monoliths of debauchery, Black Curse pummel out doomy, blackened, deathly majesty with unrelenting forcefulness and a spiteful aura of hate.

The stench of odious death metal combined with abrasive raw black metal and some doom metal thrown in for good measure always seems to be a hard balance to keep, Black Curse on the other hand effortless deliver a seamless conjuration of malevolent and exciting extremity with ferocious musicianship and songwriting that is beyond excellence. This decimating slab of heavy metal has a ritualistic and mystical undertone that can be found in the nuances of these devastating tracks with something truly disturbing about these notes that lingers in the air.

A tense and meditative recording of visceral ambience and relentless aggression, Black Curse have not only delivered an utterly astounding debut album to follow their demo but potentially some of the most eerily destructive and brilliant extreme metal of the year. This is as focally obliterating as it is atmospheric and rich with incredible development throughout each listen. Truly an impeccably crafted work of the black-death metal arts!

Written for www.nattskog.wordpress.com

After years of lurking on MA since I was in my teens, this album finally pushed me over the edge to make an account specifically so I could review it. Yes, it's that good.

First off, let's start with the band name. Right out the gate, Black Curse is an insanely good band name, and my first thought was "I hope they can live up to how cool their name is." Spoiler: They do. I'm surprised in the 51 years of metal's existence (as of the time of writing this) that nobody else (or at least, nobody of note) had thought to use the name Black Curse. I'm glad it finally got picked up, and it is given the justice it deserves.

Black Curse is a bit of a supergroup, combining members from Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, and Khemmis. I did not know that the first time going into the album, but even with that knowledge I'd argue that Endless Wound is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts.

To describe this as a black/death album, or even a black/death/doom album, is underselling it. What Black Curse has done here transcends these descriptions, while still maintaining elements of all three of the aforementioned genres. This is one of those cases where the album art perfectly depicts what the music sounds like. Tracks like "Charnel Rift", "Enraptured by Decay", and the titular "Endless Wound" feel like you're pushing your way out of a demonic sauna just like the poor soul on the cover art.

Let's get right into the nitty gritty of the music itself. Vocals shift between low and guttural to high pitched and nasally, and both styles punch through the wall of riffs to deliver an intense performance. The riffs are insanely catchy, and the production is amazing. I think the best way to describe the production style is as encompassing. Endless Wound is an incredibly immersive album, and hooks you from start to finish. Like I mentioned earlier, there are moments of black, death, and doom throughout, but they are cohesively mixed together in a way I have yet to see elsewhere. Nothing feels out of place, and the influences that do come through are deliberate in creating a sound that is unique all it's own.

There are very few moments in listening to metal (or even music as a whole) where I can distinctly remember where I was when I first listened to it. I can distinctly remember where I was, as a naive 16 year old kid, when I first heard Emperor's "I Am The Black Wizards" and how it changed my perception of metal thereafter. Likewise, I can remember where I was when I first heard the opening track "Charnel Rift" for the first time, and in the countless times I have listened to it since it has not ceased to blow me away.

I meant what I said when I say this album is greater than the sum of its parts - I don't think anything Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, or Khemmis have released so far has stuck out as much as this album does. I look forward to where Black Curse goes next (if they do) and hope that they manage to surpass this monumental debut.

I took me almost 10 years to get that feeling again, the feeling of being totally amazed and shocked by music, unbelieving the sonic massacre that was grinding my eardrums. 2020 was, in my opinion, a good year for metal, we had several releases from all over the world that were totally amazing, but this one really took me unaware and I really enjoyed it. Sepulchral Voice Records is one of the most awesome labels nowadays in the underground scene and it was the perfect womb for this monster to be begotten.

Black Curse gathers members from different bands from Denver, most of them in the vein of Doom/Sludge metal, that was one of the first things that made me have a different expectative of what this album would be like. It was totally surprising to find out a masterly black/death manufacture combined with doom moments and scents that make this album feel fresh and different.
The album cover is awesome, it looks dark and mysterious at the same time that evocates an occultist medieval esthetic. It perfectly fits what you're listening.

The album has 3 main elements that impressed me: the first one is the production, it feels going to the limit and as heavy as you can imagine, the guitars and the bass are perfectly condensed and bestially corpulent, the drums sound violent, precise and demolishing, perfectly carrying all the tonnage of the music; one of the best productions I've ever listened. The second one is the "phase changing" all the album long. As I already mentioned, this album emanates the doom influences coming from their members' origins, and are deployed in the correct order for going from maximum speed and insanity to slowly crawl among an evil atmosphere. This element makes the album totally dynamic and absolutely entertaining. The third one is the vocals: awesome, evil, malevolent and demential. I love them, nowadays is an added value to present different vocals that sound original, innovative or at least diverse. In my opinion, Gravetorn reaches these 3 aspects perfectly well, his vocals are versatile and not stuck in the monotonous typical death metal growling voice which impressed people 30 years ago. This album shows us different vocal styles that go from a profound guttural growling to human-like screams and moans that freeze the blood and reminds of a person being tortured... Maybe to that poor bastard being burnt alive in the cover?

The atmosphere is heavy and dense from minute one and gives no truce, atmosphere that is very well ornamented with demential solos that make no sense, usually an underrated element which is oftenly seen as a 'flawl' by stinky hippies that hate everything that does not please their delicate ears. Something like a curse for bands like Slayer that have tried to sound more melodic and brutally ruined entire albums. This kind of dissonant and psychotic solos transmit a unique energy exclusively for trained ears.

Of course, the lyric work is another great standout, treating occultism topics through a poetic structure that make them very interesting. If a bunch of average lyrics can sound interesting when combined with the correct music then how would you call this combination?... Great music - great lyrics, it doesn't matter if the topics are simple, well written lyrics are always a very important aspect, not seen very often nowadays because most of bands are stuck talking about repetitive "social criticism", senseless and cheap "political views" or how hard I like to mosh while I'm drunk and I kill possers.

There's nothing funny or mainstream in this release, this is pure evilness and definitely the best soundtrack for the most terrible visions of hell, suffering and death. A masterpiece that I hope will inspire more bands for looking this level of perfection, insanity and power and try to replicate the death scent that emerges from this album. I decided to wait for writing this review because I thought I could have been exaggerating just a bit with my first impressions but I was totally wrong, I listen this over and over again and I keep finding different elements that only make me love this more... definitely my favorite album for the next 10 or 15 months. I am still amazed and now convinced more than ever that Denver is the new epicenter of metal in the United States and one of the strongest scenes all over the world nowadays.

The combination of death metal's disgusting distortion, black metal's furious pace, and doom metal's crushing weight, all come together in an unholy trinity and form something singular in its focus, and unrelenting in its approach.

"Endless Wound" blazes a new trail within blackened death metal using just the right balance of calamity, grit, and technical prowess to produce something all their own. This "supergroup" of members of Blood Incantation, Primitive Man, Spectral Voice, and Khemmis has a lot of experience under their belt and a wealth of influences to draw from making for a very enthusiastic collaboration. Each and every track is filled to the brim with memorable riffs, wild tempo/genre changes, and eclectic vocal barks I have not been so impressed with since the first time my ears were assaulted by Charlie Fell himself. Even for being a very classic orientated death metal record, this album is expertly produced with every instrument sounding tangible and punchy, a present low end bass adding body and weight, and wholly obscured by a smoky amount of haze and distortion.

While I agree with the sentiment that this record is very similar to other blackened death metal bands, especially Teitanblood, the presentation and songwriting are what truly elevate this record to a higher tier and makes it original. The band somehow have also found a way to make such extreme metal far more catchy and accessible than I ever would've thought possible. I don't remember the last time I found myself listening all the way through a metal record the first time I played it and then immediately went back to the first track again once finished. This is mostly due to the short-and-sweet runtime, head banging rhythms, and breaks in the action coming in the form of low and slow doom trudges.

Fans of blackened death metal will have a grand old time being burnt to a crisp by this record and you will find the rhythms and riffs within stuck in your head for weeks on end.

April is proving to be quite fruitful in old-school death metal side projects. After Caustic Wound's cavernous grind hybrid debut Death Posture, it is now time to witness the birth of another crossbred named Black Curse. But unlike their stylistic counterparts, who added grind into their formula, these Denver lads dug their hole in the deepest circle of hell. This unholy new blend of death and black metal was forged by members of Spectral Voice, Vasaeleth, and Primitive Man, and whenever the word Spectral Voice gets stuck somewhere, my radar immediately switches on, as I find Eroded Corridors of Unbeing one of the best death metal releases of the past decade. We're all very aware of the fact that this formula isn't a novelty, yet the question that matters is the degree of quality impregnated in each hybrid, and how it manages, or not, to shape a strong identity able to distinguish it from the surrounding pack. It's certainly not an easy task, but it seems Black Curse has achieved just that, by finding a recipe that establishes a stable balance between the two genres. Nevertheless, this balance isn't born out of the equal mixing of the parts, but rather in the band's clever way of adding a blackened layer into its death metal DNA. And in my opinion, that's the secret of Endless Wound.

As we enter Endless Wound, we seem to dive deeply into the weird artwork as if we were suddenly surrounded by unmanageable flames. The heat becomes almost unbearable. 'Charnel Rift' emerges through fire, blending death metal's filthy fierceness with doom intensity reminiscent of Spectral Voice. Above this melange we find the blackened layer I mentioned earlier, mainly due to Eli Wendler's impressive wide-ranging vocals, whose powerful expression is definitely among the album's highlights. Although distinct, the tracks have a somewhat similar approach, combining mostly blast beat, mid-paced and doom tempos, always wrapped within a filthy demonic atmosphere. The riffs are among the best the genre has offered this year, lethal yet creative and contagious, as is the rhythm section whose organic delivery catapults the album towards overwhelming rhythmic grounds. Songs move fiercely, in close contact, but always finding just the right space to distinguish themselves from each other. From the track package I would highlight 'Enraptured by Decay', and the massive 'Finality I Behold'. Both are similar in character, combining doom densities with faster and more intense sequences, thus creating the necessary dynamics and contrasts. The vigorous closing track, through its corrosive Celtic Frost-esque riffs and chaotic final solos, ends the album on a very high note, leaving the listener with a mixed sense of fulfillment and despair, thereby proving that the album has achieved its ultimate purpose.

I would like to end by going back to the beginning of my second paragraph, looking at the artwork again and at the creature coming out of the fire. Each of us will certainly have a different interpretation about the symbolism portrayed. But one thing we can all agree on is that nothing good is coming out of that window. Which is exactly what a death metal aficionado is waiting for. More than just an impressive debut, Endless Wound is also destined to be one of the most interesting blackened caverns to be explored this year.