Cursed (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Canada |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, music videos |
Cursed was a hardcore punk group from Canada, established in 2001 and active until 2008. Its lineup consisted of musicians from Montreal, Toronto, and Hamilton, many of whom had previously contributed to prominent Canadian DIY bands such as Haymaker, Left for Dead, The Swarm (also known as Knee Deep in the Dead), Acrid, Ruination, The Black Hand, Countdown to Oblivion, At the Mercy of Inspiration, Shallow North Dakota, Crux of Aux, Quest for Fire, and Burning Love.
Career
The band emerged in 2001 when Chris Colohan, Mike Maxymuik, and Christian McMaster came together after their former group, The Swarm aka Knee Deep in the Dead, disbanded. They were soon joined by bassist Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, who had been the vocalist for Ire, a Quebec-based hardcore band with Arabian influences. Cursed rapidly gained attention due to their bleak lyrical themes, intense horror-inspired visuals, and aggressive live shows. Their debut album, released in 2003 through Deathwish Inc., developed a dedicated cult following. Subsequently, Moumneh transitioned to second guitar duties, making way for Tom Piraino—previously a bandmate of McMaster in Funerary—to take over on bass.
In 2005, the group issued II via Goodfellow Records. This was followed by the 2007 picture-disc EP Blackout At Sunrise and a heavyweight 180-gram vinyl gatefold re-release of their initial album on Trash Art!. Their third studio release, III: Architects of Troubled Sleep, came out in 2008 through Goodfellow Records (North America), Howling Bull (Japan), and the Dutch label Reflections Records (Europe). Recorded at Toronto’s Hallamusic studio and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, III featured cover artwork created by John Dyer Baizley of Baroness. Unlike previous extensive international tours, the band concentrated on a series of six weekend-long DIY shows across Southern Ontario to promote this album. The official launch event at Toronto’s sold-out Lee’s Palace included supporting acts such as 50Watthead, Career Suicide, and Living Darkness.
After completing a European tour in 2008, Cursed encountered a significant obstacle when their passports, money, and tour-related expenses were stolen in Germany. Lead singer Chris Colohan described this incident as a devastating blow to the group’s momentum. Their final concert took place soon after at Bitterzoet in Amsterdam.
Post-breakup
Following the breakup, Colohan released the band's last UK radio session as a 7-inch EP through High Anxiety. Deathwish Inc also reissued the vinyl pressing of Cursed I, which sold out rapidly.
Mike Maxymuik went on to join Quest for Fire (band) and toured with Pink Mountaintops. Dan Dunham became involved with Crux of Aux, Skull, and Limitoids. Chris Colohan continued performing with Burning Love (band) and Mature Situations while managing the vinyl-exclusive High Anxiety label. In 2016, he formed SECT, a band featuring Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy, Vegan Reich), James Chang (Catharsis), Scott Crouse (Earth Crisis), and Ian Edwards (Earth Crisis). Radwan Moumneh co-founded Montreal’s Hotel2Tango studio alongside collaborators from Godspeed You Black Emperor and Constellation Records (Canada), further advancing his project Jerusalem in My Heart.
Final lineup
- Chris Colohan – lead vocals (2001–2008)
- Christian McMaster – guitarist (2001–2008)
- Dan Dunham – bassist (2005–2008)
- Mike "The Mauler" Maxymuik – drummer (2001–2008)
Previous members
- Radwan Ghazi Moumneh – bass guitar (2001–2003), guitar (2003–2005)
- Tom "Dot Com" Piraino – bass guitar (2003–2005)
Studio albums
- I (2003, released through Deathwish Inc.)
- II (2005, under Goodfellow Records)
- III: Architects of Troubled Sleep (2008, issued by Goodfellow Records)
EPs and demos
- "Cursed Demo Recording" (2002, independently released)
- Hell Comes Home EP (2004, Hex Records)
- Blackout At Sunrise EP (2007, Goodfellow Records)
- The Last Session EP (2010, High Anxiety)
Music videos
- Fatalist (2006)