CURL UP AND DIE „The One Above All, The End of All That Is”

Music: Post-Hardcore/Noisecore/Heavy Groove.
Country: USA
Website: http://www.curlupanddie.net


Cool Songs: Uncomfortable Routine, Antidepressants Are Depressing, There Is Never Enough Time to Do Nothing, Instrumental, There Ain't No Can't in American

I love looking at a new album and making preconceived judgements about its musical content. It’s perhaps not the best way to approach review writing and it has landed me in trouble a few times, however as an old schooler who (in his youth) would sit and stare at amazing artwork that adorned the hundreds of vinyl albums that I own, it is simply a part of my whole listening experience. It’s nothing new and I’m sure you do the same – after all, before hearing a note, our initial impressions are formed via the art work hey? Yet, with downloading and MP3 availability, that former process isn’t necessarily the case anymore. Still, assuming you didn’t know anything about Las Vegas’ ‘Curl Up and Die’ what would your impressions be of the art work (from the team at Eatdrink Media) that graces their new album ‘The One Above All…?’ Interesting is one thought; Bizarre another. I’m thinking freaking ambiguous! Just what the hell is going on inside this thing?

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your predilection), Curl Up and Die, musically at least, are not as freaky as their artwork would otherwise suggest. Having formed in 1998 and released an ep on Status Records (2000’s ‘The Only Good Bug is a Dead Bug’, they followed up with their debut full length ‘2002’s Unfortunately, We’re Not Robots’ (these guys love their loooong titles) and then a double EP of sorts – ‘We May Be Through With The Past…and a short time later their debut effort for Revelation …But The Past Ain’t Through With Us’. With a sound that stuck to a fairly standard, up tempo Hardcore/Noisecore style, ‘The One Above All..’ finds CUAD expanding their ideas a tad further this time around, a band looking to do more than repeat a well worn formula. Taking cues from the likes of Mastodon, latter day Converge and an epic dose of Pelican, CUAD have conjured up their most formidable effort yet.

With a ferociously thick and heavy production, courtesy of Alex Newport (formerly of Fudge Tunnel/Nailbomb) ‘The One Above All…’ makes its intentions perfectly clear from the opening moments of ‘An Uncomfortable Routine’. For fans of their previous efforts, this opening track will come as a bit of shock – deliberately placed to emphasise the slower, darker and more epic pacing of this album, ‘Routine…’ hits hard with its metallic crunch and simply throbbing bottom end (the Fudge Tunnel vibe is very prevalent here). It also showcases Mike Minnick’s new found varied vocal approach. His subtle movement between throat shredding screams and quieter, mellow spoken word parts works particularly well and provides a much more dynamic structure and variation to their compositions. Aside from the full boar hardcore punk ethic of ‘Antidepressants are Depressing’ and the 51 second blast of ‘Zero MPH Fallover’ the rest of the album sticks to this new found slow-to mid tempo groove, thoroughly ear shattering throughout whilst also employing a decidedly melancholic emotive in the softer passages.

Curl Up and Die are a damn heavy band. Anything with the Alex Newport name attached to it is bound to be. Be certain, that these 11 ridiculously titled anthems pack a fucking wallop. Think a more plodding Mastodon meets Pelican and you’ll be on the right path sound wise. Long times fans might be a little disappointed at the ‘lack of’ speed that this new album displays. However, unexpected as it may be, there is no denying that developmentally “The One Above All…’ is exactly the move CUAD needed to make. All props to Revelation for the overall packaging of this fine, fine release. It gets better with every listen.

note: 8/10

Tracklist

Uncomfortable Routine
Antidepressants Are Depressing
Ultra Carb Diet Carpooling Stupid Fucking Life
One Above All, The End of All That Is
Instrumental
Black Out
There Ain't No Can't in American
Zero MPH Fallover
There Is Never Enough Time to Do Nothing
I'm Trying to Fly to the Moon Using Two Magnets and Willpower
Blood Mosh Hips Hair Lips Pills Fuck Death