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"A Haunting Curse" does a great job of capturing the raw fury and intensity of Goatwhore’s live show and translating it to a recorded work. The album is seething with malevolence and does a great job of conveying the kind of primal aggression that is the root of all extreme metal. The songs skillfully toe the line between black and death metal, adding just a touch of NOLA-style-sludge to keep things interesting. The production is modern but not over done, with a crisp but not over processed sound. "A Haunting Curse" is a throwback to days gone when the lines that divided subgenres were not as clearly defined, the great thing is that Goatwhore have managed to create an album like this without coming across like they are simply copying their predecessors. Instead, it sounds like Goatwhore were actually influenced by the same things that inspired the genre’s early pioneers and ended up with a similar product to said pioneers simply by chance.
In my opinion, "A Haunting Curse" is easily Goatwhore’s finest recorded work. While this band will probably always be at their best in a live setting, I highly recommend "A Haunting Curse" to anyone who enjoys extreme metal, and particularly to fans of older bands like Celtic Frost or Possessed.
Rating: 88
Reviewed By: Garett F.