Every once in a while, you come across an album that refuses to be confined to a single genre—a record so overwhelming in its scope and execution that it drowns you in a flood of sonic intensity. Some bands flirt with multiple styles, carefully blending them to create something fresh yet digestible. Others, however, obliterate all boundaries, forging a sound so unrelenting that it becomes a genre unto itself. Heir, the fourth full-length album by the Swedish juggernaut This Gift is a Curse, belongs firmly in the latter category.
Since their formation in 2008, This Gift is a Curse has been on a mission to create music that is as suffocating as it is cathartic. Their sound is an all-consuming maelstrom of Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom, Sludge, and Hardcore—a fusion so extreme that trying to label it feels almost futile. Each element plays a crucial role: the razor-sharp tremolo riffs and blast beats of Black Metal, the crushing heaviness of Sludge, the cavernous despair of Doom, and the sheer aggression of Hardcore. Instead of merely borrowing from these styles, the band twists them into something uniquely menacing, a sonic entity that feels both chaotic and meticulously controlled.
But is it actually good? Well, that depends on how you define “good.” Heir is an album that thrives on chaos, sometimes to the point of near-unintelligibility. At times, it feels like an overwhelming, suffocating force, with layers upon layers of noise crashing down relentlessly. Personally, I wouldn’t have minded if the vocalist took a moment to shut up every now and then—he certainly has a lot to say, and he makes damn sure you hear every word.
But here’s the thing: chaos is just extreme order in disguise, and Heir is a perfect example of that. Beneath the sonic punishment, there’s a strange, almost hypnotic precision to what This Gift is a Curse is doing. The aggression is undeniable, but so is the raw, untamed beauty hidden within the storm. It’s an album that feels like a violent purge, a cathartic explosion of rage and torment. And in that sense, yes—this is good. Not in the polished, easily digestible way most music aspires to be, but in the sense that it leaves a mark, pulls you in, chews you up, and spits you out changed.
So, the conclusion? Heir is, without a doubt, a solid album. But could I sit through the entire hour and six minutes in one go? Absolutely not. Then again, I’m not exactly the youngest anymore, and endurance isn’t what it used to be.
One last thing I need to mention—the artwork. It looks absolutely fantastic, a visual representation of the album’s relentless intensity. I just wanted to put that out there because, in a world where cover art is often an afterthought, this one deserves some serious appreciation.
90/100
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