It was only last year that the Portuguese thrash trio Torn Fabriks debut release Mind Consumption put them on the radar with many thrash fans across Europe. It was a short, sweet, and pulled no punches. Featuring three established musicians in Jorge Matos (Sindicato da Terra), Ricardo Santos (Morbid Death) and new drummer Gualter Couto, Torn Fabriks have now released their new album Impera which continues in the ferocious vein that Mind Consumption began.
There is a familiar concept threaded through the album; the metaphor for a new brutal reality in the world where we now exist, the net zero worth of human life. Subjugated by interests of massive economic groups with geostrategic interests, creating manipulation through world domination. Shaping history through greed and blind ambition – the aims of mass control via a process of divide and conquer.
What we get once you’ve digested the concept behind the album is a raging 34 minutes and 11 songs that draw deeply from the well that contains classic thrash influences – think Onslaught, Testament, Exodus, and Slayer. The US influence sits more evidently than other countries albeit there is the fire of the power of Destruction and Kreator evident as well.
Santos brings the exact type of gravel-soaked vocal delivery you want for such thrash metal. It’s gruff, wild, and rich on emphasis and ion. Tracks including “Hallucinating Levels” and “Here” are examples of his sound. Alongside his driving bass, drummer Couto unleashes barrage after barrage of relentless double kicking and rampaging fills that power the band forward. Thick, meaty riffs dominate, and whilst at times the guitar work favours the understated style, Matos brings enough to the party to do significant damage overall.
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There are plenty of highlights. If you like your thrash in the snarling vein of Sodom, then “Red Alert” should catch the attention, such is the guttural and aggressive feel. There’s a more traditional flavour on the balls-out final track “Rise or Fall” with a genuinely old school vibe pulsing throughout.
Whilst the thrash revival continues at pace, more and more bands are churning out retro-sounding releases that fail to excite. This may not be the finished product, but Torn Fabriks are moving quickly towards a seat at a much higher level than they previously occupied. It may not be new or original, but there is definitely a place for this type of thrash in today’s metal landscape.
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Impera is out now
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