ALBUM REVIEW: Curse the Son, "Excruciation"

By: Peter Morsellino

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/06/2020

Label: Ripple Music

“Excruciation” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Suicide by Drummer

2). Disaster in Denial

3). Novembre

4). Worry Garden

5). Excruciation

6). Infinite Regression

7). Black Box Warning

8). Devil Doctor Blues

9). Phoenix Risin’

The Review:

Fuzzed out riffs reign supreme on Curse the Son's fifth release, “Excruciation”.  A monument to the good time hard rock of a bygone time, Curse the Son delivers a fresh spin on a traditional style, taking the classic Sabbath sound and bringing it into the modern era.  The end result is a magical romp through the history of heavy music that leaves “Excruciation” sitting atop the heap.

Mixing headbanging rock and roll tunes with some serious solemnity, “Excruciation” is a solid collection of tracks that covers a whole lot of musical ground. Songs like “Novembre” trudge with a heart wrenchingly heavy melancholy that maintains a churning power that fits nicely with the rest of the album.  Meanwhile, the entertainingly titled opener, “Suicide by Drummer”, plays out like a party doom anthem flush with catchy hooks and a chorus ripe to be sung with a drink held high. At least in the first half that is.

That's another great thing that Curse the Son brings to the table. Multilayered song writing. Songs can begin just about anywhere without any clear indication of where they may end up. Each track is a journey through the warped minds of the musicians, each taking its own winding path to come to a well earned conclusion.  These songs are crafted with care, without a bit of filler in sight.

The albums production is stunning to say the absolute least. The fuzzed out guitars maintain clarity amongst a chaotic wall of noise.  Drums ring out solidly in the mix without ever becoming overpowering. Bass is allowed plenty of spotlight and is right up with the rest of the band in the mix. Vocals are mournful and theatric, with more than enough of that captivating power that the greats had to keep everyone paying attention.

“Excruciation” is a modern classic of the Doom genre.  It checks all the boxes. What more is there to say?  Listen to it! It's a keeper!

“Excruciation” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

LABEL INTENSIVE: Introducing Kansas City's finest, this is The Company

The Company is a specialist DIY label based out of Kansas City, whose vision for the label was to put the spotlight on the heavy scene in the local area. Guided by the long term mentor, Steve STB, The Company founder Josh Wilkinson known for his design work for boutique stoner doom label  STB Records  took a leapt of faith and would release the debut from local boys Keef Mountain on vinyl, thus the label was born and with it, another top class label issuing albums lauded by the underground scene but seemingly ignored by the big boys. 

Now with five vinyl releases behind them, I took the opportunity to fire some questions at them, in order to get low down on this unique and high class label. "Welcome to The Company".

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

My name is Joshua Wilkinson. I have lived in the Kansas City Metropolitan area for 95% of my life, the other 5% being Omaha, NE. I have an associates degree in Graphic Design, and currently daylight as an employee for a Large Format print shop here in KC. I’ve done design work some of the following bands: Hossferatü, Merlin, Druglord, Red Wizard, Crown of Thornz, Bright Curse, Eternal Black, Custom Black, Olde, Sinister Haze, Goya, Ancient Warlocks, Joel Grind, Doctor Doom, Fistula, Year of the Cobra, Geezer, and The Watchers, just to name a “few”. I also handle the majority of design, and marketing for my label.

What inspired you to start a record label?

I started realizing how many good bands there were in KC, and I felt like they needed to be heard outside of the midwest. Originally the idea was to do a single 7” or Flexi to sell on The Companys website to draw attention to my design services. I never had any intention to start a label; I just wanted to sell something different that other designers weren't offering. I approached my favorite KC band, Keef Mountain, and they were into the idea completely. As some of you may know, I handle most of the design work over at STB Records, so when I mentioned the idea to Steve from STB, he was the one who pushed me to go the full distance and release a full length. I invited the Keef boys over to my house, I laid my plan out to them, and they jumped aboard. So that was the beginning of The Company as a record label.

What are some of the difficulties you have faced and currently face?

Money and time. I can confidently say those are the only 2 road blocks I’ve faced in my short experience. I could always use another 8 hours in my day. With my day job, my main design and label hours are limited to the evenings and weekends, but I’m always working things over in my head, or communicating throughout the day regarding design and label stuff. It never gets “shut off”.

What would you describe as The Company’s 'vision' or 'philosophy'?

My main vision was to put a spotlight on KC and its incredibly talented heavy scene. The metal scene, the punks, the unbelievable Hardcore scene we have out here, whatever. I personally am more into the “stoner” side of things so I chose to focus first and foremost on those bands because I feel like I can market them honestly, because I’m also a fan. I would never release an album that I personally wouldn't listen to. This is strictly a labor of love.

Are there other labels that have inspired you? Other labels you think people should look into?

STB and Poisoned Mind Records, hands down. Steve from STB has been my mentor since day 1. He took a huge chance on me, took me on as his lead designer without ever having met me, and really taught me a lot along the way. He pushed me, made me challenge myself a lot, and taught me a great deal about the business along the way. Same with Tom from Poisoned Mind, he’s my bud! (What up Tommy!) I used to do most of their design work as well, so Tom and I used to (and still do) bounce ideas off each other all the time. Those guys are both huge inspirations to me, and great friends. On a much bigger, much different level, I’m incredibly inspired by Relapse Records of course. I’m mostly inspired by their ability to market a vast array of genres and stay relevant for so many years. That’s something I’d like to see The Company do, is sorta branch out and reach a broader audience.

Tell us about some of The Company’s earlier releases you think people may have slept on?

If you’re not listening to Hyborian yet, I would very highly recommend checking them out. They’ve put out such a phenomenally talented and extremely well written record. They recorded the whole thing themselves in their practice space. It’s a true DIY recording but if you didn't know any better you'd think it was recorded in a giant studio. It’s massive. I get nothing but positive comments about them. They're some of the hardest working dudes in the game and some of the most talented people I’m privileged to call friends.. Mark my words: They are going to go far in this business. I Love those dudes like brothers.

Keef Mountain, our first release, is one of my favorite bands, and 2 of my favorite people on earth. The Company, as a label, wouldn’t exist if it weren't for them. The album itself fucking RULES! If you like Sleep, or the Melvins, then you’ll very likely be into this album. It’s a fun record. Another one that was completely recorded DIY by Alex Tunks (Inner Altar, Blindside USA) in a bar basement. The cavernous surrounding gives it a huge sound.

A lot of people know Curse the Son, but I don't think a lot of people realized we released the album, because a lot of them we’re expecting it to be released by STB. That’s another album I recommend. They're the only band on the label who isn't from the midwest, but they're part of my STB family, and the album is so god damn good, I had to push myself to do that one. It’s reminiscent of Electric Wizard style stoner/doom, but to me there’s a big Seattle/grunge influence to the record, especially the vocals. I always say it’s like If Alice in Chains had started a Sabbath worship band.

What upcoming releases are you most excited about?

I’m really excited about Snowchilds ‘Age of Change’ which was well received when it was released digitally so I’m pumped on that one. Snowchild is from Wichita, KS which is a couple hours south of KC. For those that aren't aware, Kozmik Artifactz will also be doing a pressing of that album as well with different colors and packaging so stay tuned for that. Kozmik always has bad ass releases! After that I’m co-releasing Youngblood Supercults exceptional new album “The Great American Death Rattle” with DHU Records. Another midwestern band, YBSC hails from Topeka, KS. The albums great, and has a lot of emotion felt on the recording. The addition of Brad Morris on bass and his contribution to the song writing made a huge impact on their sound, for the better of course. I swear to god I get goosebumps everytime I hear Davids voice. That guys a true vocalist. Weston brings “stoned and steady” drumming, and Bailey just fuckin’ shreds it! So other than that, we’ve also got plans to work with some other great KC area bands, Inner Altar being the one I’m most excited for.

Tell us about some of the newer bands on The Company roster.

One of my favorite bands in the world, Inner Altar, just got done demoing their new album, so hopefully we’ll get a full length from them in the near future. Inner Altar features members of Keef Mountain, Blindside USA, No Class, Altered Beast, and Blood Shaman. They're kinda like Demon Head, or early Witchcraft with a KC twist. Their two first tapes are some of my favorite music ever written. Check them out.

Gnarly Davidson has been part of The Company crüe for a while now but I don't think they got the attention they deserve. They hail from Lawrence, KS and are a three piece who play LOUD fuzzy stoner metal. We re-released a tape they recorded on the fourth of July. They recorded one side sober, and then re-recorded side b after they had gotten drunk. We’ve still got some of those tapes available. I hope to work with them again in the future, they rule.

If you could have released any record past or present, what would it be and why?

Inner Altar: “Vol 1” + “Vol 2”… Did I mention I love Inner Altar?

What does the future of The Company look like, from your perspective?

I’d like to see it become as big as possible. Its hard running this thing while maintaining a steady day job, but I bust my ass so I hope it pays off someday. I would at the very least like to look back and say that I was part of not only KCs music scene, but the whole Stoner/Doom community in general.

The End

Label Info: http://thecompanykc.com

The Sludgelord "Sour 16" for March 2016

The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’ is back to present another selection of the finest riffs around.  You know the deal, each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal.  Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music.  To put it simply, the ‘Sour 16’ are the records that have been trending the most at Sludgelord Headquarters.

So here is the The Sludgelord’s ‘Sour 16’ for March 2016.   Dig in, spread the word and perhaps revisit some records you may have overlooked.  The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in red)

16). Mondo Drag – “The Occultation of Light” (316)

Compared to their self-titled from last year ’The Occultation Of Light’ is more intense and direct in its offering. Yet similarly to that previous effort, the album’s strength again lies rather in that which is left unsaid. What can also be heard is a matured band more comfortable in delving into different frames of mind, knowing full well how to stay the course on an even keel, paying reverence to their array of influences yet earnestly exploring previously uncharted territories.

15). Burn Thee Insects - “Droid Intelligence” (317)

The album starts with "Hydroponics," a killer track that pulls out all the stops. This song sets the tone immediately with a rough and tumble riff and monotone vocals. In a nutshell, this is the Burn Thee Insects sound. "Concrete Pillow" carries the torch of the opener into some heavy plodding, reminding a bit of Mars Red Sky, an influence that rears its head again in the slower "Through the Fog.” The riffs that Burn Thee Insects bring to the fore are compelling enough that even though we are four months removed from the release date; it’s still worth noting that "Droid Intelligence" exists and that it is recommended by us here at The Sludgelord.

14). Latitudes – “Old Sunlight” (326)

Their crunchy take on Pelican’s colossal ambition shot through with Mastodon’s progressive grit is as potent as ever, particularly evident on the monstrous “Altarpieces”. “Old Sunlight” is no retread of former glories though, every track crackles with the energy of the band expanding their horizons.“Ordalian” and “Gyre” are riddled with frantic black metal-influenced tremolo picking, injecting an air of grandiose melody to the Latitudes already epic sound. “Old Sunlight” consolidates all that was great about Latitudes and stretches it in intriguing new directions to intoxicating effect. Hopefully they won’t leave another four years until the next time.

13). RIP – “In The Wind” (333)

This is a doom record, for sure, but of the vintage variety and with a distinctly American flavour. Retro in approach, satisfying in content, R.I.P. are a welcome addition to the great tradition of rebel outsiders which litter the US cultural highways; get your motor running: R.I.P. are here!

12). Beastmaker – “Lusus Naturae” (346)

“Lusus Naturae” is a fine entry into the Book of Doom; and one that points towards great things to come. With the backing of Rise Above Records, the band are sure to become cult favourites. The upcoming April UK tour seems like one to catch while the band is still playing smaller venues. Definitely check this record out and find out for yourself.

11). Ifrinn – “Ifrinn” (355)

  

I’ve spent a lot of my life listening to 90s black metal, and those bands seeking to duplicate that sound in the present. There are bands that that can do it well, even if they’re outright re-using another band's ideas. That’s not Ifrinn. This isn’t a clone band. They’re a band entrenched in the past creating music that would be revered alongside the classics of that era, were it released at the same time. Instead, “Ifrinn”is one of the great black metal albums of 2016, despite looking backward rather than forward.

10). Station Twenty7 – “Beyond The Darkness” (364)

“Before The Gates” lets you know exactly what you are in for; thrash metal, no more and no less- resolutely traditional but with strong production, world class hooks and world class performances on display.

09). Zun – “Burial Sunrise” (379)

The slowness of “All That You Say I Am” or the moment in “All For Nothing” that the bass loses its raunchiness and transforms into a lush swelling of lower tones, define this record. The mood is laid back, the pretense is absent, and the vocals that drift by like a breeze on a cold night add up to something special. “Burial Sunrise” is a record that is musically spot on as well as one that encapsulates the spirit and soul of Desert rock.

08). Monomyth - “Exo” (380)

The quintet from The Hague deal in a potent brand of Hawkwind-style space rock, driven by relentless krautrock rhythms, coated in a sticky stoner fuzz. The band employs hypnotic repetition to cosmic effect throughout the five tracks that make up new LP“Exo”. The languid “Uncharted” begins the voyage, a minimal groove emerging from a cloud of intergalactic synth squall. The highlight of “Exo” though comes in the form of the hulking robotic funk of “LHC”, a huge ten minute propulsive groove, powered by layers of pulsing electronics and choppy riffs. Imagine Zombi covering the theme from Knight Rider with a little help from Colour Haze. “Exo” is a compelling journey to the outer limits. Monomyth will have no problems enlisting willing recruits to join them on this trip to the beyond.

07). Capsized – “Overwhelming the Circles” (386)

Gravelly harsh vocals collide with discordant riffs that get glued inside your mind very quickly and the off centre type riffs remind me of what Hydra Head Records used to do. The weight of this album is intense and at times an immeasurable force that can be uplifting and downtrodden at the same time, which is great to hear in songwriting these days. Things are stirring in the South, that’s for sure, and I know for a fact it has more to offer than just NOLA. Keep listening, keep looking. Capsized is one that’s moving and gaining momentum!

06). Tombs – “All Empires Fall” (407)

Tombs are swiftly becoming a force to be reckoned with in today's bloated extreme metal landscape. They are a band that take no prisoners and continue to push the envelopes in terms of originality. This EP is quite simply exceptional. Mike Hill's vocals are more acerbic than in previous efforts as the blackened riffs from Hill and Evan Void are full of contempt as they burn and scrape like razorwire being dragged across bare skin.

05). New Keepers of The Water Towers  - “ Infernal Machine” (517)

Whilst the tracks are lengthy, the album as a whole does not feel too long. Not once will you find yourself wanting to hit skip. New Keepers of the Water Towers are a hidden gem of a band, mixing the influences of heroes such as Pink Floyd and King Crimson along with modern day prog masters such as Opeth and Steven Wilson is not an easy trick, but New Keepers …pull it off excellently.

04). Elephant Tree – “Elephant Tree” (680)

If you’re on a quest for the next hit of sludgy psychedelic riffing to satisfy your music addiction, Elephant Tree is the thing to go for. They offer up the heaviness of slow, European doom and counter it with a classic rock swing. This is blended seamlessly with melody, both in the riffing as well as the vocals, drawing as much from the annals of rock music as it does from the modern stoner scene. The album is made up of riffs that beg to be played over and despite the amount of repetition Elephant Tree does in fact use, the inherent quality of these riffs is that they aren’t given their due no matter how many times they get thrown at us. The quality of this album will prove itself once year-end list season comes around.

03). Curse The Son – “Isolator” (720)

Massive fuzzy riffs, wailing vox and swinging rhythms abound from the off. The production is spot on; nice and live sounding with care and attention applied (double tracked vocals) to make the record sound thorough and mapped out. The title track shows all of the aforementioned in abundance. Ron Vanacore delivers his vocals with full conviction, all the while laying down tar thick riffs. “Gaslighter” is more Sabbathian with its swinging riff and plodding pace. Overall this is a very strong record which mixes doom and stoner in equal amounts to equally great effect

02). Lord Mantis – “NTW” (800)

01). Goya – “The Enemy” (916)

"The buzz saw grind that so powerfully embodies Goya is, on this four track EP, infested with a horripulation that sees the Arizona three-piece sounding creepier and more terrifying than ever before."

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  March’s “Sour 16” features reviews by, Chris Bull, Philip Weller, Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Dominic Walsh, Victor Van Ommen, Charlie Butler, Joosep Nilk and Eric Crowe

Curse The Son - "Isolator" (Album Review) & Exclusive Album Stream

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 18/03/2016

Label: Snake Charmer Coalition

Massive fuzzy riffs, wailing vox and swinging rhythms abound from the off.  The production is spot on; nice and live sounding with care and attention applied (double tracked vocals) to make the record sound thorough and mapped out. The title track shows all of the aforementioned in abundance. Ron Vanacore delivers his vocals with full conviction, all the while laying down tar thick riffs. “Gaslighter” is more Sabbathian with its swinging riff and plodding pace. Overall this is a very strong record which mixes doom and stoner in equal amounts to equally great effect.

“Isolator” CD//DD track listing:

1 Isolator
2 Callous Unemotional Traits
3 Sleepwalker Wakes
4 Hull Crush Depth
5 Gaslighter
6 Aislamiento
7 Side Effects May Include....

The Review:

Connecticut's finest return with their third full length. This is stoner doom in the vein of Sleep, Electric Wizard and Sabbath. Massive fuzzy riffs, wailing vox and swinging rhythms abound from the off. There is actual bass playing too! The production is spot on; nice and live sounding with care and attention applied (double tracked vocals) to make the record sound thorough and mapped out. The title track shows all of the aforementioned in abundance.

After that barnstorming opener, you are hoping that the record will continue in the same vein... and it does. Even though that “Callous Unemotional Traits” is slower and more doomy, there is still a lightness of touch to the delivery (you can hear the left foot of Mike Petrucci on the hi hat keeping time! You don't get much of that these days- Ginger Baker would be proud) which makes the track feel quite airy and expansive. Ron Vanacore delivers his vocals with full conviction, all the while laying down tar thick riffs.

“Sleepwalker Awakes” is very low and quite slow- heavy stuff with an insistent and pulsing beat for the opening riff. There is a nice change of pace with mellow vocals and a more stoner and less doom verse section. It is a cracking track, with a strong vocal melody. “Hull Crush Depth” is a fairly mellow affair with thickness in parts, but relatively reserved in terms of attack.

“Gaslighter” is more Sabbathian with its swinging riff and plodding pace. “Aislamiento” features inventive hi hat and bass work as the band get into an almost jazzy feel for parts of the track- with weighty sections elsewhere to balance things out.

The album finishes with “Side Effects May Include...” which brings back the swinging feel of the title track over a longer playing time with a strong hook. The excellent bass sound is a bonus to the record generally, while the style of the music should satisfy fans of bands as varied as Pentagram and Fu Manchu. This is a very strong record which mixes doom and stoner in equal amounts to equally great effect.

“Isolater” is available to here and check out this exclusive full album stream below

Band info: facebook

Vinyl Corner: Curse The Son - Psychache (Album Review) & 'Spider Stole The Weed' Official Video Premiere

STB Records are at it again, a label started on whim back into 2012, Steve has taken the label to another level, with their boutique branded vinyl releases.  Following their debut release with Dopethrone’s ‘Demonsmoke’ they have attracted a cult following, and just like any reputable brand, there is increasing demand for their product.  Indeed, STB are in the enviable position having all their releases sell out thus far.  No mean feat in an oversaturated musical climate.

For their latest vinyl release, STB Records are preparing to release Curse The Son’s second record, ‘Psychache’, self professed as ‘The Sound of dinosaurs walking the Earth’, this is arguably the label’s favourite release so far, with STB Steve proclaiming ‘from the first riff of ‘Spider Stole The Weed’ he knew he wanted to release it.  This is merely my opinion of course, and I’m told by my wife that it is never nice to have favourites (I refer to our kids, haha) but in terms of releasing ‘Psychache’ patience and timing appeared to be the key in terms of signing the band, given the apparent interest  in Curse…. from a number of other suitors.  What is clear to all, who have bought or seen STB releases, is that the quality of the product is exemplary, making Curse The Son’s decision to sign for them a no brainer when it came to the crunch.  Steve at STB Records has made no secret of the fact that his label may well be a stepping stone for bands to move onto something bigger, however what a band will take away from STB Records is a superior quality vinyl release.  It will come as no surprise then, when you read the following pressing information for ‘Psychache’

STB Record is presenting 3 separate releases with a grand total of 300 copies in a variety of formats.  For the purpose of this review, ill be looking at the Standard Edition, which is limited to 125, it is a tri-colour vinyl of bone, black and grey, with a heavy duty gatefold jacket.  Next up is the OBI Edition, limited to 100 pieces; this edition is black in ultra clear vinyl with blood red splatter with gatefold jacket.  Finally, is the most sort after, and this is the Die Hard version, limited to 75 pieces, this edition comes in a unique bone and classic black colour with blood red splatter, also housed in an kick ass gatefold.  The Die Hard also comes with exclusive alternate artwork.   

If we rewind back to the tri-colour vinyl and this release in general, it is safe to say that by offering high standard or indeed setting a bench mark for which you’re judged, there is pressure to maintain that quality and with this release, STB records have perhaps surpassed what has come before, at the very least ‘Psychache’ retains that superior quality.  Indeed to maintain quality or surpass ones self, in terms of production, ultimately this leads to more expenditure from the label.  Take the gatefold for example, the second release from STB records to come in this format, there is an additional cost attached.  From my perspective as a customer, this is what I want, I’m a big fan of this format and It pays off because it offers more, you have that striking cover art, a twisted psycho straight from the pages of a Hanneke script and you open it up to fantastic live shots of the band in black and white, with a very slight tinge of green on one of the preamps. Looking closely you can also see faint pictures of a baby doll and some demented clown not to dissimilar from a ‘Saw’ movie.  The attention to detail is subtle and in keeping with the vibe of the record. 

Onto the vinyl then and having researched the process of the tri colour vinyl, there seems to be a knock on affect in terms of cost.  Ultimately, pressing tricolour is more complicated, rather that a press of an original ‘black record’ being entirely automated, there is more emphasis on manual labour, with the vinyl biscuits that go on to be pressed into a finished product, having to be individually sliced into pieces and then reassembled into a multi colour biscuit, and manually inserted into the press.  That is my understanding anyway.  In summation there is nothing standard about this standard edition.  Ultimately, STB Records continues to mix things up and reinvent the brand, whilst keeping prices affordable.  ‘Psychache’ is another example of a unique and top quality product issued by the folks at STB, let’s hope you feel the same when it goes on general release. 

Onto the music, but before we do, Let us think about the word ‘Psychache’ for a second, what springs to mind? In terms of this review, probably nothing more than an album title for Curse The Son’s excellent 2^nd record.  However in the interests of research, ‘Psychache’ was borne as a concept to help explain suicide, the defining characteristics of which are, psychological pain of the mind and an individuals ability to cope. 

It is heavy subject matter indeed and whilst I am not certain if this was a concept for which the record it based, for me the music of Curse The Son is perfectly juxtaposed against these themes, in the sense that our ability to cope with things stems from our need for catharsis.  ‘Psychache’ is the perfect anaesthetic to these dark themes, a tonic borne from the bong water of sabbathian worship, it discharges pent up emotions and stress, purging the listener by the power of the riff.  So sit back, take a swig of jack, crank this shit and let the purgation commence. Curse The Son is bringing Liberation through amplification.   

Curse The Son adhere to many stereotypes in terms of doom metal, repetitious riffs, a thick low end bass tone, and a steadfast backbeat, however there is nothing wrong with that, as long as there is quality.  Worry not, whilst this does not reinvent the wheel, there is much to admire about it.  First of all, this record is laden in fuzz; warm and dirty, but without the harshness of say ‘sludge’, your eardrums are immediately penetrated with girth and bulk, not from the appendage of man with a fetish only he can fully explain, but from the down tuned strings being struck from an axe of distortion.   Indeed in terms of their music, Curse The Son deal in volume.  Divine and rapturous levels of riffs dominate much of ‘Psychache’ and the record immediately hooks you in.  For example ‘Goodbye Henry Aslinger’ feels familiar and memorable, a song structured around riffs with enough fuzz to cause the earth to undulate, your introduction is a bouncing pick scrap into a lumbering chord progression. What is refreshing about this record too, is the vocal talent of Ray Vanacore and I say talent, because he has a great range.  On the track ‘The Spider Stole the Weed’ for example, he reminds me of Chris Cornell, but retains his own voice, with the music moving with a rumbling sound, slow and laborious, like a battle hardened solider on a battle field.

From the opening main riff to its finality, ‘Psychache’ is a burly and muscular record.  For me you can almost trace the lineage of their music over the last 40 odd years, a culmination of Black Sabbath, Candlemass, St. Vitus, Trouble, indeed the record as a whole sounds vintage.  It smoulders, the fire from the riffs burning thick with fuzzy smoke, suffocating and dense, interlocked with seething drum rolls and warm combustive bass tones, creating a sound that is representative of their influences and retaining a quality of its own.  This vintage is some of the best of its kind in 2014 and worthy of reverence. A venerable composition enshrined in wax.  

Words: Aaron Pickford

You can pick up this vinyl here from the 26/7/2014 and download here now.  It also gives me great pleasure to present the premiere of Curse The Son’s video for ‘Spider Stole The Weed’.  Enjoy

For more information:

http://cursetheson.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cursetheson

http://stbrecords.bigcartel.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/STB-Records/471228012921184

https://twitter.com/STBRECORDS

Interview with Ron Vanacore (Guitar/Vocals) of Curse The Son

When putting together 2013’s year end list, inexplicably I included two bands who would go on be signed to STB Records. The commonality between the two is simple; they play fuzz laden stoner doom.  Their music immediately resonated with me, indeed those records ‘Psychache’ and ‘777’ were of such high quality, I would go on to place them equally at no.3 in my list. 

Whilst in the bigger scheme of things, my opinion matters not a jot in the multiverse of internet music journalism,  however what is important, is The Sludgelord’s support of bands doing it DIY.  Indeed the ethos of the site is the same; we do this shit because we have a passion for music.

The two bands in question, Curse The Son and Goya were two great examples of bands self releasing music via bandcamp in 2013 and we can expect vinyl releases from both via STB Records over the coming weeks and months.  With that in mind, I am going to be focusing my attention on the first of them, Curse The Son.  To set the scene, I originally contact Ron Vanacore (Guitar/Vocals) to suggest an interview during the latter part of 2013, however following the announcement of a deal with STB Records in September, I thought it would be prudent to bide my time and wait to discuss not only the heritage of Curse The Son but also their debut vinyl release too. 

Fast forward to July 2014, and Ron was gracious enough to talk to me.  So kick back, swig a cold one and enjoy the interview.  The complaints department is closed.

SL) Ron, welcome to The Sludgelord, good to talk to you. 

RV) It is good to be back with you.  I always look forward to a visit with the premiere stoner/doom site on the web.  You guys have always been a great supporter of Curse the Son and I want to thank you for that!

SL) We first talked about an interview following the release of Psychache but postponed it a little to coincide with the vinyl release.  Fast forward 12 months and here we are!! How are things at CtS HQ? Summarize 2014 so far and your immediate plans for the rest of the year? 

RV) Things are good with the band. We prefer to not oversaturate the market with shows.  For us it is better to play a few HUGE shows that are going to make a statement than play every weekend just for the sake of doing it.  We played a great show in January at Toads Place, which is in New Haven, Connecticut.  It was a great gig with about 500 in attendance. It’s funny because I remember when Curse the Son first started gigging in 2009; barely anyone around here in Connecticut knew what stoner/doom was! Over the years the crowds have grown a lot and the reception just gets better all the time!  People are genuinely into what we are doing. There are some new bands around here that are representing the stoner vibe, which is very cool as well.  I am not sure if we had anything to do with it, but it is great nevertheless. 

We also played Eyes Of The Stoned Goat in Worcester, Mass this past May and that was an awesome experience as well.  Brendan Burns is a complete professional and always puts on great events.  We played later on a Sunday night, so understandably people were pretty fried by the time we played, but it was still a killer reception and probably our best performance in quite a while.  Stoner/doom shows are always great because the crowd is always so cool.  No tough guy attitudes or fighting, just friendly folks who want to get roasted and listen to brutally loud music!

SL) Before we get onto the good stuff (imminent vinyl release), Can you perhaps give us an idea of the roots behind the band? Who you are that kind of thing? It is your opportunity to tell the world about yourself. 

RV) I started Curse the Son in 2008 as a “solo project”.  My previous band Sufferghost had just gone on indefinite hiatus due to our guitar player Tony Buhagiar’s unfortunate health problems.  I wrote and recorded 4 songs on my own in the spring/summer of ’08.  I needed something to use to recruit members to create an actual band.  This recording turned out to be the ‘Globus Hystericus’ EP that was released in the fall of ’08. 

Cheech Weeden (Bass) and I have played together for many years in many different bands including Sufferghost.  He and I played with a myriad of drummers over the course of the next couple years.  We recorded the ‘Klonopain’ record with drummer Rich Lemley in the spring of 2010.  That was met with a great response from the stoner/doom community and we were on our way from there.

Michael Petrucci (Drums) joined us in June 2011.  We spent that entire summer just writing songs.  Mike completely reenergized us and helped take our writing to another level.  Those songs turned out to be the ‘Psychache’ record that was officially released in January 2013.  It is impossible to explain how awesome it felt when the reviews started to come in for ‘Psychache’!  It seemed that everyone who was anyone was blown away by what we had created.  I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to top “Klonopain”, but most told us that “Psychache” was on a completely different level!   It is so exciting and humbling when your peers have such high praise towards a piece of art that we worked so hard to create.  Very overwhelming.

SL) Steve and I would talk about his desire to sign you for the vinyl release for months prior to the eventual announcement and he steers a great ship at STB Records. So, here we are, when did you guys first hook up with STB Records and how did it come about?  His passion for vinyl is infectious, right?

RV) Absolutely!  Steve LOVES vinyl…STB Records is his passion and it shows.  It’s funny because ‘Psychache’ has had many releases.  The first was an unofficial release at SHOD 2012 where we handed out advanced copies of the record.  Then we had an official CD release on January 1, 2013.  From January to June 2013 we were still holding back on an online release because we were in talks with various record labels and didn’t want to jump the gun.  As July 2013 approached we grew weary of playing the waiting game.  I knew that ‘Psychache’ was a great record and needed to be heard worldwide.  We decided to put the record up on Bandcamp.com as a “pay what you want” download.  In the first 2 days alone we had over 400 downloads/sales!  Not bad for a band with no label, no PR…nothing. 

Steve was one of the first people to contact me the night ‘Psychache’ went live online.  He was really into the record and felt that it was something special.  We had many more conversations over the next couple weeks and we signed the contract in September.  He really cares about the records he releases and each one has it’s own unique touch.

SL) With the release perhaps only weeks away, what can you tell us about the release and what are your overall thoughts about your debut vinyl release, its fan boy stuff right?  You must be stoked?

RV) Completely stoked!  All of my life it has been a dream of mine to have my very own record! When I was a kid, I used to sit in my room with my records and stare at the artwork, memorize the lyrics and listen to the vinyl over and over again.  Once CD’s became the norm, I figured that my dream was dead, but with the resurgence of vinyl it is once again a great reality.  It really is awesome.

SL). Taking the release as a whole, how much involvement did you have in terms of overall package? Do you feel added pressure considering previous STB releases have sold out, haha (It’s inevitable it will, of course)

RV) My wife and I put in a lot of work to make the artwork killer.  She is a graphic designer who has worked on many albums before.  We knew what we wanted to do concept wise from the get-go, and we made it happen. Steve is completely in charge of the Die-Hard editions of the records that he puts out, so I had very little to do with that.  Judging from the past Die-Hard editions he’s done I’m very excited to see what he has created. 

As far as pressure, I put myself under vast amounts of undue pressure every minute of the day.  I am a huge ball of fucking stress and anxiety unfortunately.

SL) As a music fan yourself and given that music seems to be so disposal at times, is it important to offer a great package to your fans, but at the same time not alienate them by producing something which is not affordable. Did you approach the vinyl release with trepidation or were you confident that STB Records would produce a product you could be proud of?

RV) Offering a great package was a HUGELY important to us.  That is why working with Steve has been such a pleasure.  The dude truly gives a shit, and sinks a lot of time and effort into putting out the absolute best product possible.  Our working relationship has been a very positive and productive one that I don’t usually encounter with people in this business. 

It means so much to me personally that Steve believes in Curse the Son and ‘Psychache’ so much.  I have been trying to be on an actual record label my whole life and now it is a reality.  To have someone believe in you completely, put their wallet and reputation on the line for you is not something to be taken lightly. 

SL) Taking the vinyl release out of the equation for a moment, what are your thoughts about Psychache now, given that the record was released in Jan ‘13. It is very strong vocally and laden with riffs, is Psychache representative of the direction your music is headed in the future?

RV) I think ‘Psychache’ holds up very well.  Like I mentioned earlier, those songs were written almost 3 years ago and I still really enjoy listening to them.  The music has such sonic weight to it.  Heavy in every sense of the word and it takes the listener on a real trip!

You can never make the same album twice, nor should you.  The newer stuff we have been working on does have the same key elements, as I feel that we are really starting to find “our” sound.   With that said ‘Psychache’ was a different record than ‘Klonopain’, and the new one will be just the next natural progression for us. 

SL) What would be the ‘goal’ for CtS as a band and thoughts on the emergence of retro type bands such as Orchid and its increasing popularity?  Bigger labels seem to picking up bands too, more recently Brimstone Coven. Is that something that is attractive to you as a band? 

RV) Listen, all I want is for our music to reach as many people as possible.  Whatever vehicle will help us to gain that exposure is what I am for.  I believe the key is not so much the label, but the distribution and advertising.  If you can get your music into the eyes and ears of the public, good things are going to happen. 

I still believe that the labels are missing out by not giving us our shot.  Between the awesome reviews from within our genre, and the word from the folks who buy and download our music, I truly believe that we deserve our shot.  I hope that with this vinyl release and the upcoming release of the third record we will be finally recognized as a band to reckon with.

SL) Tell us some of your influences/heroes both musically and artistically, both metal and non-metal? Was there a specific band or artist turned you onto music and specifically introduced you to Heavy Metal/Rock and wanting to form a band? 

RV) Ozzy Osbourne was the one who really did it for me.  I remember when ‘Diary Of A Madman’ came out I was so blown away by the whole thing.  I was a young kid then, so naturally I bought into the myth that Ozzy was the main talent behind the music.  He had it all…the look, the stage show, the antics and Randy Rhoads of course.  My vocal style was built off of two singers really, Ozzy and Zeeb Parkes from Witchfinder General. 

Honestly, I don’t really listen to much new music.  Currently I am on a mid to late period Zeppelin kick: ‘Houses Of The Holy’, ‘Physical Graffiti’ and ‘Presence’.  ‘Presence is really a great album that tends to get overlooked when thinking of Zeppelin.  ‘Houses Of The Holy’ has the best drum sound and includes the incomparable ‘No Quarter’.  I really only listen to metal and hard rock so there really wouldn’t be many surprises if you saw my music collection. 

SL) Using those influences as a reference point, did they form the basis of the direction where you wanted to take the band and how you approached writing for CtS?

In 2005 I formed the band Sufferghost with Tony Buhagiar and Cheech Weeden.  Sufferghost was a stoner/doom band and I was singing and playing drums.  We made some killer fucking music in that band! Unfortunately in 2007, our record was completed and we were getting ready to play, Tony suffered an Aortic Dissection… essentially his heart burst.  Thankfully he lived, but he was left paraplegic and returned to his hometown of Hayward, California to recover. 

This awesome band never did see the stage, which is really unfortunate.  I took some time off and contemplated if I wanted to continue playing music anymore, as I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in a band without Tony.  He encouraged me to begin again and that is where Curse the Son was born.  I always said that Curse the Son was a branch off of the Sufferghost tree.  Sufferghost was more stoner than doom.  I took CtS into a doomier direction.  Curse the Son has always been my dedication to Tony and the memory of Sufferghost. 

If anyone is interested in hearing the Sufferghost album ‘Thaw’ it will be up on Bandcamp.com by the time this interview is printed.  It is a really great record that deserves to be heard.   http://sufferghost.bandcamp.com  Tony is rocking again out in California playing in the band Tuco Ramirez, they play great up-tempo hard rock.

SL) What attracted you to ‘doom’ music per se and that particular style of music with reference to your own sound? In short, what is it about the doom sound that made CtS perhaps want to emulate that?

RV) It’s funny I was just thinking about this story the other day.  Back in mid-80’s, my first band Black Wytche was a thrash metal band. Every time a new band came out the music seemed to get faster and faster.  This was around the time that Kreator released ‘Pleasure to Kill’.  We were going to open for them and Voivod here in Connecticut so we were beginning to push ourselves to play faster than them.  We were having a discussion one day about thrash metal and where it was going to go, I half jokingly said, “I bet the next big thing will be which band can play the slowest”.  I figured after a certain point you couldn’t get much faster and still remain musical, so the logical thing would be to go in the opposite direction. 

I was already really into Witchfinder General and Cirith Ungol, but they had been broken up for a couple years by this point, I knew of Trouble and had heard of St. Vitus.  Candlemass came out, and then it was Cathedral.  By ’88 I was listening to all of my old Sabbath records again.  Masters Of Reality hit, and then of course I first heard Sleep and Monster Magnet on a local college radio station. 

I was in this band in the mid-90’s and people kept telling us how we reminded them of Kyuss.  At that point I did not know who Kyuss was at all, so it was completely coincidental.  The folks around here used to say we played Swamp Metal!  The doom element has always been a part of me as well as all of my bands over my years…. whether it was obvious or not. 

SL)  How is the ‘heavy’ scene in Connecticut?

RV) It is mostly dominated by death metal and metalcore bands.  Thankfully like I previously mentioned there has been an influx of bands who share the same influences and vibes that we do.  Sea of Bones is a great band that was around even before we were, total sludged out doom.  Those guys are so fucking loud that earplugs make no difference, you can actually feel your brain shaking when they play.  There are some other bands as well like Nightbitch, Entierro, Insano Vision, VRSA, Mind Over Master and Stikpin.

SL) I’m assuming all musicians like to talk about the gear they use. With that in mind, what do you use in terms of guitars, amps and why? Also what tuning do you use? 

RV) I am a proud endorser of Dunwich Amplification.  The owner, Nicholas Williams is a very good friend of mine and he loves Curse the Son.  We actually met on MySpace way back when I first got CtS going.  He was the first dude in Connecticut to show interest in the band.  Long story short, almost everything I use, he has custom built for me. 

I use 2 DA-120’s, which are similar to the old Matamp GT-120’s, but he tailored the sound to my tastes.  I also use a Dunwich Pyramid Fuzz that is beyond fucking brutal.  I use Mesa Boogie Rectifier cabs loaded with V-30’s.  I run the amps in stereo using two 4x12’s on my side and one 4x12 and one 2x12 on the other side of the stage.  My primary guitar is a Gibson SG standard tuned to A# Standard. 

SL) Has their been much opportunity for CtS to do live shows? Is playing live important to CtS, because touring can depend upon work commitments etc? 

RV) We love to play out live, but finding the right gigs is a different story.  Touring is something that is a bit difficult for me at this point because I am in Graduate School and can’t afford to miss any time.  At some point I would like to do some “weekend warrior” tours and get out to some of the places where our fans are.  We get people asking us to come to their state all of the time, we’ve even got people begging us to come over to Europe and beyond.  I don’t know what the future holds.  I would love to get a chance to tour at least once.

SL) How valuable are blogs and social media? 

RV) Invaluable.  It really has levelled the playing field for everyone.  We have fans from all over the world and that is amazing.  With the click of a button you can listen to our music, buy it; see what we are about live via YouTube.  Bandcamp is THE best site out there, bar none.  Both ‘Psychache’ and ‘Klonopain’ have gone well over 2000 each for downloads and sales.  Again, not bad for a band that doesn’t tour, has no label and no PR firm pushing our name.  Imagine what we could accomplish with someone backing us?

It is an amazing tool, but I do feel that it has caused music to become more of a commodity than an experience like it used to be.  For me, music was a religion unto itself.  There was a mystery about it that doesn’t exist anymore.  When I was a kid you had your record, some posters, magazine articles and maybe a video of your favourite band if you were lucky…that was it!  If you went to see a band live, you had no idea what the set list was, or what the stage show was like…it was all fresh and new.  You had to have patience and wait until your favourite bands came through town.  I miss that about music now and I feel sorry for the generations who will never know what that was like.

SL) Quick fire question, what’s your preference? Cassette, CD, Digital Download or Vinyl? And why? 

RV) I would have to choose CD’s for clarity but Vinyl for the warmth, vibe and the artwork.

SL) Thanks for answering my questions, but one final question. Do you have anything you’d like to say to your fans and what can we expect from CtS in the future, new record? Tours? 

RV) Thank you so much for your support and belief in us!  Whether you downloaded for free or paid, sent us messages on Facebook or emailed us personally we recognize each and every one of you and we love you.

We will begin recording the 3^rd record at some point in the fall and we hope to have it available by January 1^st 2015.  There are no song titles or even an album title yet, but I can promise that it will be another dark acid trip filled with smoked up riffs and desperate words.  Here’s hoping that one of the ‘big-boy’ labels will give this one a shot and help us to reach the next level.

Thanks to The Sludgelord and all of the online zines and blogs, Steve at STB Records and most importantly you, the fans. 

Doom on brothers and sisters~

A huge thank you to Ron for taking the time to talk to me, if you haven’t downloaded ‘Psychache’, you can do so here.  The vinyl will be available to buy soon via STB Records here and keep your eyes open for a forthcoming review.  Thanks as ever to you guys for reading.  Support DIY and support heavy music.  Doom on.  Photographs courtesy of R. Vanacore and in turn, DeMusis, Franzman and Amber (C)

Words & Interview by:  Aaron Pickford

For more information:

http://cursetheson.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cursetheson