Info
- Band(s): Defy The Curse
- Label(s): Hammerheart Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2023
- Review Date: March 18, 2023
- Author(s): FelixS
This Dutch band, Defy The Curse, is a new collective formed by a couple of scene veterans. With ‘Horrors Of Human Sacrifice’, released on all regular physical formats by Hammerheart Records, the band have unleashed their debut album upon humanity. In its ranks we recognize a couple of familiar faces, amongst them are Harold Gielen (Legion Of The Damned, ex-Inhume, ex-Mangled), Wouter Wagemans and Boris Janssen (both ex-Collision), together they have forged something that is what you might have expected when a such bunch of war-horses collide…
‘Horrors Of Human Sacrifice’ brings together their collective love for Death Metal and Grindcore/Crustcore. A combination that have been tried and tested many times before, but with varying degrees of success. And, frankly, Defy The Curse is not really all that convincing with their first attempt. Their take on the Death Metal/Crustcore combination just seem to lack just that much needed spark of violent aggression, that so necessary kick in the teeth. Just mixing Swedish tinged Death Metal with something that reeks of Disfear, Wolfpack or Skitsystem doesn’t necessarily make it equally good as the sum of the individual elements. This music needs a raw edge, more tempo changes (completely mid-tempo plodding doesn’t work here) and a much more aggressive vocal delivery.
Though I wouldn’t call this a bad album per se, I am quite confident that I will not return to this album again. It definitely has some nice chugging riffs, but overall it falls short on all sides. In conclusion, ‘Horrors Of Human Sacrifice’ just sounds a bit too sweet, smooth and well-behaved to get anything going.
Defy The Curse
- Country: Netherlands
- Style: Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify
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Hammerheart Records
- Country: Netherlands
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal, Other
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube