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Forged in tradition and unconcerned with industry trends, War Curse walks a path blazed by thrash metal titans of yesteryear while creating a distinct imprint of their own. High energy shows across the map garnered War Curse the reputation of being a must see live act, captivating fans young and old with their thoughtfully written, no holds barred brand of metal. Here’s War Curse guitarist Justin Roth with the all-important background on the band:
What are the origins of War Curse?
War Curse was formed in 2013. We say we’re based out of Cincinnati, Ohio but we’re spread out across the mid western portion of the U.S.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe War Curse?
We play heavy / thrash based metal with a bit of modern influence. We have a vocalist that can sing. We try to write memorable songs, not just crap out a thousand notes a minute. Give it a listen and decide for yourself.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?
It’s been 10 years since our first show but I remember it like it was yesterday. We played a little hole in the wall bar with a corner stage. I unplugged myself walking across the stage. The sound was terrible. My dad hooked up with some chick in the venue parking lot. Total mess. Exactly what you’d expect from a first show. Despite a rough start, War Curse has a reputation for being a ‘live band’. We really put an emphasis on entertaining the people who sacrifice their time and money to come see us.
What are you working on at the minute that people can check out?
We released an album called Confession via Metal Blade Records/Blacklight Media in October. You can find it in all of the obvious places or check out the video for Miracle Broker on YouTube.
In terms of a similar audience, which band out there at the minute do you feel War Curse would be best suited to open for?
We’re a bit of a chameleon. We could open for anyone from Exodus to Wage War without it feeling weird. I know that sounds strange but we’ve got enough heavy material to satisfy one crowd and enough melody and hook to satisfy the other. Killswitch Engage, Gojira or Trivium would be great for us.
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
If I can’t pick us, our friends in Tyrant (Lansing, Michigan) are a great young band. Very hard working. Very deserving of success. Their album The Lowest Level is one of my favorite releases of the last couple years. Definitely give it a listen.
What frustrates you about the music business?
How long do you have? It would be easier to list the parts of the industry that I actually enjoy – the music, the fans and some of the people we work with. Everything else about this business is an unmitigated disaster. Most days I wonder what in the hell any of us are still doing here.
What are your first musical memories? And what was the lightbulb moment that made you go “I want to do that”?
I grew up surrounded by music. My parents were into metal and some of their friends played in bands. I was always around it. Hearing Metallica as a kid was what drove me to beg my parents for a guitar. That was around 3rd grade. Going down this path was probably an inevitability.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
I went to the Amon Amarth/Cannibal Corpse tour the other night to hang out with and watch Obituary. Amazing show. Prior to that, probably watching The Electric Indigo, a really fun rock band from my area.
What current social issue are you particularly passionate about?
I’m not walking into this trap. Your country and mine are being run into the ground. We might have differing opinions on the cause of the societal rot, but it’s rotting. We fight amongst ourselves while the people responsible build gated mansions to escape the hell they’ve created. Their kids go to private schools. They vacation in places we’ve never heard of. The average person can barely afford to live. We’re fighting the wrong battles.
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
My love of pop punk and cheesy hair metal is pretty well documented at this point. I’m not sure if people know how much I enjoy all things 90’s. Gin Blossoms, Jewel, REM.
Everybody is a fan of something, who or what are you a fan of?
Cats, cooking shows, boutique guitar builders, graphic design.
What new music have you been enjoying so far this year?
Sylosis dropped a monster of an album at the end of 2023. Still in heavy rotation. Same goes for Bleed From Within. I guess any band with Ali Richardson playing drums has to be top shelf. The Hope Conspiracy’s new EP is sick. Architects’ new single is great (Curse, not the one with the annoying kid vocals). Really looking forward to that album.
What does 2024 hold for War Curse?
War Curse leaves for tour with Artillery in a couple weeks. We’ve got more dates lined up later in the year. The goal is to record some new music in the time between. Basically just staying busy.
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
We are pretty active on Instagram and Facebook. We have a YouTube and Twitter (I’m still calling it Twitter) that we probably need to use more often. Until then:
