2020 repress. Seventeen Seconds was the second album by The Cure originally released in 1980. It was too bleak for bassist Michael Dempsey who left after hearing Robert Smith's demos. Smith went his own merry/miserable way in the end and the album is a fine example of their spindly proto-goth. It contains one of their finest moments in menacing single "A Forest" which exemplifies the dark nature of the material on the album.