On the surface, here's another one of those aggressive hard-rock bands with a sensitive side, a la Nickelback. At least this Indianapolis quintet, once known as Oblique, has a cooler name. But, wait! A deeper listen reveals that Cursed For Manners, while far from original, is no clone either. These guys just have a flair for creative borrowing, blatantly chipping away at Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Tool and The Deftones with the tried-and-true quiet-loud-quiet formula. "Seven Minutes" boasts a chorus that soars above anything else I've heard today, "Nothing Beautiful" defies its title with fancy fretwork, "Presence Guiding" reveals Cursed For Manners' manic side, and the undulating rhythms of "Ox and a Shovel" prove that these dudes must have been weaned on at least a little classic rock. Only on "The One You Start" and "Conclusions" does Chad Leathers — what an awesome name for a vocalist — sound out of his element, his voice straining against the songs' lighter and higher-pitched moments. Nevertheless, just like Nickelback, you won't be able to get some of Cursed For Manners' hooks out of your head the rest of the day.
Track Listing:
1) Medusa's Interlude
2) Pegasus Razor
3) Seven Minutes
4) Nothing Beautiful
5) Along For the Ride
6) Precious Blue Devil
7) Presence Guiding
8) Vampires With Search Warrants
9) Ox and a Shovel
10) The One You Start
11) Conclusions
12) Reenacting Thoughts
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