Thrash Metal, beyond being loosened, has its own evil Hyde corners. I had more than a few meetings with the extreme type of Thrash, mainly the European version, though I would prefer the US Bay Area kind. However, I felt a pretty decent mixture of both American and European Thrash through the trio of the Thrash combination from the USA, BLESSED CURSE, earlier known as DEVASTATOR. Their self-titled debut via Cyclone Empire maintains the likes and sound of evilized Thrash just as it was played by KREATOR, EXMORTUS and SACRIFICIAL SLAUGHTER yet also holds the classic direction of DEATH ANGEL, HEATHEN, TESTAMENT and early METALLICA. I was glad that these guys kept close also to the Bay Area style as I felt that it only enriched their music.

Throughout a tracklist of twelve tracks, BLESSED CURSE shows their admiration for the best of old school Thrash has to give. Not that the trio had anything new in their material yet it is violent and fun to explore. Deep within the roughness of their rhythms, BLESSED CURSE are proving that they are true to the old ways. I even noticed that Patrick Hamby, the leader of the rhythm section on bass, shares quite a lot in common with various of bass players of NWOBHM by issuing great bass work that left a mark on the material. I wouldn't also discourage the vocalist / guitarist, Tyler Satterlee for his well performed solos and crushing riffs.

The album's production set another important tone with an additional dimension of how the old school movement has been sinking knee deep within the hearts of the trio. That passion led them to select the right producer for their debut. Juan Ortega, which also produced bigger players like TESTAMENT, once again sends out another great production work on its way. The orientation kept looping me back to late 80s classic releases both from America and Europe that were, and still are, the picture of richness when it comes to sound.

Generally, I conjured that this album shows a tight band without any will power to do something that would stir them away from the road they set for themselves. I think that their material in a good but it is still not close to the classics, yet it is in the right direction. Through quality tracks such as "March Of The Wicked", "Rise Of The Undead", "Burn The Beast" and "Something Evil", BLESSED CURSE attack without fear of sounding too banal or out of fashion, old school is here to stay and that is a fact.