ALBUM REVIEW: Annihilation Day – Torso

Since its inception, heavy metal has walked the same path as horror. Geezer Butler himself recalls that the name BLACK SABBATH was taken from a Boris Karloff film of the same name. From there, the two extreme artistic outlets have been kindred spirits. Musicians taking inspiration from films and books and vice versa. The cross over is often more pronounced in some bands more than others but it is never far from the surface. One artist that happily embraces the horror aesthetic, particularly that of cult and B-movie media is TORSO.

Having formed in 2022 following the demise of UK cult band POSSESSOR, frontman Graham Bywater decided to throw in his lot with both horror and metal and channel his inspirations into a more unified outlet. TORSO was the result and two albums subsequently followed, A Crash Course In Terror and Brain Cells. Both these albums blazed with a lo-fi intensity and dripped with horror imagination. The metal equivalent of a late-night double feature but with a snarling DIY attitude. Now third album Annihilation Day delivers another hugely entertaining fuzzed out, riff-based attack.

Bywater is a self-confessed horror aficionado and his love of the genre is already abundantly clear on TORSO’s previous releases. And here on album number three it’s once again at the forefront of the music. The Halls Run Red sets the scene. A movie like prologue offering up a classic grindhouse cinema type introduction. The music then takes flight, and the riffs gallop with NWOBHM-like pace. It’s an excellent segue and fully encompasses the style of TORSO. While previous releases have harnessed the lo-fi DIY attitude to production. There is an element of a cleaner and shaper edge to TORSO with Annihilation Day. From the opening track running throughout the album, the attack is more direct and slightly more polished. Not to say that TORSO has out grown the initial stylistics, more that a greater variety of musical and production elements have been fused to set a clearer vision.

The music offers thrash moments, traditional metal and darker more extreme elements to articulate the storyline. At only four tracks, Annihilation Day packs a wallop. Fully engrossing from the first moment. A concept record that rips and riffs its way in the telling.  The aggression is tempered by the lightening quick and catchy melody and lead lines. Blast Furnace ignites the horror imagination and dials everything up to ten. Chugging riffs, pounding rhythms and garage style vocals lend their weight in forming a track of insane captivating appeal. With the addition of further audio samples extending the story of classic shock-horror plot. It’s the identity of the album and further more a peak in the creative output of Bywater in the guise of TORSO.

Enormously fun and thoroughly engaging from start to finish. Annihilation Day is an excellent blend of how metal and horror work together so effortlessly. There’s no over-the-top shock or gore factor. Nor are there any elements done just for the sake of it. TORSO has an identity but more than a frivolous schtick it’s a personality and it comes through on every note of these four tracks. While it may not be a heavyweight in the metal genre, the potential for audiences of different sub genres to find a point of resonance is a broad one. There is lots to entertain and it would not be a surprise to see a cult like following grow off the strength of this record and the previous releases.

Rating: 8/10

Annihilation Day is set for release on August 29th via APF Records.

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