[I’m just gonna throw this out there. My dream bill for a ridiculously high energy tour would be Andrew W.K., Torche, and Fang Island. Who would you add?]
In an alternate universe, Torche is the biggest radio rock band in America. No one has heard of Nickelback, but they sure as hell know all the words to Songs For Singles. While it’s certainly a bummer that this is not the case here on Earth Prime, hopefully this Floridian metal act will garner a few new fans with their latest effort.
Songs For Singles is a somewhat sarcastic title, although still apt. At just eight tracks, the album doesn’t have the continuity of a full-length, but rather feels like eight really good songs collected on one disc. Maybe it was a defensive move on the band’s part, but it also makes a good point: All of these songs could be singles.
Calling Torche a metal band almost seems like a misnomer, since metal has splintered off into a lot of subgenres and means different things to different people. There’s some Savannah sludge in the group’s sound and even some drone, but an anthemic grunge vibe as well. Basically, it’s like a Soundgarden/Black Tusk mash-up that could probably open for, I don’t know, Foo Fighters. In fact, they should. I bet Dave Grohl loves the shit out of Torche.
Aside from the epic closing track, Singles sticks to focused rockers. Steve Brooks peels off guitar pyrotechnics, but he keeps them tasteful. He doesn’t distract from a good hook and the band as a whole keeps things brisk. At just 21 minutes, Singles opens itself up to repeat listens. The songs roll off of each other so well that one could easily get in three or four listens in a row. Torche doesn’t sound like any one band, but they sure vaguely recall ’90s alternative rock as a whole.
2 comments:
Picasso Blue is pandering to Tsikitas today I see.
Torche, as i knew you would like, is definitely an anomoly in the world of metal. Definitely find a copy of Meanderthal, there last album, as well as the stellar In Return EP. "Rule the Beast" is easily one of the best heavy hitting tracks I've heard in the past few years rivaling the greatness of Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder" for sheer brutality.
Lastly, Torche is coming to town soon. Playing the starlight Ballroom with High on Fire and Kylesa. That is some high octane shit right there. They have also played with Baroness and Jesu among others in recent years. Definitely check them live. It's fantastic.
I want to hit up that HoF show so bad. I love all three bands, but I'll be traveling when they come to Philadelphia. ARRRRG.
At least the new Kylesa album should be in my mail box when I get home.
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