Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 09/04/2022
Curse of Existence, the seventh studio album from Miss May I, explodes with the life experience of an established band, the uncertainty of mental health struggles, the isolation of the global shutdown, and the perspective gained from the most extensive time away from the road of each man’s adult life.
“We are excited to release not only our seventh studio album, but our most truthful album. Curse Of Existence comes from a place of vulnerability and truth. This album is our story of the growth and responsibility we faced during the last five years as a band. This album was already in the works before the pandemic started and when the world shut down it added an entire new narrative to what we were working on. With the world stopped and the stress of a constant schedule hovering over us in the studio we were able to dig deeper than before and found who we really were as well as coming face to face with what we needed to deal with when the sound of the world was tuned out. This album is our reflection,” says Levi Benton.
Produced by Will Putney (A Day To Remember, The Amity Affliction, Every Time I Die), Curse of Existence is the sound of five people prying victory from the jaws of defeat. Unbroken by isolation, fearless in the face of fear, Miss May I wrestle with demons real and imagined all over the album.
Levi explains "Curse Of Existence is exactly what it reads, the curse we have in our existence. This doesn’t mean anything strictly negative, but it covers all existence that is the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, the sorrow and the joy. Everything that comes with life comes with a lesson and a price and that is what we have put into this new album. It tells our lessons over our lives that have shaped us and have brought us to the very bottom of our lowest low and the tallest point to our highest high. We know the reflection we all went through during the world coming to a halt and that experience brought a lot of these sheltered emotions to light!"
The album is available here.
Miss May I includes: Levi Benton – Vocals; B.J. Stead – Lead Guitar; Justin Aufdemkampe – Guitar; Ryan Neff – Bass/Vocals; andJerod Boyd – Drums. The men of Miss May I were high school students when they picked up the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal torch set ablaze by bands like Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, and All That Remains. Arguably the most prolific group in the Warped Tour-era of the vibrant metalcore scene, the Ohio boys cranked out a breathtaking six albums from 2009 to 2017, some of them just a year apart.
They delivered unforgettable performances on global tours, including runs with Five Finger Death Punch, Pierce The Veil, Asking Alexandria, August Burns Red, and Gwar. A generation of fans who connected to the band’s blend of pummeling chaos, irrefutable breakdowns, and singalong choruses cherish Miss May I. The band perfected its style from early outbursts through recent works like Rise of the Lion (2014) and Deathless (2015). “Shadows Inside” (23 million streams on Spotify alone), “Hey Mister,” “I.H.E.,” “Forgive and Forget,” “Relentless Chaos,” and other MMI staples became anthems.
Miss May I and their fans grew up together, a shared bond reflected by the music itself, equally inviting to longtime devotees and newcomers alike. Relatable real-life concerns present themselves in the collaborative lyrics and music across ten songs which wring hope from self-doubt and turmoil.
Levi Benton, B.J. Stead, Justin Aufdemkampe, Ryan Neff, and Jerod Boyd don’t shy away from arresting confessionals about depression and hopelessness in their heaviest, darkest, angriest songs. But a spirit of hope and a newly broadened worldview inform the album as well, with urgent vigor.
Revolver Magazine included the band’s debut in a 2021 article titled “10 Essential Metalcore Albums from 2009: The Year Everything Changed,” alongside classics from Architects and We Came As Romans. As early as 2010, Alternative Press (who later put Miss May I on the cover) praised their “mix of catchy, Swedish-style riffs and mosh pit-ready breakdowns.” AP singled out Benton’s “convincingly enraged roar,” bassist Ryan Neff’s clean vocals, and the “blazing two-guitar team” of B.J. Stead and Justin Aufdenkampe, whose riffage was worthy of Arch Enemy or In Flames. Rounded out by drummer Jerod Boyd, Miss May I even kept the same lineup together for more than a decade.
Miss May I celebrates over a decade of savage metalcore and soaring melody, revitalized and poised for another insurgent renaissance. They remain armed with unmistakable power, road-hardened experience, a steadily building catalog, and an unrelenting spirit, supported by a diehard community.
Catch Miss May I on The Curse of Existence Tour with special guests Currents, Kingdom of Giants, and Landmvrks
Tuesday, September 6 - Mesa, AZ – The Nile
Wednesday, September 7 - Los Angeles, CA – The Regent
Thursday, September 8 - Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post
Saturday, September 10 - Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
Sunday, September 11 - Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Tuesday, September 13 - Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
Wednesday, September - 14 Denver, CO – Oriental Theater
Thursday, September 15 - Lawrence, KS – The Granada
Saturday, September 17 - Joliet, IL – The Forge
Sunday, September 18 - Flint, MI – Machine Shop
Tuesday, September 20 - Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
Wednesday, September 21 - Montreal, QC – Theatre Fairmount
Friday, September 23 - Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Saturday, September 24 - Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
Sunday, September 25 - Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls
Tuesday, September 27 - Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Wednesday, September 28 - Greensboro, NC – The Blind Tiger
Thursday, September 29 - Richmond, VA – Canal Club
Friday, September 30 - Horseheads, NY – The L
Sunday, October 1 - Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
Monday, October 2 - New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
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