Domestic Curse – The Five Curses

By RingMaster Review on December 12, 2022 • ( 0 )

The final day of November saw the release of The Five Curses, a 5 song mini LP from UK duo DOMESTIC CURSE. It is the project’s debut release, a proposal which has been several years in the making but one which took little time in enslaving the imagination.

DOMESTIC CURSE is the creative collaboration of the hungrily prolific James Domestic (THE DOMESTICS / PI$$ER / TOKYO LUNGS / KÖRD VARLD / HAZARD PROFILE) and John Hewson (THE FIVE STRING DROPOUT BAND / CURSE / THE JABBERWOCKY PRAYERS). Though Domestic seems to come up with or be involved with a new proposition with incessant regularity it is fair to say that each and every band and indeed release he has been involved in, including his compelling solo work, has been a source of varied invention, esurient incitement and perpetual pleasure. DOMESTIC CURSE is no different and indeed in The Five Curses, he and Hewson have united for one of the most exciting and gripping proposals this year.

The project sees the familiar vocal and lyrical prowess of Domestic and the musical dexterity and invention of Hewson aligning with ravenous enterprise; the former as confrontational and acerbic as ever and the latter casting virulent electronic trespass and drama just as impacting.

As immediately proved by release opening Pass The Time, every aspect of song and album is an infestation of cross-examination and manipulative incitement; to simplify its presence, the record unleashing ravening electro punk to embrace the lyrical and poetic webs of Domestic. It is much more than that though and the first track again gives evidence with its chilling atmospheric ambience, intrusively nagging virulence and its oppressively swarming electronics. Yet it is the most contagious pleasure, an often overwhelming trespass with a tendency for the brutal but always hitting hard with a catchy voracity which only evoked the hunger for more. Domestic’s words and challenge equally provoked and evoked ears and emotive thought, as ever it easy to recognise and align with his observational and intimately seeded disputes.

Marching on is next up, the track emerging from within instantly compelling shadows to swing with synth pop nurtured infectiousness. A slow burning maelstrom of sound is soon brewing within though; a tempest which taunts and nags even as pop catchiness erupts in Hewson’s creative labyrinth. With hues reminding of KILLING JOKE, early HUMAN LEAGUE and early MINISTRY teasing throughout, the track proved another moment of enslavement before Antifascist Default uncaged its ire in vocal and electronic dispute. Atmospherically cold yet vibrantly animated in its electro shuffle as Domestic quarrels, the track provoked the keenest involvement.

Side two of the release erupts with Celebrate Your Youth, a rhythmically energetic and dynamically busy provocation which relentlessly harasses with electronic beats from its first breath. Again though, it proved the richest incitement, instincts aroused in song and listener with a matching hunger in their welcome and reflection, it further unsurprisingly provoked by the lyrical trespass and musing of the track.

With the senses on edge and ears still ringing to the song’s infringement, final track Annihilate Yourself allows an initial respite as its portentous air intimidatingly simmers before greater menace rises in the rhythmic and electronic essences that emerge. Closing in by the minute, Domestic’s caustically textured words evoking and provoking all the while, the track becomes as claustrophobic as it is invasively virulent, no peace or real respite found in its respective trespass or lulls and none wanted as the track again bruised as it thrilled.

And that is The Five Curses, a quintet of malisons and pleasures that greed was made for and indeed by the listen we have only grown more edaciously wrapped up in its majestic afflictions.