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ALBUM REVIEW: Cursed – Righteous Vendetta

Formed out of Wyoming, American metalcore band RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA burst back onto the scene following up three years later from their 2014 release of their EP Defiance with the powerful sounds of Cursed.

This new thirteen track marvel bursts with power and energy from the band who clearly have a statement to make with their latest record. Full of tracks that will no doubt bring crowds together during the catchy harmonies of the lyrics from Never say never, Weight of the world and Burn to the heavier headbanging growls of Doomed which will have feet tapping and can easily stand strong against the forerunners of modern metalcore.

Instantly marking their territory with the first track War is killing us all with a surge of riffs that and a drum beat that bombards the listener which will have heads nodding along to the flare from lyricist Ryan Hayes. This opening track, although not the fastest metalcore song in the world is definitely up there being one of the catchiest songs on the album. Truly a ground-breaking opening for RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA and sets the expectations for the rest of the record. From here the title track, Cursed, opens with a more melodic approach luring the listener into a softer vibe. Not as heavy as the opening track, the hooks from Cursed accompanied with the steady yet powerful beats from drummer Zack Goggins provide a profound, catchy title track.

A standout track on the album which is probably the most unique of the thirteen is Halfway. With an opening riff that sounds like a splice of styles between the likes of GOJIRA and DEFTONES and a verse that wouldn’t sound out of place on a later LINKIN PARK album, it seems RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA have tried to experiment and break generic conventions within this song yet still sticking to the roots and theme of Cursed, and it works.
To complete the journey through this record, Strangers is a melodic riff fest with an acoustic accompaniment which initially is a little out of the ordinary but it definitely works. The closing track is stylistically RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA showcasing all of their talent within one song while also portraying a feeling of accomplishment with a catchy chorus to boot.

To fans of metalcore in general this album is sure to be what they’re looking for. Sticking to the recipe of what truly makes a great song of this genre there really is something for everyone. Despite some tracks sounding somewhat similar, it doesn’t really affect the impact of the final product. At so many points throughout this album when it’s clear to see that the band know exactly what they wanted to produce as the sound just morphs effortlessly together for easy listening. Throughout, songs seem to dip between heavy hooks and catchy melodies which just shows the diverse nature of the band. RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA have crafted what can be described as a generic metalcore album which will be crowd pleasing and a sure way to put them on the map.

Rating: 8/10

Cursed - Righteous Vendetta
Cursed is set to release on March 17th via Century Media Records.

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