TORC is a relatively young project, forming in 2013 and delivering their first strike in the form of 2016’s “Tóny Annwnu”. A follow-up EP, “Vzpominky Na Slunce”, came to being in March of 2017 as a CD release limited to 500 copies through Murderous Music Production. TORC, on “Vzpominky Na Slunce”, play a style of modern Thrash fused with modern Black Metal elements that utilizes several unorthodox techniques to carve a niche for themselves. One of the unorthodox techniques is the top-tier production. While cleaner, more accessible production has been utilized in extreme music since the advent of digital recording itself, it is rare for it to reach a bright, clear level as demonstrated on “Vzpominky Na Slunce”. The advantage served here comes from the dynamic arrangement and composition executed by the band, which moves away from conventional phrasing and tonal qualities associated with Black Metal in favor of a sonic palette loaded with a great deal of melodicism and textural guitar playing. This is not the production of years long gone; there is no haunting atmosphere, no raw frequencies, and a very precise low-end presence. TORC does utilize some Black Metal elements, but it is not it’s most pure intention. Another noteworthy element to “Vzpominky Na Slunce” is the textural and articulate guitars. The whole arsenal of playing techniques is on display here; pre-bends, bends, atonal slides, sweep picking, and other such maneuvers. It’s all delivered on a foundation of unusual chord choices and phrases with lighting fast fills and seemingly random flourishes of detail littered amongst the riffs, which are delivered and hurled at the listener at aggressive tempos. Tracks such as the opener ‘Nakaza’ and ‘Unterschwein’ show off the impressive speed TORC are capable of delivering at. ‘Zavate Osudy’ and ‘V Seru’ are more melodic, conventional displays, utilizing clean guitars and cleanly sung vocals, but still maintaining the heat and power of the other songs on the EP. At five songs spanning just over 20 minutes, TORC keep it to the point, they highlight their capabilities as musicians and their unorthodox approach to composition and tonal quality. While the Black Metal and Pagan Metal elements are kept purely at an influential level, the foundation is more of a modern Thrash build that has more in common, compositionally, with American Metalcore than melodic Death Metal or similarly comparable style. Murderous Music Production is responsible for the release and can be reached at www.murderous-prod.com. For more information on TORC, check out www.facebook.com/torcblackcore.