There’s some real death metal sounds going on in this new self-titled EP from Torture Hammer. Hailing from Santa Cruz, with a huge pedigree of hardcore bands behind (and in front) of them, they don’t let any of that punk energy change what they are doing here, and in the words of the kids these days (possibly. Disclaimer: I’m old), “it’s real siiiick!”
Not ones to let progression and length get in the way they are straight out the chopping blocks with the slam-tastic ‘Bodily Harm’. Throwing you against the wall, as all good death metal should, it’s a sweet panacea for those missing the good old days. There’s a real contemporary feel about the band too, with parts reminding of Sanguisugabogg.
‘Torture Hammer’ (because all the best metal bands have songs named after them) is a mishmash of slamming riffs, against more measured downbeats. It’s a demonstration of a band willing to explore the dynamics of their sound as it twists and turns in the most brutal fashion. ‘Object Of Desire’ is more old school, with a lowdown stump reminiscent of old Cannibal Corpse, and one can just imagine the pit opening up right in front of them.
The brevity of the songs leave no time for boredom to sink in and no sooner have you got into the rhythmic ‘Catastrophic Collapse’, which sinks into a morass of dark, deep, sludge riffs at the end, that we are then thrust directly into the deep roar of ‘Hammered’, whose jagged 100mph riffs accentuate the slow grind.
‘Cowards Surrender’ finishes off what is a great death metal EP, and it’s with releases like this that you really feel the genre is more than alive and kicking. Black metal may now be the extreme genre of choice for metal fans, but for those of us who are more old school, bands like Torture Hammer keep the death metal fire burning. Great times indeed for bands of this old. Long may Torture Hammer continue.
