Skaldic Curse
WORLD SUICIDE MACHINE

September 2009
Released: 2009, Dark Essence Records
Rating: 5.0/5
Reviewer: Stu Occupier

Formed by Woundz, Astynax, VX, Monolith and Theutus in late 2000 with the idea of creating nihilistic and progressive black metal. Eventually a 2 track demo tape 'Funeral Eclipse' was released in late 2001 and was quickly followed by the 'Hated by Matter' itself demo in 2002. During this period the band played a number of live shows within the UK underground scene and began to gain a reputation for putting on cold, hateful performances.



In late 2003 they entered Astynax's very own Shockwave Studios to record the 'Contagious Psychic Misery' EP which was released in 2004 on Forgotten Wisdom Productions. Soon after this recording, original guitarist VX left the fold and the band continued as a four-piece. Support slots with Enslaved and Lugubrum followed and in mid-2005, the band once again entered Shockwave studios to record their debut album 'Pathogen'.



Early 2006 saw a number of changes within the band line-up - original drummer Theutus left at the start of the year to be replaced by Vermin. In addition, the band returned to a two-guitar line-up with the recruitment of Scapula (Paul Scanlon from Akercocke) during this same period. The remainder of 2006 was spent working on what would become 'World Suicide Machine', this material sees them build on the twisted, progressive approach to black metal evident on the debut yet taken to even more extreme depths, down darker and ever more warped sonic paths.



This recording attracted the attention of Norway's Dark Essence Records who subsequently offered the band a deal and now finally its released after 2 years! "This album takes the blackened brutality and labyrinthine structures of the first album, and injects more intensity, atmosphere and spiraling passages, creating a unique and complex album that journeys through black metal, thrash and progressive rock".



Well that's what the record company say and to be honest that pretty much sums this up.It is devastatingly heavy and complex full of distortion, cutting edge guitarwork, screaming death vocals, huge drums and pounding bass. Each track seems to almost scream of full on black metal then switch to opeth like musical structures, doom influences and classical as well, it has everything.