Humanity Zero - Cursed Be the Gift of Life

Humanity Zero is a doom/death metal band from Greece, who formed in 2003. Their latest album, “Cursed Be the Gift of Life,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released two demos and an EP.

This is my first experience with them—and I’m blown away. I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised—they are Greek. Although doom isn’t the first genre I think of when it comes to Greece, this is yet another album worthy of the immortal Greek metal scene, regardless of subgenre.

The vocals on this album are insane—growls straight from the gut with a razor sharp edge to them. They are huge, scary and backed with raw emotion. With that being said, they don't overtake the music—the stellar production and mix keeps everything even and on the same playing field. The result is “Cursed Be the Gift of Life,” sounding monolithic and encompassing. 

Interestingly, the album isn't overly long–its five songs have a total runtime of about 45 minutes. That may seem short for doom but it makes for an optimized album flow with no fat to trim–every note has its place. 

The album begins with the title track—and the song begins immediately with a huge growl and slow riffs with somber keys. This is how I like my doom: slow and mournful with seething danger lurking just below the surface. The band doesn't have any issues leaning into the death metal sound either; the tempo jumps up a few ticks and the guitars offer up a meaty crunch as the song moves towards the halfway point. From there, the band smoothly transitions back into a dirge of sweltering riffs and stark bass. The keys/organ and lead guitars go along way into bolstering the atmosphere near the end of the song.

“Forgiveness Devoured,” is loaded with deadly tone and a special sort of energy, the constant march of doom becoming unrelenting as the seconds tick by. The drums in particles pushed my ears around the void, never letting the song languish for too long. The guitars are loaded with Gothic melodies, bridging the spaces between the guitars with a certain regal gloom.

The band isn't just focused on drowning the listener with a wall of sound. “Heresy Rising,” is a more straightforward song with melodic bass that speaks volumes among the more riff focused structure. The solo is KILLER too and not something I hear a lot in this style of doom. After it is over, a very moving passage loaded with dim melodies arrives and it is one of the album’s best moments. 

The final full song is “Maledictio Amar,” and it begins with a slow cascade of melodies that drip melancholy. The vocals in the later half of the song are extra vicious—and with the keys/organ, this whole passage sounds like a surreal musical dystopia. 

“Malebolge,” is an instrumental that seems more fitting as an intro than the last song but it is what it is. It's disturbing for sure so I suppose it's a decent send off.

All in all, Humanity Zero's “Cursed Be The Gift Of Life,” is a great doom metal album that is loaded with memorable moments a focused sound, tightly gripped on darkness. 

Rating: Excellent