Torrefy - Necronomisongs

Torrefy is an extreme metal band from Canada, that formed in 2011.  Their latest album, “Necronomisongs” is their fourth full-length album.  

This album is my first exposure to the band’s music but I am impressed with it!  Although very clearly heavy on the thrash elements, the band doesn’t stop there.  Black metal is definitely mixed in but it’s also just atmospheric enough for the songs to have a sense of vibrancy that most thrash bands just don’t have. They don’t always play fast as fuck either, they are more than capable, and willing, dial back on the rage and let the notes really sink in.  

Instrumentally, the band mixes it up constantly so even while it thrashes and bashes, its incorporating different genres.  It’s all very abrasive and energetic but also cleverly composed so it never seems disjointed or aimless.  The bass can be heard very clearly, even when the band is at its most chaotic. I don’t always listen to bass in thrash but I’ll be damned if I was hanging on every bass note across “Necronomisongs.” 

The vocals are fantastic and miles above a lot of thrash vocalists I’ve heard this year.  He is searing and menacing, the screams and growls drenched in what I can only describe as “liquid sandpaper mixed with rotting death.”

The album opens with “Of Wind and Worm,” and its harrowing blackened growl that rips through as the band barrels through like a runaway train. This song immediately  sets the tone for the rest of the album.  If you like any one element presented here then the rest of the album is well worth your time. The solo that begins around the 1:25 mark stunning and pulls my ears through the song, grabbing my attention and never letting go. 

I’ve always enjoyed thrash that leans towards being melodic.  While the album isn’t what I would describe as being melodic, there are several moments where the band incorporates the ideas into the songs and it sounds amazing.   Songs like “Street Reaper,” and “Corpseback Rider” both use melodic tinges very well.  

The former opens with a melodic gallop that leads into searing riffs that generate whiplash speed.  Oh and the guitar solos across the song absolute RIP.  In fact, the whole entire album is stuffed with wonderful examples of how to do guitar solos that don’t think away from the songs or sound out of place.  The latter features a solo around the 1:30 mark that adds melodic flourishes to the raging rhythm and the mid section has a NWOBHM feel to it, albeit much more aggressive. 

“Nature Vs Torture,” stands out to me because of the crisp, tight, drumming.  It’s energetic and boundless but zeroed in to give the songs the foundation and backbone it needs.  The middle part of the song is surprisingly depressive sounding, the band offering a tight display of cold, bleak black metal.  

The final song is the min-epic “Total Perspective Vortex.”  Throughout its six and a half minute run time, it's a musical gauntlet run with twists and turns.   The beginning is melancholic with incredible play between the lead and rhythm guitars. The moody atmosphere is perfect for vocals but also does a great job in leading the song into faster and heavier tempos as the seconds pass by.  

In my opinion, thrash is the most closed off of metal genres and the one that refuses to modernize the most.  But albums like “Necronomisongs,” prove the genre can embrace the past and still offer something new.