Metal Riot

Torche‘s blend of harmony, sludge with a smirk and a no fucks given attitude has unfairly had them judged hipster metal by some black hearted types, the same sort of goons who’d write off Gorgoroth once they’d discovered Gaahl was gay. Or snob hardcore kids…don’t get me started on the idiots I heard at a recent Converge tour stop who were trashing on Torche’s support slot. Excuse me, but the great Converge hand picked them for the tour, not to mention aren’t exactly a punk by numbers band themselves. Torche have been a vital part of the scene the last few years and inject a welcome dose of self awareness and heft into everything they do. I find them extremely refreshing. If you can’t be affected by a song like first single “Minions” off this baby just leave rock n roll behind you and go play in traffic. The rest of us will be playing Torche Vs. Robots.

New record Restarter is quite an experience, just a shining example of a band being themselves (much like the new Coliseum material, it’s “love us or leave us. This is what we do”). Like Pelican offshoot The Swan King it is both quirky and smart but also pretty easy to rock out too. My only critique is most of the material works as a feeling or vibe  more than as super distinct songs, but that’s kind of always been their bag, it seems. It’s kind of about the delivery.

It has been cold as a witches balls in Upstate, Ny and Torche (or the reunited Floor for that matter) always manage to warm me up with those huge walls of distortion and massive low end. Restarter is heavier than the recent Floor effort Oblation which was great (“Rocinante”= so good) but seemed more concerned with pop structure. This Torche record really stretches out and gets weird, but within certain frameworks. It kind of reminds me of old Soundgarden in an odd way in that the album is clearly structured to be listened to all the way but each song really compliments the others or works alone. Torche really upped their game here making sure every inch of Restarter counts, from the trudging “Barrier Hammer” to the near nine minute title track’s thrills and sheets of distorted chills.

Click HERE for the full review.

Torche, the Florida/Georgia-based band the Village Voice dubbed “the legitimate sons of a union between Hüsker Dü and the Melvins,” release their Relapse Records’ debut, Restarter, on Feb. 24.

In an in-studio piece with Rolling Stone, bass player Jonathan Nuñez said the quartet began working on the 10-song album in November of 2013 and finished recording in the spring of this year. Nuñez told the magazine “The music is like what we do: very driving, very heavy on the toms, real pounding rhythm section, the guitars are just nonstop, but with a melodic twist. Then the vocals come in and it’s this whole Psychedelic Furs – and maybe Guided By Voices – phrasing.”

“Moving forward, leaning backwards, twisting sideways and loving every new release,” said singer/guitar player Steve Brooks. “Restarter is moody and still very much a Torche record.”

The cover art for Restarter was done by Santos (Kylesa, High On Fire).

Torche’s most recent release, 2012’s Harmonicraft, was hailed as “a true game-changer” by the BBC while CMJ said it “isn’t just the best Torche release: It’s a contender for one of the best loud rock releases of the year.” The band’s 2008 release, Meandrathal, was Decibel Magazine’s album of the year and Pitchfork dubbed the band “fine purveyors of metallic sludge.”

Having recently wrapped up a trek to Australia and New Zealand, Torche launch a new round of U.S. dates on Dec. 27 as they join Clutch and Lionize for a brief outing. The band has also announced a Spring 2015 European outing.

Click HERE for dates.