Torian are a band that very resourcefully merges into their music a Heavy Power Metal with the elements of the so-called Modern Metal. The element that does this joining is the vocal which in some songs has the same tone which sounds like the 1990’s pop-punk of well-known bands that I refuse to say the name. Thus, I don’t mean no disrespect to Torian, the other way around, they did a great job in “God Storms” whose sonance, as said before, founds the way to merge those unmergeable and unthinkable influences. “God Storms” is an album divided by those impressions. Some tracks more than others, but, indeed, throughout it.
To a non-trained eye, Torian would be a band that seem to be immersed in the sameness Gene Simmons quotes all the time. But, as another wise man said, it is necessary to look upon appearances. “God Storms” is an album that offers much. This is so because you’ll catch yourself listening to each track with closely attention to search for the solution they will find to merge those dialect elements; traditional and modern. Tracks as “Glorious Downfall” start pompous and grand as most Power Metal peers, but then vocals come and change the impression and gives another path to the song. That’s the magic Torian do throughout “God Storms.” Guitars interventions are pretty simple in riffing, licks and solos. But it works fine. “Glorious Downfall” keeps the epic impression and effect. A simple piano makes wonders.
If you stick only to first track “Old Friend Failure” you’ll get the idea that Torion is a Traditional Power Metal band, but thew impression vanishes on second track where vocals get more modernish. Nevertheless, there are 1980ish AOR moments in “Glorious Downfall” as in “Stonehearted Nation” where its beginning has a great taste of Journey or Asia. Great guitar solos, as the bands quoted.
If your read this review and thought I didn’t like Torian and “Glorious Downfall” due to the comparisons I made, you are flat wrong. As I said before, Torian are a band that surprises and I like that. They run away from the expected, and this is great.
Torian “Glorious Downfall” will be released on November 23rd via Ramn It Down Records.
Track Listing:
- Old Friend Failure
- Evil vs. Evil
- Far from Midian Sky
- Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
- Saint of the Fallen
- Crimson Born
- Blackened Souls
- Stonehearted Nation
- Thousand Storms
- The Glorious Downfall
Watch “Far from Midian Sky” official audio video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!