Review Summary: Oh the darkness... Apocalypse in music form
The swedish quartet This Gift is a Curse releases one of the darkest and most chaotic records that the swedish underground-scene has ever seen.
This Gift is a Curse are known for putting up a hell of a show while performing live, so my hopes for this record were somewhat high. And as "The Swarm" kicks off, I know I won't be disappointed. All of the elements from the s.t ep are here. The chaos, the darkness, those post/black guitars, screams full of anguish, powerful, furious drumming and the bass overloaded with distortion. But here they've managed to take their songwriting to the next level. Creating a dark atmosphere with simple and tasteful drumbeats that goes great together with angsty guitars and screams.
Mixing upbeat almost straight up hardcore songs like "The Crossing" with doom/post/black songs like album closer "I will Swallow all Light" makes this record a diverse 49 minute journey in dark, dissonant landscapes. But after a few listens all the songs starts to sound a little bit the same. There are definitely some fillers like "Deciever" that wouldn't come of especially great when listened to on it's own, even tough it really contributes to the whole doomsday atmospehere that is so very well displayed through the whole record.
One thing that stands out in all the dissonant riffs and total chaos are the lyrics. As if it wasn't enough that the music sends chills of discomfort down my spine the lyrics and vocals only makes it worse. They are some of the darkest lyrics I've ever encountered in the hardcore world. Nothing like Nattram in Silencer, less egocentric and whining. They're facing this hopeless world much more as someone with balls would do. Just screaming out their anger with few, beautiful and well placed words that makes machinegun like sentences that only makes the guilt of being a conform human who likes Bon Iver worse.
A surprisingly dark record that totally eats cute children for breakfast and leaves you with two sore ears and no hope left for the world. That will be my final words.
