Search - Torture Killer :: Swarm

(4.5 stars) I enjoyed it!

A. Stutheit | Denver, CO USA | 04/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Considering Chris Barnes fronts both bands, it's only natural that some fans would call Torture Killer a caricature of Six Feet Under, and say that these songs are Six Feet Under out takes. Torture Killer may be similar to SFU in some ways (mainly because both bands have frog throated vocals and gore-y lyrics), but "Swarm!" is also different in several ways. In fact, I believe that this album is actually better than Six Feet Under's last album, "13." For one, Barnes' vocals are quite a bit stronger, and more monstrous and visceral. Next, as track six ("Sadistic") shows, these drums wallop harder. And, finally, Barnes appears to be improving his skills as a producer, because "Swarm!" definitely has the better production of the two discs.



The album opens with the title track, which is a pounding, churning instrumental. Later on, "Forever Dead" and the aforementioned "Sadistic" have blistering, machine gun riffs; songs like "A Funeral For The Masses" and "Obsessed With Homicide" sport deep, surging grooves with fiery guitar licks; and, lastly, "Cannibal Gluttony" boasts a brutal, buzzsaw guitar attack and is capped off by a shrill, piecing shriek from Chris.



Torture Killer may be a side project, and some fans may think of them as a second-hand band, but "Swarm!" is quality death metal, and easily one of the finest death metal albums of 2006 so far. So, if you enjoy this album for what it is, you'll realize it isn't very original, but it is pretty darn awesome!"

Great work, good quality death metal

Total Scumbag | Hell | 02/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Torture Killer has returned and this time legendary death metal vocalist Chris Barnes of Cannibal Corpse/Six Feet Under fame is lending his signature vocal sound. The song structure on these songs is repetitive and follows a verse, chorus, verse, solo, type of format, so it is more predictable, but that is the style that is being played. Torture Killer, like Six Feet Under, specialize in the slow brutal riffs that you can just headbang and go along to. Something has to be said about the guitarwork on this album:phenomenal. The solo on "Multiple Counts of Murder" is one of the greatest death metal solos ever, an instant classic. "Obsessed with Homocide" another stand out track, as well as "I Killed You". I do agree that Chris Barnes is one of the best death metal vocalists ever, but this album is not his best work. This is still damn good, and you better pick this up as well as Torture Killer's old CD "For Maggots to Devour"."

One of Chris Barnes best works...

David Falzano | Boston, MA USA | 04/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the album that Chris Barne's Six Feet Under should have made after it's debut 'Haunted,' but they never went in that direction. Instead, Six Feet Under kept on the straightforward brutal path but eventually became very simplistic & complacent in it's musical approach; mainly the last few albums. But recently with Torture Killer, Barnes shows that he can muster up some of that morbidness & apply it the way he used to not so long ago. Now of course this isn't all of Barnes doing here, but he really needed this album to give his ego a boost. Great straightforward death here, but surprisingly melodic here & there as well. Very good release!"