TORTURE „Storm Alert”

Music: Thrash Metal
Country: U.S.A.
Website: www.tortureband.com
Duration: 64:47
Cool Songs: All

TORTURE is a band that came about back in 1986 in El Paso, Texas in the age of old school Thrash. Influenced by bands like Celtic Frost, Destruction and Slayer, Torture released a 4 song EP and opened locally for all the big named bands that came through Texas, but never really got off the ground. In 1989 they released an album called “Storm Alert” in London, but it never was released in the states and Thrash had given way to Death, so the two founders, Tom Hicks and Deric Gunter, seperated to finish their academics. In 2004, Tom started remixing and remastering “Storm Alert” and was rejoined by Deric in 2006 and signed with Escapi Music.

Produced by Neil Kernon (Judas Priest, Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Nevermore, Dokken), the cd has been restored, re-brutalized and re-mastered by Alan Douches (Sepultura, Misfits, Shadows Fall, Mastodon, Dillenger Escape Plan) and packs a seriously powerful punch. It certainly has become one of my most listened to cd's of the year, so far. It starts out with a two minute intro of epic chants and keys, but kicks hard into “Ignominious Slaughter”, beginning this slaughter in 'Angel Of Death' furious fashion. The songs are long and take you on rollercoaster rides of furious speed, then slower headbanging, fist pumping rhythms and then back again. It's 80's Thrash at it's best. “Dwell Into Surreality” is an eleven minute headbanger that kicks your butt from beginning to end. The lyrics seem a bit cheesy, but the rhythms are totally pounding thrash. “Blood Portraits” has a heavy metal acoustic ballad opening, but don't let it fool you, it soon rips into a some serious drum kicking fury and fast and tight Thrash rhythm. “Slay Ride” has an amazing opening with kids singing a happy Christmas song with Frosty, then explodes into a Death pounder or as the song says “A fairy tale at lightning speed”. There is not a weak moment anywhere on this cd. It kicks your ass 100%!!! It has Sepultura type tight, headbanging rhythms and Slayer-like furious tight speed. Drum kicking that rattles the freakin' roof permeates throughout.

The slaughter continues heavy with an eight minute Thrash masterpiece with “Terror Kingdom”. This song has everything a Thrash head loves. A rollercoaster of speed and fury that slows into steady hard rhythm and back again over and over. Seeeeeering leads too!! It blows out your walls for the whole eight minutes. The title track is a fist pumping headbanger and also wrecks your neck for nearly eight minutes switching back and forth between pounding rhythms and hard driving ones. Some fast and furious old school Slayer-like instrumentals round out this incredible cd before delivering another near eight minute jumpin', stompin', furious thrashfest with “Deceiver”. This is a definite must for any American Thrash head. These guys remember the good old days and have restored it in all it's glory with “Storm Alert”. Thrash has definitely made it's comeback over the last few years and I really hope to see Torture thrive in it's new light and get the recognition they deserve. These guys kick freakin' butt man!!

note: 9/10

Tracklist

Intro
Ignominious Slaughter
Dwell Into Surreality
Blood Portraits
Slay ride
Terror Kingdom
Storm Alert
Enter the Chamber
Whips p.1
Whips p.2
Deceiver

Line-up

“Tortured”Tom-Guitar/Vocals
Nick-Guitar
Deric-Bass
Justin-“Drummer From Hell”