Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Torture Killer - Swarm! - 2006 - Metal Blade

Track Listing1. Swarm! 2. Forever Dead 3. A Funeral For The Masses 4. Multiple Counts Of Murder 5. Obsessed With Homicide 6. Sadistic 7. Cannibal Gluttony 8. I Killed You 9. Heading Towards The Butchery 10. A Violent Scene Of Death

Stained satin lined coffins spill over, ejecting lifeless occupants that have zombiefied into so much blood and gore. Putting music to scene would probably involve the most vile and wicked of the headhunting "shock" bands, possibly allowing free reign from the likes of Finland's Torture Killer, a violent and sadistic display of random violence and imagery. Fans of Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet Under will find macabre delight and pleasure knowing ex-'Corspe frontman and current Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes is steering Torture Killer, making the new release, "Swarm!", an outstanding success.

This band originally started out as an outfit made for entertainment. The band members hung out and played their favorite Six Feet Under and Obituary songs before finally deciding to write some of their own material. Soon the group had their first album out, a brutal old school death assault on Karmageddon Media entitled "For Maggots To Devour". During the promotion for that record the band was asked numerous times what Six Feet Under and Chris Barnes thought about Torture Killer. In late 2004 Barnes contacted the band to offer his support and encouragement. Once he found out the band needed a vocalist, he stepped in to become the act's singer.

Now Torture Killer takes flight with "Swarm!", an old school romp that will please fans of '80s and '90s Floridian death metal. Their brand of mayhem and carnage is based around thrashy riffs, gore soaked songwriting, and fantastic lead playing. In many ways this is sort of like the "lost" Six Feet Under album, maybe caught somewhere in time between "Warpath" and "Maximum Violence". Barnes uses his Cannibal Corpse low register for the most part, never quite hitting "The Bleeding" recognition of pronouncing clearly every word. That is quite alright from the reading of these lyrics, however the gorehounds should find plenty to like about cuts such as "Heading Towards The Butchery" and "I Killed You". This is truly inspired by the most wicked sensations to leave Florida, and in all honesty a very entertaining album that will please casual thrashers as well. Torture Killer and Barnes make quite a team and at this point Six Feet Under may have trouble competing with this high powered product.



--EC 02.07.06