So as I get further down into my packages of CD’s from Poland’s Lifeline Records, I get to this anthology from the now disbanded Polish Vegan Melodeath/metalcore act Sunrise. Cursed Not Alone consists of the band’s two releases, Generation of Sleepwalkers (Sanctuary Records 1998) and Child of Eternity (Sobermind Records 2000), and is are repackaged with Lifelines excellent digipack presentation.As easy point of reference for the material on this anthology is early Darkest Hour (pre So sedated So Secure even), galloping, up-tempo melodic death metal with a hardcore lean and prose and raspy screams. Both albums contained are similar, as there’s not much distinction between the two other than a slight difference in production. The tracks are all pretty decent, but none really grab me or make me wish the band was still together, and in fact the vocals are actually a bit grating.

The first 7 tracks is the later Child of Eternity release, so is a bit tighter and a bit more polished and closing track “Legacy” is a somber mid paced number that has a Dark Tranquility feel to it. The Generation of Sleepwalkers material is as expected a bit more raw and gritty, and maybe even more death metal than hardcore/metalcore with tracks like “Dead Society”, “Nightmares” and rather enjoyable “From The Lunacy”.

That all being said, for material as old as this, it actually stands up to the many bands plying the style today, being a bit of a ‘lost gem’ of sorts and comes with a bit of primal honesty rather than myspace saturated, wanna, be rock star egoism.

[Visit the band's website]

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