Review by Michael on August 26, 2024.

German death metal institution Torment Of Souls exist now for 30 years and although they already released 4 full-length albums plus two EPs they haven't gotten too much attention so far. Now, in 2024, they have released their second EP Mortuus Est I – maybe this one is a game changer for them?

Well, my first encounter with the band was at a festival almost three years ago and although I was skeptical when I read about them, I must say that I really liked what they did on stage. So, I was pretty curious about what the new EP Mortuus Est I can offer to the world. Well, the first song 'Schlachthaus' (which means “Slaughterhouse” in English) starts with some death metal riffs that would have been quite popular at the end of the 90s when Gorefest did “Erase” and stuff like that. Very hardcore influenced, so to speak. But hey, that sounds quite groovy and cool. But suddenly there comes a break in the song and it turns into a totally different direction – traditional Swedish melo-death. Together with the hateful German lyrics, it is quite an entertaining song with a lot of catchy elements. 'Aus Der Erde' is a much faster song with a lot of Swedish death metal vibes. The guitars sound a lot like old Dismember / Entombed and the drums are very pummeling and straightforward. This one is a really cool death metal killer that you won't find anything wrong with. Again the German lyrics sound pretty sick and sinister, quite matching to the topic about zombies. 'Pandemie' sounds like a homage to mid-90s Atrocity in a certain way. Especially the vocals sound like Krull on “Willenkraft” – super guttural and deep. Sometimes the drums go more into some kind of brutal death metal (concerning the pace) but then again, the song turns out super melodic with these aforementioned Swedish influences. 'Mehr Hass 2024' is a re-recording of the single from 2021 and I cannot find too many differences to that short, hateful track which is very groovy. Maybe the sound is a little bit more powerful and strong but that's all. I guess the guys just wanted to have it on that EP because back then it was just released as a digital single. The title track however is something totally different from the rest of the songs and from what the band did so far. Spoken words and a gloomy piano initiate that satanic invocation, and when it comes to the guitars and drums, they are quite dragging and dark. Apart from that Mortuus Est I is more of a repetitive chant without any bridges or breaks.

If you are interested in the German death metal scene (and German lyrics aren't a no-go for you), Torment Of Souls is worth checking because they don't sound generic or uninteresting in any way on the new EP. I hope that they will get more attention in the future because they really deserve it!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Michael on August 26, 2024.

German death metal institution Torment Of Souls exist now for 30 years and although they already released 4 full-length albums plus two EPs they haven't gotten too much attention so far. Now, in 2024, they have released their second EP Mortuus Est I – maybe this one is a game changer for them?

Well, my first encounter with the band was at a festival almost three years ago and although I was skeptical when I read about them, I must say that I really liked what they did on stage. So, I was pretty curious about what the new EP Mortuus Est I can offer to the world. Well, the first song 'Schlachthaus' (which means “Slaughterhouse” in English) starts with some death metal riffs that would have been quite popular at the end of the 90s when Gorefest did “Erase” and stuff like that. Very hardcore influenced, so to speak. But hey, that sounds quite groovy and cool. But suddenly there comes a break in the song and it turns into a totally different direction – traditional Swedish melo-death. Together with the hateful German lyrics, it is quite an entertaining song with a lot of catchy elements. 'Aus Der Erde' is a much faster song with a lot of Swedish death metal vibes. The guitars sound a lot like old Dismember / Entombed and the drums are very pummeling and straightforward. This one is a really cool death metal killer that you won't find anything wrong with. Again the German lyrics sound pretty sick and sinister, quite matching to the topic about zombies. 'Pandemie' sounds like a homage to mid-90s Atrocity in a certain way. Especially the vocals sound like Krull on “Willenkraft” – super guttural and deep. Sometimes the drums go more into some kind of brutal death metal (concerning the pace) but then again, the song turns out super melodic with these aforementioned Swedish influences. 'Mehr Hass 2024' is a re-recording of the single from 2021 and I cannot find too many differences to that short, hateful track which is very groovy. Maybe the sound is a little bit more powerful and strong but that's all. I guess the guys just wanted to have it on that EP because back then it was just released as a digital single. The title track however is something totally different from the rest of the songs and from what the band did so far. Spoken words and a gloomy piano initiate that satanic invocation, and when it comes to the guitars and drums, they are quite dragging and dark. Apart from that Mortuus Est I is more of a repetitive chant without any bridges or breaks.

If you are interested in the German death metal scene (and German lyrics aren't a no-go for you), Torment Of Souls is worth checking because they don't sound generic or uninteresting in any way on the new EP. I hope that they will get more attention in the future because they really deserve it!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Luka on August 17, 2002.

As the latest addition to the bizarre Relapse family, California’s High on Fire should have no trouble fitting in amongst labelmates Neurosis, Bongzilla and Today is the Day, because they, like the afore mentioned bands come with an entirely original sound and are just as unique at crafting that fine music for the intoxicated gentleman. Whenever my interest in the underground metal scene needs a bit of a jump-start I check out the record label that has become famous for promoting artists that push various musical extremes and all things in between. High on Fire seem to be a pick somewhere from the "in-between" pile and the young blood of metal has not disappointed me.

High on Fire sound like some distant cousin of Entombed, playing those muddy, rock-influenced riffs on a distorted and down-tuned death metal guitar. The deep sound throughout the album makes it harder to make out individual notes and invites you to focus on the album as a whole. Usually moving slowly, the songs have a tendency to keep to the same subtle pattern for long time, eventually sending the listener into a trance with clever arrangements and long riffs that at first seem to have no direction, but make sense by the end of each arrangement. The guitarist and bassist put in their share of complex rhythm patterns, but it is the drumming of Des Kensel that really adds a whole new level to the music. The tempos are painfully slow but he makes sure to fill in every crack with drum fills and intricate tricks. The track 'Speedwolf' is a good example of all the band’s elements coming together; opening with a seductive clean-guitar melody and then slowly drawing you into the main riff to kick start the song, keeping you virtually hypnotized the entire time.

The need to retain that distant and mesmerizing atmosphere, however, has its drawbacks. One is the noisy, "live show" type production and another is the negligent mixing job, which has left the guitars virtually untouched and sounding very monotone. It is best to give this album as much attention as possible with a clear mind. Overall, "Surrounded by Thieves" is a very ambitious debut from a promising band. If they can hold on to all the energy and passion they show here and mature their sound over the next few albums I believe they can create a cult following and eventually become one of those obscure and phenomenal bands like Neurosis or Morgion.

Bottom Line: Mesmerizing stoner-rock death metal. If you want something different in your metal (and by now most of us do) check this band out.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 7
Musicianship: 6.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 5
Overall: 6.5

Rating: 6.6 out of 10