Review: “Death Holograms” by I, Cursed

Mixed and mastered by Jerkka Perälä (Apea, Atlases, SARS) at Soft Neon Audiovisual, like a toe tag on a corpse in a mortuary the debut album “Death Holograms“ from I, Cursed should come with a public health warning attached to it. Influenced by the HM-2 sounds of Swedish Grind, vocalist Eero Haula and multi instrumentalist Ville-Veikko Laaksonen are already known entities having committed crimes against humanity in Oceanwake, Atlases and Marto. Their 2023 split EP with Blood Service and subsequent 7″ double single were warnings that clearly Inverse Records have not heeded and now it’s too late. A brutal dredging of furious Death Metal and Grindcore now awaits…

Given the introduction, you’ve probably guessed that opening cut “A Gathering Of Immense” sounds like a Carcass track remixed to the point of disintegration by Vast Slug. A piledriver of blistering breakneck speed, it not only sets the tone but raises the hairs on the back of the neck. Whether the drums are programmed isn’t clear but if not, the blackened blast beats from hell are going to be an energetic work out for live drummer Arttu Leppänen. The killing spree continues with the atomic bomb blast that is “Blades“, throat splitting Death Metal vocals from Eero Haula tearing through the ear canals like a dungeon whippet on Satan’s Dog track in Hell. Both cuts firmly in the vicious little ditty category, they serve as a shot in the arm for Death Grind lovers with their searing heat. As you might expect title track “Death Holograms” is lyrically on the psychological Death Metal side of things, in the vein of bands like Strange Wire and to match it the band slow things down just a little. That gives them the opportunity to create a little more atmosphere and in turn give us something that is another punishment beating but from another angle. The same can be said of “Dystopian Structure” which has a Death Doom Metal inspired riff and reaches the three minute mark with a haunting melody. That’s not to say that there aren’t blast beats and HM-2 buzzsaw riffs as well because it wouldn’t be I, Cursed without them. Die hard Death Grind fans might see this one as a sell out but in truth it’s just a slower death, equally as traumatic.

“Sorrower” has a buried speed sample at the start that’s hard to make out underneath the sonic abrasions but adds another texture; the brutal vocal performance one of the scream-a-long highlights of the record. A toxic whirlwind of percussive battery rises from the stetch of the cess pit as “Merge Into A Caustic Revocation” takes shape, another savage endeavour at breakneck speed with riffs other bands would kill for. It’s those Death Metal distinctions that make this more accessible than some Death Grind records but make no mistake, this is just as hard hitting. Grand finale “Vermin” finds I, Cursed firing on all cylinders, their old and familiar style suffocating like a warm blanket in the hands of a serial killer. Momentary feedback gives respite, a moment to dwell in thought about the violence your ear drums have suffered at the hands of a pair of musicians who love nothing more than to inflict torture upon you. Killing is their business and business is good! [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. A Gathering Of Immense
2. Blades
3. Death Holograms
4. Dystopian Structure
5. Sorrower
6. Merge Into A Caustic Revocation
7. Vermin

“Death Holograms” by I, Cursed is out 17th July 2024 via Inverse Records and is available over at bandcamp.