Torche - Meanderthal
Released on American label, Hydra Head, Florida / Georgia based quartet power rockers, Torche return following up their 2005 self titled debut album and their 2007 In Return EP with more psychedelic, ear pounding loud new album, Meanderthal.
The opening track “Triumph Of Venus” of the album is surprisingly an instrumental, a hard hitting instrumental it has to be said. But fear not, Meanderhal is not full of instrumental tunes. “Grenades” kicks in straight after with an anthem style song which sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Consider Queens of the Stone Age at their best, breaking the conventional style expected of recording an album. This is proved even further when the third track “Piraña” starts with its head banging riffs. Ok maybe consider it as Queens of the Stone Age at their heaviest with Nick Oliveri in full control of the music and you may have an idea what this album sounds like.
The album is full of power rock anthems, all of them good enough to grace an album of the year compilation all the way through each of the 13 tracks until you reach the final track, the self titled Meanderthal, which like the opening track is an instrumental only this time it is full of menacing doomed riffs. When it finishes it just leaves you crying out for more. Steve Brooks provides the limited vocals and teams up with Juan Montoya to provide those killer riffs, with Jonathan Nuñez on bass and Rick Smith on drums providing the rocking base to the tracks.
There is one slow paced song here “Sundown” and in no way can it be described as a ballad like some bands for some reason think will work on an album like this.
Front man Steve Brooks has previously claimed they are not a metal band, well if they are not then they are the closest you could ever be. I am sure there are plenty of metal fans out there who will instantly fall in love with this band along with plenty of others too.
Sadly there appears to be no UK dates in the near future as they are currently embarking on an extensive US tour till August. Hopefully they will be back on these shores soon to promote this rather fine album. I have a sneaky feeling that this band is going to be loud, very loud live.