Every so often, the 'underground' produces a band that raises more than a few eyebrows and redefines a genre, offering something completely unique and freshly invigorating. A band that compromises nothing and challenges the conventions of traditional rock, metal, punk, or whatever you want to call it.
For us, that band is Torche. Started in Miami, Florida by four veterans of heavy music, Steve Brooks (of classic sludge/doom heavyweights Floor), Jonathan Nunez, Richard Smith and Juan Montoya (later replaced by Andrew Eltsner), they forged a completely unique, stoner-inspired amalgamation, sprinkled with melody and bits of pop, which they first hinted at on their 2005 self-titled album. They defined a sound of their own that was anthemic, unabashedly catchy and mind-crushingly heavy all at once.
After several years of touring around the globe with the likes of Mogwai, High on Fire, The Sword, Harvey Milk, and many others, and crafting countless top-notch releases (two more albums, a few EPs and splits with Boris and Part Chimp), they've come a long way in developing their refreshing sound. Though heavy metal purists may be quick to judge just where they fall, the music they're making sets them apart from much of what's going on in that world these days. It's exciting stuff and never dull, that's for sure.
If you haven't checked out their recently-released third album, Harmonicraft, please do so. It is full of fast, riffy, fist-pumping anthems, plenty of upbeat, sugar-coated goodness and a couple doom-ladden dirges for old time's sake. Here are a few tracks from it:
Kicking
Reverse Inverted
Kiss Me Dudely
We want to thank KBGA in helping us to bring Torche (and Dan Deacon) to Missoula, Montana for Total Fest XI this August.They are huge supporters of what we're doing here and this wouldn't be possible without their wonderful support.
Mark your calendars for Friday, August 17th and get ready for Torche.
(Photo by Gary Copeland)
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