All of Torche's members have a background in the realms of traditional stoner metal and are used to hanging on to the lowest note possible for extensive periods of time – but they have finally let go on Meanderthal to created a genre that nobody knew was quite possible – Doom Pop. Oddly enough, the description fits quite well. “Grenades” notes still reach the low end, but recall some of the mid 90s’ alternative scenes finer moments on the higher end of the spectrum. While their previous band, such as Miami’s Floor, may not have gotten the recognition they deserved – Torche is now on a full-scale tour with The Sword who have found a niche audience in the indie-rock world. After seeing them both at a show this past Monday in Nashville – I saw more people leaving with Torche records in their hands than The Sword’s. These seasoned metal veterans know how to win over a crowd and still appeal to their doom-metal loyalists. [MP3 via YANP]
Stoked that Torche are finally getting some decent press with the new record, it's a killer one. Steve Brooks is also one of the few openly gay men in metal, and while that doesn't affect Torche's music at all, it's nice to know that the band smashes boundaries in more ways than one.