At a time of year when you generally find the record you’ve been looking for all year, I have conveniently and utterly predictably found the record I have been looking for all year. I wasn’t aware of Cursebinder and clearly completely missed their debut of three years ago – even though I am generally an avid watcher of the Avantgarde output. However, now, on their sophomore record, intriguingly titled ‘Psychohazard’, I am acutely aware of them.
Cursebinder produce the kind of black metal that Darkside from Mgla achieved on the Hauntologist record. To call this ‘post’ is missing the point…this is an evolution of black metal that still carries all the nihilism, anarchy and solemnity of the genre, but places it in the second phase of the 21st century.
Vocalist, and main architect, Maciej Proficz has, first off, that kind of gravelly and crackling vocal that layers a fuck ton of emotion over every tiny segment of ‘Psychohazard’. It echoes Mgla, it echoes Groza – and it comes as no surprise given the success of his other, and older, project, it echoes Dormant Ordeal. Secondly, he and the band write astonishingly dynamic and aggressive melodic black metal – but absolutely own the freedom to throw in whatever they wish when they sense it fits the track. The spoken word during ‘Death Season’, the laid back atmos of ‘The Astronaut’ and the lounge jazz section in ‘Under The Skin’ (the latter being extremely reminiscent of White Ward) are all good examples of this.
‘Psychohazard’ comes in at 53 minutes which, given the colossal gravitational pull at the heart of every single track, is absolutely spot on. To be honest, this vocal style is something I could listen to for a lot longer than that. A stunning, beautifully balanced and devastatingly poignant record in every way….I would be extremely surprised (gobsmacked in fact) if this wasn’t featuring in lists we make at the end of a year!
Best Paired With: Walking Through a Graveyard in a Polish town, dirty fingernails and finding solace in a dark corner.
Reviewed by Jaff.
Cursebinder – Psychohazard is out now on Avantgarde Music.
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