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A TORTURED SOUL - KISS OF THE THORN
EYES LIKE SNOW
METAL TO INFINITY
Hey...this is absolutely awesome! A Tortured Soul is a US, five men Classic Heavy Metal band just releasing their debut, full length album entitled "Kiss Of The Thorn" through German based Eyes Like Snow, a division of Northern Silence Productions. Check it out...
The ATS ball started to roll back in 2002 when three high school friends who were passionate by old school Heavy Metal music. With ideas and plans on the same level, these 3 metalheads organised auditions finding the right guys to fulfill a decent lineup. Founder and drummer Scott Varga kept it for examinated after a while and was replaced by Eric Grant. As from that moment on, A Totured Soul exist from vacalist Rick Black, bassist Wes Tesch, lead guitars by Nate Gorenc and Stefan Bohl in charge as rhythm guitarist. They have recorded a Demo CDR "Tomorrow's Door" in 2005 but friends told me to watch out for their second assault. As US Metal maniac since a very long time...i was curious to the core.
In the meantime, i have received the CD and i'm entirely impressed all over! Oh my goodness, this is almost impossible to express my feelings in words. Inspired by many Gods Of Classic Metal, ATS delivering the goods. With a singer who has a lot of charisma in its voice, Rick Black has something magical in his might. He lets me think back of almighty singers like Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, Warrel Dane (ex-Sanctuary / Nevermore), Ski from Deadly Blessing / Faith Factor, Josh Kramer (Saint) and last but definitely not least, mainly King Diamond / Mercyful Fate influences are remarkable for sure. By moments, he sings real high, later on Rick's able to transform it all to a lower, filled up with warmth kinda voice. Classic Heavy Metal minded as ATS sounds, they are really amazing!! once again, this is another 2007 US Metal fave of mine!
I'm not praising only their frontman, the rest of the ATS also exhales much forms of talented skills. Immediately striking are both axemen Nate and Stefan. Anticipated on each other in a very acceptable manner...balanced through and through. We have to deal with a world-class singer, well fitted / mutual understanding between both guitar players and above all surrounded by the excellent heaviness of bass torturer Wes and drummer Eric who pounds the skins and tools decently but hard as solid steel!
Fans of Classic Metal in general, this is your alley for sure! Imagine yourself back in time when Metal was Metal, brought by icons such as the almighty Mercyful Fate / King Diamond with slices of early Priest, Saint, Nevermore, Metallica, Medieval Steel, Deadly Blessing,...
Production is finished with an eye for perfection. Quality of the sounds is great in every way, equal to the finishing touch of this product's frontcover, inlays, lyrics,...i have honestly nothing more to ad. What is left to say here is that i can only recommend "Kiss Of The Thorn" to everyone who like Heavy Metal music the way it should be. My final decision is certain, A Tortured Soul stole my heart and am appaling satisfied with the delivery of 13 breathtaking songs. GREAT!! www.myspace.com/torturedsoulmusic www.northern-silence.de MY POINTS: 87 / 100