(Self Released) Total Time: 21:32
Even if I wasn’t already familiar with TORTURED SPIRIT’s music, the two huge crosses in the band’s logo would leave no doubt about the style of their music. Yes, you guessed right, I am extremely happy to present to you a new traditional doom metal band. TORTURED SPIRIT is a three-piece that hails from Germany and this three song demo under the title “Broken Soul” is their first ever release.
The demo kicks off with “The Bend” a song that instantly brings in mind BLACK SABBATH’s classic “N.I.B” but does so in a way that is not annoying at all, on the contrary it is very enjoyable. But, the real interest lies in the following two tracks. The subsequent song, “Human Taste”, is a very heavy doom metal song, significantly different to the opener. In this song, everything “smells” SAINT VITUS. In particular, imagine “V” period VITUS and songs like “I Bleed Black” and “Jack Frost” but combined with Reagers-style vocals (I said Reagers-STYLE singing, Reagers himself is unmatched and his voice inimitable). Needless, to say that I really loved this song, as to me the above descriptions and references represent some of the best compliments one can make to a doom band.
After, the 9 minutes of utter heaviness of “Human Taste”, “Broken Man” track kicks in. Again things change in this one. The VITUS influences remain but they are now mixed with PENTAGRAM and WITCHFINDER GENERAL ones, resulting in a more complex song compared to the previous two, that to this reviewer’s ears brought in mind ORODRUIN. I had heard this song before, but in a low fidelity mp3 that did no justice to it. It is a very clever song, as the band clearly demonstrates that has a deep knowledge of genuine doom metal and successfully approaches it with respect, admiration, and honest love. A special mention must be made to guitarist/singer’s Thorsten “Reverend Odd” Frahling’s vocals in this one, as his singing becomes more heartfelt and emotional and wonderfully reflects the lyrical theme of the song, which deals with the hateful emotions caused by betrayal. The sound of the recording is very good for demo standards, and the cover artwork (done by Bobby “Westside” Westin) very fitting to the musical content of the release.
Considering that this is the first demo of TORTURED SPIRIT, the young of their age, and the limited budget they had, I have to say that I am really impressed with this demo. My only objection is that I would like some more personality in their music. But let’s not be strict, this is bound to come with time, effort, and age, as the necessary ingredients (talent, devotion, true love, knowledge, and respect to the genre) are already there.
Therefore, traditional doom fans (and labels) with an interest to the underground (where the heart of our favourite metal genre beats) make sure you check out this new very promising band and contact them at reverend_odd@web.de to get your hands on a copy of it, or visit their website at http://www.torturedspirit.de.ms for more info. This release easily gets a 5 out of 6 in the custom less strict demo rating scale. Congratulations!
