Mortification – Break The Curse 1990-2010 20th Anniversary Gold Edition
Roxx Records 2010
Mortification, who hasn’t heard of them? They’ve been around for 20 years now, and to celebrate Roxx Records has released a special reissue of their seminal Break the Curse tapes, newly re-mastered with plenty of extra goodies. Considering the original Break the Curse tape (when the band was still called Lightforce) had only 6 tracks, you’re getting a bargain with this album, clocking in at 15 tracks, plus a bonus live DVD of their very first gig as Mortification. I’ll walk you through the album.
First off you’ve got the newly re-mastered Break the Curse tracks, all 10 of them. As far as I know they were first released on Nuclear Blast Records under the title Break the Curse 1990. For something recorded 20 years ago, it sounds fantastic. Raw and brutal with a real crisp edge to the recordings. This is pure old school grinding thrash, and would have sent mosh pits crazy!
Next we’re treated with the studio version of Time Crusaders, which has never appeared on a Mort album before, only live and demo versions. It’s from the PMA era, and is real gem. Not forgetting where they came from, the next track is a Lightforce tune “Eyes of Destruction” from ’87.
The last three tracks are the complete Noah Sat Down And Listened To The Mortification Live E.P. While Having A Coffee live EP. Very hard to track down an original, so this may be the first time people get to hear “Noah was a Knower” live – one of their best songs.
I mentioned a bonus DVD, which is a true gem for fans of Mortification. It’s a single camera, bootlegged live recording, and it is unbelievable awesome. You will not hear some of the songs (“Infectious Growth”, “Searching”) anywhere else, at least not like this!
If you like classic Mortification, even a little bit, get your hands on a copy of this album, right away.
[rating:6/7]
