Ion Dissonance
Cursed


2.5
average

Review

by fromtheinside USER (118 Reviews)
August 25th, 2010 | 51 replies | 13,753 views


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: technical music that confuses itself.

5 of 10 thought this review was well written

Cursed is perfect. It really is. I now have a distinct example I can point to in lauding the excellence of technical metalcore bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan. Ion Dissonance bring everything to the table that DEP, almost, refuse to exude and they’re worse off for it. Sure, they share a similar tact in disregarding any sense of time signatures, structure or melody, but they also beef up the need to prove to the world they're technical, losing the grace and shredding mindless notes for the sake of shredding mindless notes. It’s hard to see the appeal in such a process. This isn’t a talent show at your local junior high, therefore Ion Dissonance need to be taking their technicality to the next level and show us something we didn’t already know they could do.

There is some praise to be had here though, Cursed is a firm step up from their previous two disasters, harking back to that fire the band entered the scene with. Furious tracks fueled with all the testosterone one fraternity house can muster blindly guide each track. Armed with a plethora of breakdowns and, if you couldn't guess by the name, near unbearable degrees of dissonance; Cursed fills a shallow bag half filled with originality and half predictability. In fact it becomes almost too easy to expect where each tracks pace will dictate the journey’s ending. Thrash intro? A battle of who can play their instrument the fastest with a three minute time limit – “You People Are Messed Up”. Machine Gun characteristics? Gotta be that Warped Tour essential “After Everything That's Happened, What Did You Expect” complete with all the "fuck you, you bastard ... blah blah blah meanie". Even the song titles are indicative of what the song is about for example “We Like To Call This One...Fuck Off”.

Aside from the fact that technical metal should not be predictable it doesn’t help that Ion Dissonance get pretty annoying fifteen minutes into Cursed. Back to the reason why they still don’t quite get ‘it’ yet; they over use their trademark, the dissonance that is, to the point where it becomes a gimmick. Is the band a one trick pony? One could argue either way; there was potential a few years back, but they’re just now releasing the follow-up album that should have been their sophomore effort. Though few songs start in identical fashion every song loses itself forty seconds in and the band have no idea how to pull it through in the end. The middle of the record is a perfect example, it’s a dead zone, with indecipherable moments cementing themselves on top each other in between sheer unappealing musicianship. Of course, it could be that I just missed the memo and that’s all this band is really about, music that’s really, really, fast and heavy and loud and full of china cymbals, not heard so profoundly since Messengers, and really, really fast and totes magotes and all that good stuff. Well, I'll bid myself adieu from music cause this shit’s a classic.



Recent reviews by this author
Fall Out Boy Save Rock and RollThe Temptations The Definitive Collection
Justin Timberlake The 20/20 ExperienceNails Abandon All Life
elvis depressedly Hotter SadnessCerce Cerce
user ratings (143)
Chart.
3.7
great
other reviews of this album
IntoTheFire (3)
WHAT THE F**K IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?...

Ian W. (4)
Ion Dissonance improve in all the right ways, releasing probably the best album out of their discogr...


Comments:Add a Comment 
fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

i was not aware so many were loving this album.
my bee.

Digging: The National - Trouble Will Find Me

bloc
August 25th 2010



32244 Comments


Ion Dissonance hurt itself in confusion!

Digging: Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

East Hastings
August 25th 2010



4364 Comments


fromtheinside for staff

Digging: Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap

East Hastings
August 25th 2010



4364 Comments


the need to prove to the world their technical

they're ?

fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

great catch. will fix.

East Hastings
August 25th 2010



4364 Comments


great review as well
i probably won't check this out

This Life is Genocide
Contributing Reviewer
August 25th 2010



8780 Comments


really dude?

fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

album is a bore.

This Life is Genocide
Contributing Reviewer
August 25th 2010



8780 Comments


tracks 2-6 are prty fuckin awesome though!

brutebeard
August 25th 2010



1655 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Disagree but very well argued. And "Messengers" as in ABR? Haha Ion blows them out of the wishing well

fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

i only mentioned Messengers cause that album loves it cymbal use.

This Life is Genocide
Contributing Reviewer
August 25th 2010



8780 Comments


'moar chyna krash?'

ThirtySixChambers
August 25th 2010



7463 Comments


The track I heard was pretty good, hopefully I'll get around to getting this.

brutebeard
August 25th 2010



1655 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

True that. As solid as ABR's drummer is... the china's are EVERYWHERE

BringMeTheWaffles.
August 25th 2010



221 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This album isn't bad, it's just wayyyyyyyyyy too random.
I mean, they go too far out of their way on some of these tracks.

brutebeard
August 25th 2010



1655 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

which is what makes it original

fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

kind of.
if they just noodle for 4 minutes and end up nowhere what have they accomplished?

brutebeard
August 25th 2010



1655 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

it is still comprehensible song-writing and they have to remember the structure for performing amiright?

fromtheinside
August 25th 2010



12633 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

dragonforce.

brutebeard
August 25th 2010



1655 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

eww yeah right. ID is way less nerdy



You have to be logged in to post a comment. Login | Create a Profile





FAQ // STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // SITE FORUM // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Site Copyright 2005-2013 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Privacy Policy

IndieClick Music Network