By Charlie Maybee
Morgantown, West Virginia based rock band, Torrents, released their new EP Dual Fates which features heavier-than-ever riffs beneath ethereal melodies that make this an undeniably energized collection of songs.
Akin to the metallic blues of Jerry Cantrell, there is something special about the blend of genre influences you get in these tracks. With songs like “Redeemer” which sports a shoegaze-like drone and the stacked harmonies and counterpoint rhythm guitar of “Beacon”, this is an expansive and progressive approach to songwriting that is caught in the threshold between rock and metal.
Beyond the surface of the songwriting, the production seems to take a more realistic approach giving us a glimpse into the band’s raw live power that just happens to be captured on a recording. Despite being a produced album, each song has the electrified energy of a live performance as they tear through each note with devastating aplomb. Some songs get so lost in the moment (“Echoes” for example) that Torrents almost shape-shift into a jam band that happens to be on the heavier end of the musical spectrum.
Texturally, there is an impressive number of things happening in the span of five songs. You’ll need to sit with this one for multiple listens to really piece it together properly, but the overall feel of each song will make you want to stay until the end every time before jumping back to hear what you might have missed.
Dual Fates is available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and BandCamp. Find this and other great music on the Alchemical Records Multigenre Mixture playlist on Spotify.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
