Review by Tara on March 29, 2016.

Graves At Sea are a name that is practically synonymous with the sludge-doom scene. Since 2002, the gloomy quartet have released a slew of well received splits, demos and EPs. With so many accomplishments under their belts, it's hard to believe that they are just now releasing their debut full-length album. For long time fans of the band such as myself, this album was worth waiting for.

The Curse That Is contains eight tracks of soul crushing filth infused doom which at times teeters on the border of stoner rock. This is Graves At Sea with a bigger and better production that doesn't take away from any of the abrasion featured on previous releases. There are even songs that feature violin passages, acoustic guitars (the track "Luna Lupus Venator" is basically an acoustic track leading into the album's finale) and female vocals. Although these elements are very new and at first strange to hear in Graves At Sea songs, they fit nicely with the overall ebb and flow. With each listen, I was able to appreciate these expanded musical qualities and pick up on new things missed on previous spins.

Things have changed quite a bit since Graves At Sea's inception all those years ago, but thankfully they've managed to stand the test of time and create an album that will please long time fans and grab new listeners along the way.