just started spinning it this week. I've always been a bigger fan of Torche for what they are about, than their actual music..if that makes sense. On paper, they should be a top 10 band for me. But the actual music has not had much staying power for my ears. I don't hear much depth. But maybe that's the point. Quick satisfaction, but I've lost interest in that as I get older. The new album is not changing my overall opinion that much. Perhaps this will all change when I see them live for the first time this month. What do yunz think of the new one?

It's mostly hit or miss for me, but more the former than the latter. One of the best tracks (Harmonslaught) isn't even on the album proper. It's a bonus track from the deluxe version.

Pretty sure I'll be seeing them live for the first time this month as well. Just trying to lock down lodging arrangements before committing to the ticket.

i do not like torche. ive tried hard to like them and have heard all of their music. its not my thing. i dont like the floor either. just my opinion...

I dig 'em but this new album sounds exactly like their others to me. I've only heard it a couple of times though, maybe it needs more listens. It's good but it didn't blow me away. I think they basically nailed it on their debut.

I'm a huge fan but their latest one fell out of rotation pretty quick for me.

It's another Torche album....though not their best.

I like Torche though, so I am digging it.

It's good. It's heavy and catchy. I like it about as much as the first album, which I still enjoy. For me, it really started to click with Meanderthal. Songs For Singles was a clear drop in quality, and then Harmonicraft was a masterpiece. So it's a bit of a step for me personally, a bit of a backslide. I get it, they want to appeal to people who liked that earlier sound. Fine and dandy, though I wish they could have managed to balance out the progress that they've made over the course of the last two full lengths with the stripped down heaviness of the first album and the In Return EP.

So, like someone said, it's another Torche album, and not their best. Still, one of my favorite heavy bands out there right now, and I'm psyched to see them live next week.

It's got some moments. Not as nearly good as Harmoncraft. They are better at short blasts of sludge pop.

I was very surprised that barely a word had been spoken about it on either board right after it came out. Figured people might have gotten Steve Brooks fatigue.

Yes to this.

If you like Helmet, you'll love the new Torche.

Me, I've never liked Helmet so I can't take Torche. The riffs are there but no hooks and no soul. Yes the Melvins have hardly any hooks either but they somehow pull off the soul. Its a complicated equation.

I'd agree with the lack of soul comment re: Helmet...I don't think 'soul' was the point of their music, but I don't agree with lack of hooks. The earlier albums have lots of them. I saw the Torche show in Boston last night. Wrong, the opener, was fucking KILLER. They resurrected early Helmet and added serious dirge/hardcore/sludge factor. When they locked into grooves, it was a real pleasure to watch and listen. Nothing, the 2nd band in line before Torche, blasted off into waves of heavy shoegaze. They are certainly aping this type of genre staples like My Bloody Valentine, but they do it quite well. The wispery vocals are basically inaudible live, bordering on pointless. When they transitioned into chorus guitar lines, they were at their best. Got kind of a Gish/Siamese Dream vibe from what I was hearing at times as well.

Unfortunately, at my age and my waking hour of 5AM for work....I skipped Torche. They weren't going to start until 11:30? something like that. Means I prob wouldn't have gotten home until 1:30-2, and up at 5. But Torche really wasn't the reason I went, Wrong and Nothing were.

Back to the point of the post response...I've listened to the new Torche, and still consider myself a Strap It On through Aftertaste Helmet fan, and I don't see the comparison really anymore. Nor is the new Torche very memorable.

Saw these three in Buffalo on Monday. Agreed on Wrong. They were great, and I totally got a Helmet circa Strap It On and Meantime vibe from them too. Rick from Torche pulled double duty and played drums for them. I thought Nothing were pretty dull. Just not my thing, I guess. Torche were great. Looked like they were having a lot of fun up there, and the songs they played from Restarter that I wasn't really into did sound better live. Dumb thing to be happy about, but Steve had a Godflesh shirt too.

I've never seen anyone make the connection between Helmet and Torche before. I don't really get it.

You were at the show? Oh shit, RalphSnart and I were there as well dude. Wish I'd known, we could have met up....


Torche was good, though I feel like they were a lot better with Juan when I saw them a few years back. The new guitarist is decent though.

I was wondering if u guys were there. I met u once real briefly when Black Pyramid played with Let The Night Roar at O'Briens years ago, but I wasn't certain I recognized you or Seamus last night, I was also staying pretty low key, so I was a little reluctant to introduce myself without being confident I knew who I was talking too. Another time hopefully.

Did u catch wrong and nothing? If so, what did u and snart think?

Everyone we went with enjoyed all the bands. Wrong were great live, I really liked some of the stuff that they played that wasn't on the EP. Nothing were fabulous! Such a strange stage presence, they were on another planet. I really liked their sound live, the rhythm section really shines, that's what really gives their sound its heaviness. The bass and drums lay down the foundation, and the guitars take off into outer space. They were everything I'd hoped for.


I noticed a lot of people left after Nothing's set, maybe about 1/4 of the crowd....I had talked to some people who were specifically there to see them.


I remember meeting you briefly at that show, though honestly I don't remember what you look like. My memory isn't as good as it used to be when I was a wee one, and the nature of my work (meeting a LOT of different people....) has kind of done a number on how my memory works as well.

I'm diggin' it. Hard.