Yersinia Pestis

Torchbearer's debut release, Yersinia Pestis, is upon us. And, much like the aptly titled album refering to the virus carried in rats that caused The Bubonic Plague, most of the lyrics are crafted around either this plague, or specific time period. The band, blending death and black metal with a more thrash musical style, seem to answer the never really asked until now question: Just how many songs can you fit on a CD about one of the worst virus outbreaks in history?

Quite a few it turns out, and many of them none too good. As stated, the music itself holds more of a thrash feel, very reminiscent of old school bands in the same style, as well as some that pioneered the death metal sound. Traces of Venom do linger through some of the riffs, more prodominantly in "Faith Bled Dry", as well as even a story telling feel more noticable in a King Diamond record on "Dead Children, Black Rats", but, sadly, poorly done vocally. You also have issues as far as proper time period word usage. For example, the track "Sown Are The Seeds Of Death" contains usage of the word "Yee", while the track "Pest Cometh" uses the word "Microorgasmic", which will confuse you as to whether the album is supposed to be set in the same time period as this plague, or whether it's the band just fondly looking back at it.

Yes, there are some good tracks on this release, but not many. "Faith Bled Dry" and "Far Advanced Closure" are very well performed musically and vocally as compared to the rest of the disc. "Pest Cometh", however, seems to be a bit different from the material on this album, being more of an old school track in the vain of late-Carcass. Finally, we come to the best track of this opus, "Thus Came Dying Unto Kaffa" is a heavily thrash influenced song that suits the vocals more then any song on the entire release. It's fast, it's heavy, it's brutal, it's lyrics are entertaining, and should have been the blue print for this album.

Put bluntly, the album is rather dull. The band had a good idea, but the outcome saw rather poor writing as far as lyrics go, and some moderately entertaining music with a few impressive guitar solos thrown in. Aside the few aforementioned stand out tracks, which all but one really aren't all that impressive anyway, Yersinia Pestis is a decent attempt to create a conceptual album through a hybrid of style, and not the typical power metal genre. The band deserves credit for writing an entire album based on one of the worst events in man's history. The album is definitely a dark and disparaging look at the horrific events that transpired through fictitious eyes, but won't really have much of a lasting appeal outside of that first listen.

Torchbearer issues some reckless, technical death that grows on the listener after a couple of spins, but ultimately offers very little new to a genre that has to be pushed to its limits in order to remain entertaining. death metal requires that musicians challenge the listener with new ideas, having completely burned out once already, the style is one that simply must be expanded upon in order to retain its effectiveness.

During the track “Dead Children, Black Rats”, vocalist Par Johansson changes his voice up a bit, allowing a deep and ominous speaking voice to give the track a dose of character. Production-wise, this is an excellent record. The intensely compressed kick drums have an original quality that causes the music to seem more stabbing and akin to Sinister in some moments.

This record’s gover features a artistically interesting, well done version of a reaper figure that helps to bring out the mental imagery in the album’s lyrics. ‘Bearer Of The Torch’ stand out as this records finest track offering the varied dynamics that make this music truly memorable. This song contains some thick grooves, intricate melodies during the breaks and seriously damaging blasts. You will discover some competent guitar solos tastefully dispersed throughout the record. These solos are blazing scale runs that are performed with a skilled precision.

A strictly infectious chugging riff graces ‘Pest Cometh’, while the more frantic portions of this track are slightly reminiscent of Morbid Angel if that group had a growler which was a bit darker sounding. “Thus Dying Came Unto Kaffa” is a speedy, blackened burst which is emphasized by the type of melodic diversion you would expect to hear from a power metal band, then Torchbearer returns to high gear for the song’s hyper-blasting verse.

Henrik Schonstrom plays at blinding speed on “Failures Dawn”, sounding eerily machinelike and inhuman. Lyrically, the band has some decent darkened poetry that is well written and makes for great thematic content overall. Torchbearer is a group that would appeal to most fans of death metal, and perhaps a small segment of black metal fans.

Tossing a bit more diversity amongst the blasts certainly would not harm the efforts of this group, but “Yersinia Pestis” still makes for a good death metal listen, despite its lack of originality.

Torchbearer is yet another band from the guitarist and drummer from Unmoored, Solar Dawn, and Incapacity. As well as those members, they also have the vocalist and bassist from Satariel. It is along similar lines of the aforementioned bands death/thrash style of metal, with a few elements of a blacker style of metal. Not that Torchbearer sounds like a clone of those bands, it just goes to show that the musicians are very talented, and execute a lot of fast past riffing and drumming with ease. The vocals sound excellent, usually being a higher growl than most death metal, as well as some screechier black metal influenced vocals here and there. The riffs are solid, most very thrashy, some with a definite death metal feel to them, and there is of course a few of those tromolo picked riffs found within black metal. I wouldnt say that the drums are very thrashy however, mostly blasting like its black metal, or furiously paced death metal. Most excellent though...The songs themselves are fast and aren't very long, and they contain a lot of transition so this cd does not get boring (for me at least). Torchbearer know how to write a good song, no doubt about that, but I personally prefer the style of Incapacity, if that accounts for anything.

This album does nothing new, but there are some fairly high quality moments of superb riffage. If you have heard any of the bands previously mentioned, and enjoy them, then this album might suit your tastes. Likewise, if you have not heard said bands, Torchbearer is a good band to investigate if you are looking for some thrashy/deathy metal, and woudl perhaps like to have it with an added touch of black metal. Standout tracks in my ears are: Pest Cometh, Shorespread God, and Thus Came Dying Unto Kaffa. Well thats it thats all for this review, if the band continues to write music, then perhaps the next album from these guys will be a little better.