Better Off Dead

Better Off Dead is the second and presumably the last release from North Carolina based hard rock band Curse Your Name. The band states that this work is a 'goodbye letter to their family, friends and fans and seems to tell a tale that starts at the beginning of time and weaves it's way until the end of the Earth's destruction, filling in everything from broken relationships, to the loss of loved ones and murder in between. The songs on this CD much like the bands previous work seem to flirt with ideas of spirituality and the afterlife, all the while still maintaining splashes of heavy metal brutality along the way. Like much of Curse Your Name's work even back in the days when they were known as Cynder, the music on this disc delivers a somber mood while portraying an overall theme that 'there is a light at the end of the tunnel' and 'everything is going to be alright.' It may all sound clich' but the group does a good job of tying it all in on this album, a feat that was somewhat lacking in their self titled release. Some of the tracks deal with the situation of loss in a very direct way such as 'Paradise Lost' which deals with the expulsion from paradise, while others like 'Amber Room' are a little more in-direct and metaphorical. The overall sound of the band has changed considerably since their self titled release in my opinion, mainly due to the fact that there are two new members in the band and the majority of song writing was handed off by Robert Jones (guitar) who left the band earlier to guitarist J.J. Moore. This move has given the group more of traditional metal sound featuring more guitar solos and melodic choruses while before one might say their sound was more in the vein of nu metal. This new sound could just be a reaction to the change in musical popularity with guitar solos being more appreciated nowadays. Nonetheless, I think the changes are for the better and it's a shame that the group is claiming that they are calling it quits after this CD drops, I really feel like they have finally found their sound on this one. Never before has their music had such a breath of passion and urgency, you can really feel the emotions coming out in the lyrics whether they are anguish, rage or hope. Gone are the days of the industrial/metal sound when they were known as Cynder, there aren't any keyboards in sight on this one, although there are a few samples here and there that help add flavor to a lot of the tracks. All in all I have to say this is the best album by this group to date although the production doesn't seem quite as up to snuff as their previous release, this is great way for a band to end it's legacy if that so happens to be the case. I think CYN nailed exactly what they were going for with this one, a farewell letter from one of the best rock bands to ever. It really is a shame that they have never gotten more recognition than they deserve. But all good things must come to an end eventually, and maybe it's for the best? This is exactly the point this album is trying to convey and it does so in a beautifully, brutal way. - Hesh.