There are always occasions where you pick an album or EP for review knowing absolutely nothing about the band you’ve selected. Such was the case with The Decay, the latest release from Canadian’s Orchid’s Curse. A band that has been together for close to two decades, there’s something refreshingly different about their sound. And that’s despite the fact that they draw on a huge range of influences from the world of metal, from death and metalcore through to more traditional metal.
Over the five tracks that Orchid’s Curse present, there is a full range of the styles that they adopt. There’s a fluidity to their sound, despite the multiple time changes, the ragingly gruff vocals and the thick riffs that power the band.
“Better Men” is the ideal opener, an expansive, almost progressive piece that’s close to six minutes in length, it’s designed to impress and snag the listener; something it does with ease. The changes in tempo, bursts of melody and the overall quality really catch the ear. From what I understand, the band has demonstrated progression in each release, something that’ll need me to drop back in time to confirm.
What is evident is that this is a band who present as one cohesive unit. Aside from the ferocious roars of Josh Hogan, the dual guitar work of Brian Jones and Keith MacLeod offer razor sharp riffs, piercing lead work and some delightful harmonies.
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There’s no way to label Orchid’s Curse. As “Dead Idols” explodes from the speakers, you think it’s going to be straight up metalcore but that isn’t the case as it expands into a much more complex animal. “Divergence of Man” is more expected at the start, but quickly morphs into an evolving, brooding track that gets deep under the skin. “Divided by Everything” is the EP’s powerhouse track. Fast, furious, savage, it does everything you need it to do before leading into the bruising finale of “Pay to Prey”. This is a punishing yet melodious track that allows those harmonies to blend in with a maelstrom of riffage and crushing drumming, thanks to Alex Wrathell.
Written in part before the pandemic, this is an EP that has been some time in the making. High on energy, full of ion, you can’t fault any part of this release. It’s been five years since their last release, Graveyard of the Gulf. With The Decay, Orchid’s Curse have fired a flare in the sky. It says, “we are back, and you’d better believe it”.
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The Decay is out on June 16th
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