"I want this to be the end," moans Cure founder Robert Smith. "I don't want to start again." Yeah, right.

We've heard that one before. Every time The Cure put out a new album, Smith -- the guru of gloom to generations of raccoon-eyed, black-clad teens the world over -- swears it will be their last.

Turns out, as he recently confessed, it's all a ploy "to keep the band on their toes." Also turns out it works -- and then some.

The Cure, the 14th studio disc from these goth pioneers, is Smith's most charged and aggressive outing in ages. Continuing the career revitalisation that began with 2001's Grammy-nominated Bloodflowers, many of these 11 stunning cuts strip away the rich textures and pop wimpiness of the past in favour of the pounding beats, serrated guitars and menacing misery of contemporary metal.

Who would have thought an old man in mascara could kick this much ass? Well, apparently Korn / Slipknot producer Ross Robinson did. And in the most successful odd-couple musical pairing since Jack courted Loretta, he marries his nue-metal sensibilities to Smith's tragic romanticism on hard-hitting post-punk standouts like the slowly grinding opener Lost, the searing Never, the throbbing Bush-whacker Us or Them and the epic closing lament The Promise.

No wonder Robert is again pining for closure on alt.end. "I want this to be the last thing we do," he explains, "For all my dreams came true."

We suspect Cure fans will know just how he feels.

Track Listing
1. Lost
2. Labyrinth
3. Before Three
4. End of the World
5. Anniversary
6. Us or Them
7. Alt. End
8. (I Don't Know What's Going) On...
9. Taking Off
10. Never
11. Promise