TORCHBEARER – Yersinia Pestis

Metal Blade Records

Posted: 10/26/04

Reviewed by: Steve Gottlieb

Category: Death/Thrash Metal

Released: 2004

Label URL: www.metalblade.com

Remember that old joke about something that’s ‘mix-n-match’ being like a Chinese menu?  You know, pick one from Column A, one from Column B, and so on?  Or how about the one that says a camel is a horse built by a committee?  Well, Torchbearer’s latest album Yersinia Pestis fits both these bills, as it comes across more like a collage of other extreme groups’ familiar riffs and rhythms rather than a truly original album that’s merely influenced by other groups.  Musically, many of the songs follow a ‘death metal verse/black metal chorus’ pattern, and Per Johansson’s vocals similarly fluctuate between a death metal growl and a black metal sneer.  The guitars are tuned down low, but a black metal high-pitched guitar sound supports many of the choruses.  Imagine a standard issue Deicide riff leading into a Mayhem or early Dimmu Borgir chorus and you’ve sort of got the picture.  And some songs are blatant rip-offs from other bands, such as the ‘raining guitar’ intro of “Shorespread God” which sounds like it was lifted right off of a mid-period Cannibal Corpse album.  Not that it’s too important, since not many traditional metal heads will understand those references anyway!  There are plenty of blastbeats and odd-tempos, which will also make this a tough listen for a regular metal head.  Some old school thrash does break through the clutter, such as the opening of “Pest Cometh,” and a few melodies and solos sprinkled throughout will also appeal to a traditional listener, as in the middle sections of “Far Advanced Closure” and “Thus Came Dying Unto Kaffa.” (gotta love those song titles!).  But, as a whole, this is an extreme album geared more towards a death metal fan. 

The Bloody Truth:  If you’ve been praying to the dark gods for just one more death/thrash album with a hint of black metal mixed in, then rejoice in Satanic splendor, for Yersinia Pestis is your reward, and go out and buy it immediately.  For the rest of us, though, this one is by no means a necessity.