Ion Dissonance "Cursed" 2010

Artist: Ion Dissonance

Album: Cursed

Genre: Deathcore/Mathcore

Myspace: Ion Dissonance

Tracklist:

1. Cursed
2. You People are Messed Up
3. The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same
4. This is the Last Time I Repeat Myself
5. No Care Ever
6. After Everything That's Happened, What Did You Expect?
7. We Like to Call This One...Fuck Off
8. Can Someone Please Explain this to Me?
9. Disaster in Sight
10. This is Considered Mere Formality
11. This Feels Like the End...
12. They'll Never Know
13. Pallor

Overall Sound: If you’ve never heard one of Canada’s premiere Deathcore/Mathcore fusion acts “Ion Dissonance”, then “Cursed” is a very digestible CD to listen to. Overall production and quality is very tight and well-rounded in every aspect. This is band is a Deathcore/Mathcore band that has a variety of time signatures and tempo changes throughout every song, yet it somehow melts all together in this CD unlike previous CD’s like “Minus the Herd”. The Intensity and Anger this CD dishes out is so far unmatched in the Deathcore/Mathcore scene outside of possibly the new Beneath the Massacre which isn’t even out yet, but I digress.

Guitar: As Always, Amazing!!! Considering of course that your actually into Mathcore and don’t take it as “One more unrecognizable blazing fast riff-fest” then your half way to understanding the genre. All parties involved in this CD on guitar as mentioned before have skill at what they do, there is often almost Meshuggah like riffs with almost poly-rhythm patterns but they dwindle as the CD plays ¾ of the way through.

Bass: Not easily found, but is there mainly during the chug patterns within every song, but if you listen to it loud enough the guitar will drown it out, so I would say it is not there haha

Drums: This drummer in my honest opinion could do better to be in another band, because I feel like he’s having to hold back his talent with the continued breakdown….breakdown…..breakdown…. well you get the picture I assume.

Vocals/Lyrics: Normally I enjoy the low end, hardcore vocals much like the vocalist of ion dissonance. In “Cursed” however I am deeply disappointed in the performance, because for one it sounds like “The tony danza tap dance extravaganza”. Secondly the vocals and particularly the continued use of the word “Fuck” which apparently makes you a tougher band. Lyrics are terrible don’t even bother.

Overall Impression: Going into this review as a previous ion dissonance listener I was honestly expecting more from the vocal department, which IMHO has failed terribly on this record. The Strengths are apparent as soon as you press play on this CD, however though I just was not blown away as every person that I have read just about claims to be from this CD.

Killer Tracks: You People are Messed Up, The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same,

After Everything That's Happened, What Did You Expect?

Rating:  6.5/10