Orchid’s Curse – “Cynics & Liars” [EP] [Album Review]

Having been cracking skulls in the Canadian metal scene since 2006, Orchid’s Curse sit very comfortably in the box marked “quality brutal metal.” Inspired by the likes of Lamb Of God, The Black Dahlia Murder and At The Gates, the Halifax-based bone-breakers’ new EP, Cynics & Liars, is very much an EP which epitomizes everything good about metal in 2016.

Predominantly a brutal, unrelenting sonic assault, Orchid’s Curse have thankfully made sure that Cynics And Liars is the kind of EP which has enough extras interwoven into the grooves to really capture your attention. So much more than just a sensory pummeling, tracks like “We Are All Cynics and Liars” may be built upon a bed of juddering, crunching guitars and throaty, gruff vocals but hit new levels with the right smattering of melody. In fact, it’s that dash of melody which takes this impressive display of metallic rage from being a release that just pummels you into liking it, to being one that really sinks its teeth in and doesn’t let go.

Discovering the band have been plying their metallic wares for a number of years now, it comes as no surprise that this EP is a solid, crushing effort and it has certainly piqued my interest enough to have me investigating their back catalogue to see what I’ve been missing out on.

Track Listing:

01. If History Has Taught Us Nothing
02. We Are All Cynics and Liars
03. Judging An Empty Shell
04. Without Hope Of Redemption

Run Time: 19:27
Release Date: March 4, 2016

Check out the song “We Are All Cynics and Liars” here.