Torchlight Parade - Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls Review

Two very interesting facts about Torchlight Parade and “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls.” First, the band name and the album tittle have their origins related to the funeral services. Well, as a matter of fact, there’s nothing more Metal than this, isn’t it? Three of five members of Torchlight Parade work as morticians during the day. The lead guitarist Doug Engel is a hearse driver, the lead singer Matt “Torch” Engel, is an embalmer and the drummer Greg Umfleet is a funeral director. I guess with all those mortincians in a band its music could mandatorily be related to this. Ok, so, “the band’s name is meant to invoke the image of an ancient funeral procession” – says the band. The album tittle “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls” “tells the story of a gothic funeral ceremony with classic old school metal” – as the band explains. There are more than two interesting facts, huh? My bad. By the way, there is one more that is the fact that third track “She’s Gone” is a sweet and beautiful ballad. Ok, a ballad in a Metal album isn’t that new, but its position in the album it is. Il elaborate. In general, most bands try to position ballads farther in the album not in the beggining. Of course, Hard Rock bands are exceptions to the rule. “She’s Gone” has a nice cadence and a cacthy chorus and has got the spirit of the Blues. It’s impossible not to singalong, if you know what I’m saying. Well, in general, ballads have to be like this.

In a nutshell, “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls” represents the good old Metal that was played in the 1980s. It’s possible to posit many influences to the band. Ergo, it’s very difficult to pick only one. There are tracks that reminds Iron Maiden – I guess the biggest influence of Torchlight Parade. I also noticed some Dio influences here as the vocals in “Teltelestai.” For the curious fans as me Teltelestai are the last word Jesus Christ is supposed to have said. Metal Addicts’ is also culture. My dear fan end up learning something here. Somehow “Crucifer Is Rising” has a Dio meaning as well. I really loved the keyboards emulating a church organ in the album opener “Vestibule.” I gues that is the best overtone a Metal band can get from keyboards. There are others, of course. But this is the one I like best. Following and tittle track “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls” shows this very same keyboards using other overtone that was very much used by many Metal bands in the 1980s. It gives some more light to the track which, by the way, is a killer. Brazilian pioneers Harppia used it a lot in their sophomre album “7.” This track reminds me of this album.

Musically, “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls” is very varied which is a pro to Torchlight Parade. The band’s got flawlessly the spirit of Metal bands from the 1980s and added its personality in each track. That’s exactly what one expects from today’s bands that are inspired by the classics.

Torchlight Parade “Never Laugh When a Hearse Rolls” was released on June 06th.

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