INTRODUCING: Blessing A Curse
Many a band have emerged from the sunny spots of the US, often from that bright gleaming disposition of the sun-bleached cities hides cracking souls, crumbling under the facade of positivity. One such bright star is Orlando five piece, BLESSING A CURSE.
“[yeah], we’re a Florida metalcore band that’s been left out in the sun a bit too long; we’re a little thrashy, kinda grungy, pissed off at the world and heavier than a pile of gator tails, but we’re also soulful and full of Vitamin C too,” Josh Singer explains the appeal of BLESSING A CURSE, “It’s hard to say from an insider’s perspective, but I think we have a refreshing energy and our angry vibe comes from a very real, meaningful place. We’re not just screaming because we think it sounds cool, we do it because life sucks, y’know?”
The combination of Josh Singer (Vocals), Brandon Swanson (Guitar), Jordan Crain (Guitar), Ronnie Mitchell (Bass/Vocals) and Pedro Rentas (Drums) came together back in much the same circumstances as any disillusioned group. “Brandon and I met in high school and started a band together under a different name,” explains Josh, “then that was how we met Ronnie, and from there we just decided to change our name and sound and go in a heavier direction.”
With a real purpose behind them, a meaningful drive to push their music forward, BLESSING A CURSE can be seen as the embodiment of what the metalcore scene should be about. When thinking about their name in a symbolic way, Josh pondered; “To me, the way I interpret the name is that sometimes the shittiest aspects of life can be what brings out the best in us as people. The things you may hate about yourself are what make you unique.”
The sense of personal disillusion and bitterness towards the mundane and slowly dying world we live in all come to a head in the bands debut release, Waste. Out now, it’s a record packed out with sordid tones, deep and twisting riffs, solid breakdowns and a relentless vocal style that’s instantly recognisable will leave an impression in your head you won’t soon forget. With the release of Waste, the pressing need to get out and unleash what they can do is top on the agenda for the band. “We would love to get back to Europe, Canada, and the UK to reconnect with people who saw us the last time we were there. But honestly, we just wanna tour wherever with as many headlining bands as possible and reach new ears.”
BLESSING A CURSE’s twist on the metalcore sound comes from their diverse range of inspirations. “Musically we’re a big messed up ball of influences,” Josh describes. “[we’re into] Everything from CANE HILL to SLIPKNOT to MR. BUNGLE. But lyrically I’ve always been strongly impacted by the kind of laidback, conversational lyrical styles of Jeremy McKinnon (A DAY TO REMEMBER), Hayley Williams (PARAMORE), and Spencer Chamberlain (UNDEROATH). I love those three especially because I feel they’ve always written from a very honest place, and their lyrics could be spoken out loud without any music and make sense. That’s the kind of feeling I want people to have when they read the lyrics to our album.”
The kind of frantic playing, and frank, often brutal lyrics hit bluntly and cut down deep and sharp. That kind of energy is never more impactful that at live performances, where BLESSING A CURSE really gets to shine. We wondered just what it is that drives the band in a live setting. “Connecting with new listeners is always an honour and a privilege, but I think my favourite part is when you look into the crowd and see someone you’ve never met before singing along. It’s a humbling experience because it’s like, “damn, you took time out of YOUR day to learn the words to this?!”
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