For the last decade, Carnation has been leading the revival of old-school death metal. They've brought back spirit-crushing riffs and trampling blast beats with some of the new wave's most menacing growls. While the Belgian band have always upheld the genre's time-honored traditions, they never sound dated, either, 'Cursed Mortality' pushes them into deeper, darker, more experimental waters. The title track wades into ominous synth tones and even clean vocals. This album isn't simply a revival. It's a bold step into future.