Cure’s release was heralded by a series of 5 singles, such as ‘Pale Iris’, ‘Blue Reverie’ and the title track. Distributed throughout the track listing rather than clumped at either end, they allow the listener a sense of sporadic familiarity. Straight away, the title track hits you in the face with downtuned, but not muddy, chugs in cascading rhythms that keep the song flowing, instantly capturing those who might be fans of bands like Vildhjarta or Meshuggah. This pattern is kept for songs like ‘Slow Sour Bleed’ and ‘Crawl Backwards Out Of Heaven’.
The overarching idea here is clear: soaring vocals with a crescendo and huge melodies, contradicted by hefty, hard-hitting verses to keep the listener on their toes. This is a metalcore record by all means, but the beauty of ERRA is the ability to incorporate elements of post metal, rock and other genres to create a more wide-ranging experience that’s often technical, but never for the sake of it. For instance, ‘Glimpse’ makes use of metric modulation throughout the first sections before erupting into an incredible, earworm-like chorus.
Progressing through the track listing, slower songs enter the equation in the form of ‘Past Life Persona’ and the aforementioned ‘Blue Reverie’. Washy guitars accompany reverb-drenched clean vocals to create an atmospheric experience. Reverb is king here, flowing through the song, winding and intertwining itself between the instruments, never letting the listener forget where the song began. Don’t get too comfortable, though; the band aren’t at all afraid to mix it up, dropping the listener into face-melting, filthy downtuned moments without so much as a moment’s notice. The juxtaposition of the heavy and the moody is a major theme throughout Cure.
Drawing influences from Deftones whilst rubbing shoulders with contemporaries Sleep Token, Spiritbox and Invent Animate, the record also debuts guitarist Clint Tustin, joining the band permanently after a long streak as a touring member, completing the lineup for ERRA; he does well to help create their expansive sound, always pushing the boundaries of their genre. Cure reaches an end with the anthem ‘Wave’, rich with melody and atmosphere. This record is a clear demonstration that ERRA do a lot, and all of it well. The technicality and mathematics that have achieved the band so much popularity has matured and expanded, blending itself with melody and an ever-growing sense of accessibility.
“I found a cozy little spot in that heavy mood, and I leaned into it a lot.”