ANCIENT CURSE is a Power Metal band from Bremen, Germany formed in the mid-1980's. With some Speed and Thrash metal elements thrown in, they have a really rounded sound capable of entertaining fans of multiple genres. Add in some Progressive Metal and even some Doom and Melodic Metal, and you have a tasty blend worth sinking your teeth in to. After an extended hiatus (1999-2013), ANCIENT CURSE is back with a vengeance. Their new album, "The New Prophecy", was released on May 29th, 2020 through Pure Steel Records. Gloomy, brutal, brooding, melodic... this album goes through numerous moods and makes you feel them all.

The lead track is "We Follow The Signs". With a nice acoustic intro, this seven plus minute song is a great beginning. Transitioning out of the intro, the next section has a slightly symphonic feel, with some lyrics in Latin (always a nice touch), that leads into the main song. The riff then drives full force throughout this tale of learning to be a better person by following what you know to be right. Add another interlude of Latin towards the end and finish off with an awesome final grunt. Great lead in for this record!

"Fire And Ice" and "The Shadow" are the next tracks and both have some great guitar work and a bass line. With some interesting tempo shifts in the middle of the songs bridging the beginning and end, these are great examples of the technical proficiency this band exhibits throughout the album. Following the theme of needing improvement by the human race to counteract the oncoming chaos of the wreckage mankind has wrought, these tracks foreshadow the rest of the album.

Track six, "One Moment Of Fortune", is another song with a gentle intro that leads into a down tuned journey through the ties between the eternal and now. Citing Kierkegaard and Goethe, ANCIENT CURSE show a depth of understanding and knowledge of what the psyche holds and is capable of accomplishing. This leads me back to track four, "Man Of The Storm". This song talks of how mankind is the ultimate destructive force on Earth and is not getting the message that change has to happen. Following in the footsteps of many other metal bands, ANCIENT CURSE let us know where they stand on some of the pressing issues of the day. They let us know that what we do today will affect how we live now and hereafter.

At 4:09, the shortest song on this album is "The Shadow". There are three 6+, one 7+ and one 9+ minute songs on this disc. With a run time of near 58 minutes, there is a lot to love here. ANCIENT CURSE prove they may have been away for a while, but they have not forgotten how to make an incredibly current and timely album. Reminiscent of other Power Metal giants, they have claimed a spot in the annals of musical history a fantastic show of extraordinary musicianship.

This is not a straight concept album, but there is a theme. Change is needed or we are marching toward an ending that is not all happiness and roses. Referring back to the hiatus that started in 1999, "Prophecy", the final track on the album, alludes to the this all being foretold and now coming to fruition. The ANCIENT CURSE (both band and ominous warning) are back and the time is now to listen, to heed and to OBEY!