Tortured Demon are a youthful thrash band from Oldham. My very first thoughts are that the drums sounds thunderous. It is pretty ferocious and is played at a rapid pace, and reminds me of early Death Angel or Evile. They seem to have developed more of an identity since I last saw them. There is a lot less Pantera style groove this time around which I think improves them considerably, and what is left is much rawer and in your face. One track has a Machine Head build and chorus, and is pretty impressive. They are a band that seems to be constantly improving.
Forbidden are celebrating the 40th anniversary of 'Twisted Into Form' by playing the majority of the album. They open with 'Infinite' which thunders along competently enough but seems to be lacking something. The vocals and guitars don't seem loud enough but I'm not sure if that is the reason for it seeming a bit flat because the guitars seem louder for 'Out Of Body (Out Of Mind)' and they still seem to be going through the motions somewhat. The whipcracking thrash of 'March Into Fire' is definitely played with more intensity. The mid-paced groove of 'Twisted Into Form' sounds immense and Norman Skinner's vocals are much more audible. The opening groove of 'Forbidden Evil' sounds great but the sped up part threatens to fall flat before it picks up intensity again. A number of songs have some crushing moments followed by moments of mediocrity. I can't even explain why it is so up and down, I don't quite understand it myself. Even the mighty 'Step By Step' isn't immune as some muddy sounding guitar robs the first verse of its impact but the punchy chorus cannot be denied. I venture down towards the front to take a couple of photos and it sounds much clearer there, and as a result I enjoy 'RIP' much more. Norman sounds great on the more progressive 'Tossed Away'. However, tracks such as this and the following 'One Foot In Hell' are probably too complex for their own good as they lose momentum at certain points. By the time we reach 'Through Eyes Of Glass' we're back to large parts of it being laboured and uninspired. A pounding, thrashing 'Chalice Of Blood' closes the set on a positive note but I'm afraid it has been rather inconsistent overall.
Forbidden ***
Tortured Demon ****
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