Miss May I – Curse Of Existence
Release Date: 2nd September 2022
Label: Sharptone Records
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Genre: Metalcore, Metal, Hard Rock.
FFO: Bury Tomorrow, The Wise Man’s Fear, Before I Turn.
Review By: Mike Leighton
Metalcore pioneers, Miss May I, are gearing up to release their most ambitious album since Monument back in 2010. Their seventh studio album, Curse Of Existence, is set to release this Friday, September 2, through the Sharptone Records, and produced by the legendary, Will Putney. Sharptone is known for their extremely robust line-up of signed artists (Currents, Polaris, The Gloom In The Corner) and they did not miss the mark with Miss May I. This album comes out just as the band is getting ready to embark on another headlining tour beginning on September 1st in St. Louis, MO with heavy hitters Currents, Kingdom of Giants, and Landmvrks.
Miss May I are currently comprised of Levi Benton on vocals, B.J. Stead on lead guitar, Justin Aufdemkampe on guitar, Ryan Neff on Bass/Clean Vocals, and Jerod Boyd on Drums. If the singles they have released are any indication of just how powerful this album will be, the masses are in for a treat! So, let’s dive in!
In true Miss May I fashion, the guitars on A Smile That Does Not Exist fade into a blistering assault of harsh vocals and pelting drums! From the get-go, Levi’s vocals are already stronger than the last couple albums. Near the end of this track, we are gifted with some extremely low growls, those that I cannot recall hearing a lot of since the days of Monument and Apologies Are For The Weak, which a lot of fans will enjoy! As the second track, Earth Shaker, opens we are immediately greeted with some tonal screaming from Levi, which is a nice change of pace from his normal screaming, and he pulls it off very well. Reminds me a lot of when The Amity Affliction did the same thing on their album, Misery.
Bleed Together, one of the lead singles released, and a very strong track that includes an almost ballad-like chorus. The song feels very much like a bleak, forlorn love song, showing that even in the dark you’re never alone; you are loved. This track has some great lyrics as well as storytelling aspects to it.
“Through the lowest lows, and coldest cold, I will be your immovable stone.”
“When you bleed, we bleed together!”
Next, we have Into Oblivion opening with some awesome harmonized, almost galloping guitar riffs that really make you want to get up, bang your head, and start a circle pit. This track is going to be a great song to play live (if they do) and has a very refreshing breakdown a little over halfway, and then again at the end. The breakdown at the end, however, gets slower and is layered with some awesome low gutturals from Levi.
Free Fall is probably my favourite track on the entire album, and arguably the strongest single of the four the band released. The vocals, singing, guitars, and overall production bring all the song elements to a beautiful cacophony of sound. Lead guitarist, B.J. Stead, really shines on this song, especially when Levi screams “this is my free fall” because the guitar riff played over an equally groovy rhythm section was just beautiful to behold. Unconquered, the lead single, was a perfect choice to showcase exactly what the band has brought to the table with this album. Every element from vocals to drums radiates peak metalcore on this track!
Closing track, Bloodshed, starts with some really cool, chunky riffs followed by gritty vocals as well as a slow string arrangement in the background. A strong ending track to an already fantastic album! A slower track, but one that doesn’t detract from the heaviness, it just a different kind of heavy; It’s a melancholic, sombre, lethargic heavy, one that fades into black before you know it. All of the members have brought something extremely cohesive to the table this time around, and the singing from vocalist, Ryan Neff might be his best offering to date.
This album is the epitome of Miss May I, and I see it propelling them back to the forefront of the metalcore genre (that is, if they ever left). I personally will be jamming this album for the foreseeable future. Miss May I is a band that has been around the block more than once, and Curse of Existence shows just how far they have come from their humble beginnings. It takes every element that made the past albums enjoyable and compiles them into a fast, melodic, succinct, and downright heavy release.
(4.5 / 5)
