I Chose Death
(Dynamic Arts Records)
14:34min
It’s been 3 years since the Finnish Death Metal squad TORTURE KILLER released the band’s 3rd full-length studio album, titled "Sewers". After that vocalist Juri Sallinen stepped out from the TORTURE KILLER line-up and his place was taken by Pessi Haltsonen who had already earned his spurs in such extreme sounding troops as CHAINSAW DISMEMBERMENT and RETALIATORY MEASURES. To testify the band’s new growler, TORTURE KILLER chose to record just a 3-track: 2 new tracks and Finnish Death Metal legends DEMIGOD’s cover song; ‘Succumb To Dark’ off of DEMIGOD’s 1991 "Unholy Domain" demo. What could have been a more appropriate title to TORTURE KILLER’s new EP than "I Chose Death"; that reeking Death Metal path has brought them a pretty long way since the days when they recorded their debut album "For Maggots To Devour" in 2003. As for "I Chose Death", I think finally TORTURE KILLER are heading towards those fields where I have always wanted them to direct their way musically to: towards way heavier, darker and more murky sounding territories musically – just for making their Death Metal to sound like the kind of stuff that makes one to think the reek of death smells actually pretty darn appealing. Right off the bat TORTURE KILLER throw one of their best songs on the table; mostly slow and creeping ‘All Will End In Terror’, in which Pessi convinces quite clearly for the fans of the band that he was the right man for this vacant position to take over the vocal duties for himself. The opener is soon followed by ‘Succumb To Dark’ – and I must admit TORTURE KILLER have done more than just a fair justice only to this classic DEMIGOD song. They have tried to stay as truthful to the original song version as possible, and succeeded in at even amazingly well in my opinion. Great fuckin’ job, guys! Then, what can I say about the title track that closes this 3-track effort in a such ambitious yet superb way? Honestly, this is THE TYPE of stuff I’d like to hear from them on their next full-length record: the song is simply beyond awesomeness!! You can hear basically from everything these fine lads in TORTURE KILLER have absolutely taken their time to build up this little monster of a song; sitting down with some quality time in their hands, kind of like also telling to each other what if we tried to blow some heads off with this one. Well, they did do just that – at least I am totally sold for ‘I Chose Death’. The song basically gave me the same kind of ultimate, never-fading trills when I first got to hear an epic DEMIGOD song ‘Slumber Of Sullen Eyes’, or IMMOLATION’s ‘Those Left Behind’ off of "Dawn Of Possession". ‘I Chose Death’ as a single song itself, is sheer pure brilliance from start to finish. Now they truly made me hungry for more. Don’t make me wait for your next record too long, please. www.torturekiller.com, www.dynamicartsrecords.com
Luxi Lahtinen
• TORTURE KILLER - Sewers (Matthias Auch)
• TORTURE KILLER - For Maggots To Devour (Stefan Franke)