Freya

Lift The Curse

[2.5/5] Overanalyzing a record by a band like Freya is difficult because no matter how socially conscious the lyrics are, ultimately this music is just a backdrop for people to get in the pit and hurt each other-and don’t get us wrong, in that respect Lift The Curse is a complete success. The detuned chugga-chugga riffs are devastating; the breakdowns could cause prison riots; and former Earth Crisis vocalist Karl Buechner never sounded more brutal. The problem with the album is that it sounds like Freya have simply gotten lazy-or worse yet, lost any semblance of objective judgment. Songs like "The Wolf’s Age" and "Martyrs" not only get dangerously close to nü-metal territory, they’re also way too simplistic for musicians who have been pioneering the metalcore genre for over a decade. Alternately, the technical riffing and apocalyptic imagery on “Down To The Last”-which wouldn’t sound out of place on Earth Crisis’ 1995 masterpiece Destroy The Machines-just sounds dated in 2006. While there’s something to be said for consistency, if the firestorm hasn’t happened yet, maybe it’s time to move on. (VICTORY) Jonah Bayer

ROCKS LIKE:

Earth Crisis’ Destroy The Machines

Path Of Resistance’s Can’t Stop The Truth

Bury Your Dead’s Beauty And The Breakdown