I lost interest in metal at some point in the late 80s and listening to The Accüsed’s “Curse of Martha Splatterhead” helps me remember why. The Accüsed were the first band ever to release on the Earache label (in 1986), which secures the band a place in heavy metal lore and trivia. Only remaining member of the original lineup, Tommy Niemeyer has now found back a grunge-induced hiatus during which he played with Gruntruck.

I don’t think today’s Accüsed are bad at what they’re doing, but their high speed punk-metal-crossover strikes me as somehow, as rather technical and not really heavy at all (with a few exceptions like the album’s final track, “Splatter Rock II”). Nor is it brutal, or if it is, it’s the kind of gym brutality I tend to avoid. While doom, drone and black metal have recently given reason enough to re-examine one’s roots in metal, The Accüsed’s speed metal fails to win me over (again). Catching them live, though, would be a different story. 4/10 -- Jan-Arne Sohns (3 March, 2010)