It's early in the morning at the Merchants Of Air headquarters, which are located in my home. I just got up, still sleepy. My first cup of coffee is delicious, and so welcome at this inhuman hour. I guess this is the perfect time to blast some some flesh-ripping rancidiy through my speakers. If I'm awake at this early hour, so should my neighbours!
Tormention is a death metal band from Sweden, founded in 2008. Like many others, they spent some time in the local underground before finally completing the line-up. A first e.p. was recorded, followed by a debut full-length in 2012. Gigs followed, making the band stronger and the members well-attuned to each other. During 2014 they started recording the new album, Chaotic Delusions.
It immedately strikes me that Tormention doesn't seem to be 'just' a death metal band. Somehow I'd like to believe that the members have been active in other bans before this one, and not per se in the metal department. Here and there I hear flashes of noise-rock, woven into the brutally distorted fabric of guitars, growls and drums. I'm not sure if Tormention did that on purpose but the dissonant guitar noises in 'Burn' and 'Legion' remind me of bands like Sonic Youth.
Also some other (minor) influences come shining through once in a while. There's definitely some black metal riffing and some of its bleak atmosphere is also present. 'Legion' opens with something that reminds me of Sepultura's 'Kaiowas'. On top of that 'Schizophrenic' shows some industrial metal elements. However, for the main part, this is an intense extreme metal album, fitting perfectly on any death metal shelve. Most of the songs remind me of a blend of old-school death metal bands. A bit like a decent blended whiskey that matured for seven years.
Except for the breather 'Chaotic Delusions', this album is filled with crushing guitars, blasting drums and sick vocals, brought together in perfect, ferocious harmony. Although the bandmembers seem technically skilled, I don't think it's completely correct to categorise this music as 'technical death metal'. The level of complexity in the songs is high but the focus is clearly on sheer brutality and savage headbanging.
Chaotic Delusions is a very decent death metal album with all the necessary elements and enough variation to entertain the listener for the full duration. My personal favourite tracks are 'Lust' and 'Not My Hands' but the other songs are just as crushing, destructive and vile as these two. Death metal fans can't go wrong with this one, that's for sure.
Serge
Tormention is a death metal band from Sweden, founded in 2008. Like many others, they spent some time in the local underground before finally completing the line-up. A first e.p. was recorded, followed by a debut full-length in 2012. Gigs followed, making the band stronger and the members well-attuned to each other. During 2014 they started recording the new album, Chaotic Delusions.
It immedately strikes me that Tormention doesn't seem to be 'just' a death metal band. Somehow I'd like to believe that the members have been active in other bans before this one, and not per se in the metal department. Here and there I hear flashes of noise-rock, woven into the brutally distorted fabric of guitars, growls and drums. I'm not sure if Tormention did that on purpose but the dissonant guitar noises in 'Burn' and 'Legion' remind me of bands like Sonic Youth.
Also some other (minor) influences come shining through once in a while. There's definitely some black metal riffing and some of its bleak atmosphere is also present. 'Legion' opens with something that reminds me of Sepultura's 'Kaiowas'. On top of that 'Schizophrenic' shows some industrial metal elements. However, for the main part, this is an intense extreme metal album, fitting perfectly on any death metal shelve. Most of the songs remind me of a blend of old-school death metal bands. A bit like a decent blended whiskey that matured for seven years.
Except for the breather 'Chaotic Delusions', this album is filled with crushing guitars, blasting drums and sick vocals, brought together in perfect, ferocious harmony. Although the bandmembers seem technically skilled, I don't think it's completely correct to categorise this music as 'technical death metal'. The level of complexity in the songs is high but the focus is clearly on sheer brutality and savage headbanging.
Chaotic Delusions is a very decent death metal album with all the necessary elements and enough variation to entertain the listener for the full duration. My personal favourite tracks are 'Lust' and 'Not My Hands' but the other songs are just as crushing, destructive and vile as these two. Death metal fans can't go wrong with this one, that's for sure.
Serge
