Break The Curse

''Break the Curse'' is a demo album by the Australian Christian extreme metal band Mortification. It was released in 1994 as ''Break the Curse 1990''. The album focuses on Mortification's thrash metal style rather than their later death metal. Several of the album's songs were re-recorded for other Mortification albums. It was re-released on Rowe Productions in 2001 with updated artwork, an updated album booklet, and remastered audio. The album was re-released on Roxx Records as ''Break the Curse 1990–2010: 20th Anniversary Gold Edition'' in 2010 as a two-disc set with a CD containing bonus tracks and a DVD containing footage from Mortification's first crossover concert on 15 June 1990 at Harvest Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and later on vinyl as ''Break the Curse 1990: 25th Anniversary'' in July 2015. In 2022, the album was re-released as ''Break the Curse'' on Soundmass with remastered audio and a second disc containing the audio from the 2010 DVD.

Recording history

''Break the Curse'' was recorded in April 1990 while vocalist/bassist Steve Rowe, drummer Jayson Sherlock, and guitarist Cameron Hall were in the Australian Christian metal band Lightforce. Recording sessions took place at Oasis Studios in Melbourne and Timbertop Recording Studios in Ringwood, Victoria. The original version of ''Break the Curse'' was a cassette tape-based demo with six songs. The band was renamed to Mortification shortly afterward. On Mortification's self-titled debut studio album, the song "Infectious Growth" was renamed "The Destroyer Beholds".{{cite book , last= Campbell , first= Vic , date= 18 December 2014 , title= Metal Missionary: The Steve Rowe Story , publisher= VC Media , page= 89 , isbn= 9780987383853 In November 1993, the demo was remastered by Doug Saunders at Toybox Studios in Northcote, Victoria, and four more songs were included.

Track listing

{{Track listing
, headline = Side One (Lightforce ''Break the Curse'' demo)
, all_writing = Lightforce
, title1 = Journey of Reconciliation{{Ref label, hitp, a, a
, length1 = 4:27
, title2 = Blood Sacrifice
, length2 = 3:35
, title3 = Brutal Warfare{{Ref label, hitp, a, a
, length3 = 4:02
, lyrics1 = {{hlist, Jayson Sherlock, Steve Rowe
, music1 = Sherlock
, lyrics2 = Rowe
, music2 = Rowe
, lyrics3 = Rowe
, music3 = {{hlist, Sherlock, Rowe

{{Track listing
, headline = Side Two
, title4 = Illusion of Life
, length4 = 4:56
, title5 = Break the Curse{{Ref label, hitp, a, a
, length5 = 2:39
, title6 = Impulsation{{Ref label, ud, b, b
, length6 = 4:30
, total_length = 24:09
, lyrics4 = Cameron Hall
, music4 = Hall
, lyrics5 = Rowe
, music5 = Rowe
, lyrics6 = Rowe
, music6 = Rowe

{{Track listing
, headline = Mortification ''Break the Curse 1990''
, all_writing = Mortification
, title1 = Blood Sacrifice
, length1 = 3:34
, title2 = Brutal Warfare
, length2 = 4:01
, title3 = Impulsation
, length3 = 4:27
, title4 = Turn{{Ref label, hitp, a, a
, length4 = 0:56
, title5 = New Beginnings
, length5 = 2:36
, title6 = Break the Curse
, length6 = 2:37
, title7 = Illusion of Life
, length7 = 4:55
, title8 = Your Last Breath
, length8 = 3:24
, title9 = Journey of Reconciliation
, length9 = 4:26
, title10 = The Majestic Infiltration of Order{{Ref label, hitp, a, a{{Ref label, ud, c, c
, length10 = 1:07
, total_length = 32:08
, lyrics4 = Sherlock
, music4 = Sherlock
, lyrics5 = Rowe
, music5 = Rowe
, lyrics8 = Sherlock
, music8 = Rowe
, lyrics10 = Rowe
, music10 = Rowe

:{{note label, hp, a, aRe-recorded for Mortification's self-titled debut studio album (1991)
:{{note label, ud, b, bRe-recorded for ''Post Momentary Affliction'' (1993)
:{{note label, ud, c, cRe-recorded as "God Rulz" on '' Hammer of God'' (1999)

{{tracklist
, headline = Nuclear Blast version exclusive bonus track
, title11 = Butchered Mutilation
, length11 = 4:46
, total_length = 36:54

{{tracklist
, headline = ''Break the Curse 1990–2010: 20th Anniversary Gold Edition'' bonus tracks
, title11 = Time Crusaders (studio version)
, length11 = 4:43
, title12 = Eyes of Destruction{{Ref label, ud, d, d
, length12 = 5:37
, title13 = Envision a Beginning/Buried into Obscurity{{Ref label, ud, e, e
, length13 = 5:34
, title14 = Steve talks/Noah Was a Knower{{Ref label, ud, e, e
, length14 = 4:07
, title15 = Interview with Steve{{Ref label, ud, e, e
, length15 = 10:51
, total_length = 63:03

:{{note label, ud, d, dSong from Lightforce's debut album, ''Battlezone'' (1987)
:{{note label, ud, e, eSongs from ''Noah Sat Down and Listened to the Mortification Live E.P. While Having a Coffee'' (1996)

{{tracklist
, headline = ''Break the Curse 1990–2010: 20th Anniversary Gold Edition'' (2010 DVD)/''Live 1990'' (2022 disc two)
, title1 = Blood Sacrifice
, length1 = 3:49
, title2 = Brutal Warfare
, length2 = 3:54
, title3 = Illusion of Life
, length3 = 4:41
, title4 = Break the Curse
, length4 = 2:40
, title5 = Journey of Reconciliation
, length5 = 4:12
, title6 = Searching
, length6 = 5:55
, title7 = Infectious Growth
, length7 = 3:17
, title8 = City Streets
, length8 = 5:09
, title9 = Impulsation
, length9 = 4:28
, title10 = Bathed in Blood
, length10 = 3:39
, title11 = Eyes of Destruction
, length11 = 4:40
, title12 = Your Last Breath
, length12 = 3:15
, title13 = New Beginnings
, length13 = 2:39
, title14 = The Majestic Infiltration of Order/Turn
, length14 = 1:42
, total_length = 54:08

{{tracklist
, headline = ''Break the Curse 1990: 25th Anniversary'' bonus track
, title11 = Time Crusaders (studio version)
, length11 = 4:43
, total_length = 36:51

Personnel

{{col-start
{{col-2
Lightforce/Mortification
*Steve Rowe – vocals, bass guitar
*Jayson Sherlock – drums
*Cameron Hall – guitars

Production
*Doug Saunders – producer, engineer (Lightforce version), remastering (1994 Mortification version)
*Markus Staiger – executive producer (Mortification version)

{{col-2
Additional personnel
*Dave Berryman – photography
*Greg Haur – layout (Lightforce version)
*Steve Dash – cover art (Lightforce version)
*Mike Maxwell – cover illustration (Mortification version)
*Scott Waters (Ultimatum) – design, layout (2022 version)
*Paul D. Clifford – remastering at PCP Studios in Australia (2022 version)
*Rob Colwell – live track remastering at Bombworks Sound in McKinney, Texas (2022 version){{col-end

References

{{Reflist

{{Mortification

{{Authority control

Mortification (band) albums
1990 albums
Demo albums