Release Date- 23rd September 2022
Label - Transcending Obscurity
Words - Chris Flecther
Sometimes a band name fits the vibe of the music so perfectly that you know exactly what you’re in for before the music has even begun. UK death metal proponents Live Burial certainly fit that bill, and they are here to suffocate us all once more with their third album ‘Curse Of The Forlorn’, their most accomplished output to date.
Opening with a seven-minute track, ‘Despair Of The Lost Self’ straight away lays its cards on the table in terms of lead guitar lines that help to create a sense of anticipation, before building to a cacophony of wailing leads and vocals underpinned by furious drumming that manages to make you feel like the walls are closing in around you. From here the journey continues in a similar vein, some changes of pace keeping things fast and aggressive when it needs to be without ever losing the sense of death-doom crawl that leaves you feeling as if you’re being buried alive.
One aspect that this record really excels at is creating a proper atmosphere, and it is not just the tracks themselves that contribute towards this. The production job captures the band’s vision expertly, allowing all of the elements to really breathe. Added to this is the artwork by Luke Oram (Slugdge), the murky yet swirling waters of which capture the chaotic nature of the music you find yourself drowning in. It’s the perfect package.
At its core, this is seven tracks of doom-tinged death metal on which the band manage to display even more intricate and multi-faceted songwriting than on previous outings. It has plenty of old-school death metal traits that will instantly appeal to fans of the genre, as well as bands such as Thorn and Skeletal Remains, whilst also forging a new path for this style of death metal to go down. Rather than simply rehashing old formulas, ‘Curse Of The Forlorn’ marries technical proficiency with bludgeoning riffs that manage to carry a real emotional weight. This could be the death metal album you’ve been waiting for.
9/10