Cursed

ByLets Go Punk
Cursed was a Canadian hardcore punk band active from 2001 to 2008

Cursed was a Canadian hardcore punk band that formed in 2001 and ended in 2008. The group included members from Montreal, Toronto, and Hamilton who had played in a range of Canadian DIY acts such as Haymaker, Left for Dead, The Swarm, Acrid, Ruination, and Shallow North Dakota. Over the course of their career, they released three albums and several EPs, gaining a reputation for bleak lyrics, aggressive live shows, and artwork that leaned into stark horror imagery.

How The Band Got Started

The band came together in 2001 when Chris Colohan, Mike Maxymuik, and Christian McMaster regrouped after the breakup of their previous project The Swarm. They were soon joined by bassist Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, who had previously fronted the Quebec band Ire. From the beginning, Cursed set themselves apart with their focus on nihilism and dystopia, both in their lyrics and their live performances. Their debut full-length, I, was released in 2003 on Deathwish Inc. and earned them a cult following. Not long after, Moumneh moved to second guitar, and Tom Piraino took over on bass. Piraino and McMaster had already worked together in the band Funerary.

Key Releases and Career Growth

Cursed built momentum quickly. In 2005, they released their second full-length album, II, on Goodfellow Records. The band followed it with the 2007 EP Blackout At Sunrise, issued as a picture disc, and a vinyl reissue of I on Trash Art!. Their third and final album, III: Architects of Troubled Sleep, arrived in 2008. The record was released on Goodfellow Records in North America, Howling Bull in Japan, and Reflections Records in Europe. Produced at Toronto’s Hallamusic studio, it was mixed by Donny Cooper and mastered by Alan Douches, with cover art by John Dyer Baizley of Baroness. The album cycle included a series of DIY shows around Southern Ontario, with the release show at Lee’s Palace in Toronto selling out.

While the band had toured internationally throughout their career, the European tour following III became their last. On May 22, 2008, while in Germany, the band was robbed of their passports, money, and tour expenses. Chris Colohan described the incident as a “bullet in the head” for the group. Their final show took place shortly after at Bitterzoet in Amsterdam.

Post-Breakup

After the breakup, Cursed’s final UK radio session was released as The Last Session EP on Colohan’s label High Anxiety. Deathwish Inc. also repressed I, which quickly sold out. Members went on to stay active in music. Maxymuik joined Quest for Fire and later toured with Pink Mountaintops. Dan Dunham played in Crux of Aux, Skull, and Limitoids. Colohan continued with Burning Love and Mature Situations before forming SECT in 2016 with members of Earth Crisis, Catharsis, and Fall Out Boy drummer Andy Hurley. Radwan Moumneh went on to co-found Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal alongside members of Godspeed You Black Emperor and continued his project Jerusalem in My Heart.

Members

Final Lineup:

  • Chris Colohan – vocals (2001-2008)
  • Christian McMaster – guitar (2001-2008)
  • Dan Dunham – bass (2005-2008)
  • Mike “The Mauler” Maxymuik – drums (2001-2008)

Former Members:

  • Radwan Ghazi Moumneh – bass (2001-2003), guitar (2003-2005)
  • Tom “Dot Com” Piraino – bass (2003-2005)

Discography

Albums:

  • I (2003, Deathwish Inc.)
  • II (2005, Goodfellow Records)
  • III: Architects of Troubled Sleep (2008, Goodfellow Records)

EPs & Demos:

  • Cursed Demo Recording (2002, Self-Released)
  • Hell Comes Home (2004, Hex Records)
  • Blackout At Sunrise (2007, Goodfellow Records)
  • The Last Session (2010, High Anxiety)

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