Torpor from Poland have concocted something quite unique and original, being black metal musically but heavy metal vocally, with epic melodies overtop aggressive drums and expressive riffs. The riffing itself sort of reminds me of Abbath's riffing style in mid-period Immortal, but also of the obscure English band Forefather (who, if you haven't heard, please do). This, however, is totally original and cannot be compared to anything past what I already superficially compared them to, and that's exactly what it is, a superficial comparison. The drums have a quite nice natural sound, especially the ride cymbal, and they're produced perfectly. This is album of the year material, a performance of such power and innovation that every metalist should sit up and a take note. This has that metal magic that hooked us on the genre to begin with, that certain "something" that all classic albums contain. I look forward to even more material from this band, and if this LP is anything to judge by, this will be a very important band to metal in the future. For now, this album should be flying off the shelf and into collections everywhere, as I intend to make it do soon where my own collection is concerned.
