Gypsy Curse – Wake The Dead

Canada is an enigma wrapped in a riddle.  It is a land of unending contradictions that has caused both great pleasure

and innumerable horrors upon the world.  Throughout history it has given us such greatness as Pamela Anderson, maple syrup, Captain Kirk and horse-mounted police.   At the other end

it has unleashed the monstrosities of Cirque de Soleil, Howie Mandel and Alex Trebek upon the unsuspecting global populace.

However, the greatest contradiction that comes from Canada is the music that they choose to create and export.   On one hand we’ve been blessed to have Neil Young, Rush, The Band, Billy Talent, Thornley and Nickleback.  Unfortunately just as one giveth with one hand and taketh with the other, we’ve been forced to endure, under the evil auspices of NAFTA, the ear-raping of Celine Dion, Michael Buble, Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies and, worst of all, Sebastian Bach.

So it was with some trepidation, I received an unmarked package hailing from the great white wastelands of British Columbia late this week.  Inside this package contained an E.P. from another Canadian band, Gypsy Curse, titled “Wake The Dead E.P.”

Would Gypsy Curse be the next The Guess Who or Bryan Adams?

Would I have another reason to hate Canada?

Could this CD provide redemption for the incessant siren sound of Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous”?

I tentatively loaded the CD, cranked the volume to 11, readied my killswitch and prepared for the worse.

My fears were unfounded.

It was good.  Different, but good.  A mix of punk, metal and shaken, not stirred, with a heavy dose of Iron Maiden and Anthrax.  Pounding rhythms, great chunky riffs and wailing vocals.

Starting the E.P. off with “Anger Pill” via Michael Buffer’s trademarked “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” and quickly exploding up-tempo for a manic exercise in a metal/punk explosion reminiscent of Metallica’s Garage Days, I relaxed.  It was good, much better than anticipated.

Moving next to the much shorter “Again” an opening driving riff slows the pace a little, but the song builds with drums and raw eerie vocals eventually overlaid.  The lyrics could have been a little better with at my best count the word “Again” pops up 632 times in just under 3 minutes.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say this track was an early demo from Metallica.

The next track, “Frozen”, shifted more towards of melodic rock and is without a doubt the standout on the E.P. There was some significant effort and talent thrown into this track.  As the same anger is evident in the first two tracks, but this time more subtle, more authentic, more soulful with an unrequited longing that will not ever heal.  It was one of those few tracks that the comes around every once in awhile that the tone of the guitar fits perfect with the emotion of the lyrics. That same magic that is in Foo Fighter’s “My Hero”.

Closing the EP is “Broken” another hard driving exercise that conjures early Megadeth.  Crisp, tight guitar work with heavy,

rapid drumming and a technically masterful guitar solo.  Of course, throwing in lyrics of  “Are You F-ing Kidding Me?”

(an clear homage to RUFKM) helps also.

What else can I say?  Are they the next great thing?  I don’t know, but what I can say for certain is that they make up for the fiasco that was the Winter Olympics.

However, they will have to release a full album if they ever expect me to excuse them for Bryan Adams.