Review Summary: Carrying on a fine historical tradition, England's latest metal band from the Midlands strike heavy on their debut.
The Midlands of England is the home of one of the greatest metal bands of all-time in Black Sabbath. Obviously some sense of the macabre has been imbued in the psyche of that part of the world with groups like Napalm Death having followed over the years. It stands to reason then that this rich heritage should continue. From the wilds of Telford and Market Drayton, otherwise sleepy English towns, come Twisted Species, a group who combine chugging riffs, shotgun-blast drums and vocals straight from the mouth of Chris Cornell. The group are acquaintances of this reviewer, but favouritism is not a concept worth exploring here; the music stands up of its own accord.
All signs on this EP point towards music that is aimed squarely at mainstream metal dominance, but don’t let that put you off. This means that crisp production, smooth musicianship and clear vocals are the order of the day.
Disregarding the five-second jokey intro "Let's Do It"
Tormented kicks off in superb fashion with should be-would be-could-be classic "Here I Stand". This is how you make an opening statement. With its guitars set to stun and lyrics soaked in desperate yearning, within its winding passages of instrumentation is tied a short but blisteringly memorable solo from vocalist and guitarist Dave Gandon.
There are seemingly many influences evident; the grind of Pantera, the sheen and more straightforward qualities of Metallica, the subtle but intense complexity of Megadeth and the perverse croon offered by the majority of grunge vocalists.
Other highlights include "My Train" with its whip crack intro, the EP's titular track "Tormented" with its funky Van Halen wiggle and "Slip Away" with its hard working punk ethics and freak-out outro. As first EPs go it has the potential to be a much listened to statement of intent from a band with the ability to make it heard.
