After issuing their 2013 debut The Empress, Seattle-based heavy metal revivalists Curse of the North return with their self-titled sophomore effort, Curse of the North: I. Self-described as a “no frills, stripped down, heavy band that focuses on high-energy riffs and rhythms,” Curse of the North boast a sound that, for comparison’s sake, is a lot like Baroness’s Blue Record filtered through the gritty darkness of early Danzig and the pounding rhythms and ripping guitar solos of High on Fire. The ideas work well together, and as a whole, the album succeeds in being a catchy, anthemic, and well-executed piece of metal that toes the line between tradition and modernity.

Curse of the North distinguish themselves from the glut of bands from the Northwest by focusing on the quality of the riffs, huge hooks and choruses, and soaring vocals. As opposed to the oppressive hum of feedback and Orange amps, this album prides itself on being starkly traditional and embedded in the old school of heavy metal. Frontman Christiaan Morris’s voice calls to mind the first few Danzig albums, particularly on the tom-heavy grooves of opener “Sleep While You Can” and the slow burn of the dramatic, melodic “Into the Trees.” The variety of the riffs and the rock-solid rhythm section are what really makes this release shine, though: Some tracks veer into retro-metal territory without sounding recycled thanks to the potent energy in the performances — not to mention some killer lead work by Morris — and the band’s knack for blending old-school feel with modern aggression gives the album enough variety to keep listeners engaged through the entirety of the album. Burke Thomas’s drumming is of special note, as he finds a casual balance between carving his way into the thunderous riffs through multiple time changes and slamming out intense, tom-heavy fills, most notably on the thrashing “Blessed Burning” and highlight “Wheel of Swords.”

Curse of the North does lose steam toward the middle of the album’s runtime: “The Tower” and “The Electric Wall,” while still possessing some good ideas and tight performances—and some of the fastest playing here, approaching thrash speeds—don’t carry the same momentum as the stellar, anthemic opening cuts or the darker, wild-eyed urgency of the closing one-two punch of “Oceans Rise” and “Faceless Killers.” That said, the worst tracks here are still head and shoulders above some of the dreck disguising itself as traditional metal revival, and the warm, punchy production (courtesy of the famed Kurt Ballou) enhances the unfiltered bravado when things really start ripping, such as the Southern-fried riffage in the second half of the opening track or the build and release of the last section of “Blessed Burning.”

Curse of the North’s songwriting chops prove to be their most valuable asset here, as they navigate with ease through various fields of traditional metal, nods to Thin Lizzy and Diamond Head, and the bruising might of sludge metal without any moment ever feeling coerced or hastily put together. Lyrically, they lean more toward the modern end of metal, with mantras like “All the dreams that you have will die, like all things buried in the ground / Never to be found” and “Time buries us all in the end.” Curse of the North  is a solid album from start to finish, and this is a perfect album to accompany your late night escapades into debauchery.

Me? I’ll be blasting this and drinking long necks of Bud Heavy ’till I piss myself. Righteous stuff, y’all.

– Dustin

Curse of the North: I will be released through Static Tension Recordings on October 16. For more info, check out the band’s website or Facebook.