Torche: Harmonicraft
Volcom
Whenever Torche releases another record, the Internet gets ponderous over whether it’s a metal band or not, and Harmonicraft doesn’t quell the debate. The album is rife with riffs and distortion, so much so that even the filler tracks (“Walk It off” and “Sky Trials”) are bursting with energy. Deeper cuts, such as “Kicking” and post-sludge scorcher “Reverse Inverted,” wield bottom-heavy grooves aglow with the drive of a band that has a new lease on life, thanks to new guitarist Andrew Elstner. The title track is the thesis of sorts, a twisting, gargantuan mass of rhythms that allow the group’s dynamic to shine by placing an emphasis on songcraft over machismo, and that’s not metal at all. (4 out of 5 stars)