Sterling
Cursed

An austere and primitive sound.

37 minutes for 3 long journeys. In this third work by the Chicago group, the original members Tony Lazzara (drums) and Eric Chaleff (guitar) are joined by Al Burian from Milemarker on bass and Andy Lansangan from 90 Day Man on electric piano and Hammond. Sterling doesn’t accidentally fall into the classic definitions of post-hardcore or post-rock. Extreme, dark, psychedelic, nocturnal, sometimes convoluted and other times very simple, they have always been totally instrumental and totally experimental.

For those who love getting lost similarly in long ambient meanders and "post" sounds, this "Cursed" is yet another proof of this band's uniqueness. Initially devoted to total deconstructed experimentalism and now reborn into a different but still original creature. Dreamlike psychedelia, progressive rock, post-hardcore, cinematic suggestions, garage vibrations: there are many and heterogeneous cards on the table here, all contributing to the definition of a style as fascinating as it is hard to categorize. A thumping, massive bass drags everything with it, creates a sonic funnel while the electric piano or alternatively the Hammond outlines progressions truly integrated with the group's sound, while the distorted guitars have a lovingly vintage sound. Pitch-black and romantic atmospheres at the same moment. Without losing its deviant nature, but rather making it emerge better applied to more accessible structures, Sterling's sound melting pot (alongside their peculiarities during mixing) sounds perfectly set in a context, functional to something.

The music consequently has many emotional ups and downs: typical post-hardcore progressions (as in "Lurker"), 70s prog (as in "Acacia") or kraut (as in the concluding and magnificent "Eyes") transition or mutate into cosmic-psychedelic explosions of the finest kind. There aren’t too many bands that, in my opinion, express this "cold fire" and this creativity in playing. The three tracks constantly change skin and atmosphere: you can find King Crimson and Neurosis, distorted guitars and space-rock, melodies and urgency. Everything assembled with personality and inventiveness and, as already mentioned, difficult to categorize but also surprisingly pleasing and not hard to assimilate while listening. If the starting point of the Chicago ensemble is now a sinusoidal musical flow that can evoke the most varied emotions, the next step is one where the moments between the various sound nuclei are exalted. It’s as if their music flows in slow motion and in this slow-motion we could glimpse all the smallest changes in the group's sound atmosphere. That’s the moment when the game becomes more explicit and revealing, where it feels like watching with a clearer view the sonic hullabaloo that constantly surrounds us.

For my poor (and sometimes nostalgic for certain sounds, I admit) ears, this "Cursed" is truly a surprise, so rooted as it is back in time without being retro or worse, anachronistic. Sterling sounds impetuous, visceral and at the same time deconstructed, thoughtful and progressive. Thus ends the review of the album on their label's website, returning to the topic of sonic peculiarities:

"One of the most striking qualities of Cursed is the production value and it?s uniqueness. For example, low end is usually the first thing to go in mix down due to its tendency to muddy an album, however Sterling has harnessed the low end, going so far as to even triggering deep 808 kick drum samples in unison with kick drum hits. These low-end techniques create a dark and powerful sonic wall that sounds dramatically different than a vast majority of recordings. "

Sure, it might just seem like advertising of course, but if you've never listened to them, trust me this time, nothing could be more true.....