Post Description
°Û±Û Artist þ Sacrifice Û±Û°
° Û±Û Album þ Torment in Fire Û±Û °
°Û°Û Year þ 1990 Û°Û°
Û°Û Release Date þ 2014-06-01 Û°Û
Û°Û Genre þ Thrash Metal Û°Û
Û Û Label þ Fringe Product Û Û
Û°Û Source þ CD Û°Û
Û Û Type þ Reissue Û Û
Û°Û Quality þ VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo Û°Û
Û Û Û Û
Û Û Û Û
Û Û “…tears on her cheek, sweat on her brow, it's time to die I Û Û
Û Û will kill her now…” Û Û
Û Û Û Û
Û Û Some albums stand triumphantly in the eye of time. Some bow Û Û
Û Û down before it. A few are beheaded by it. Sacrifice’s debut Û Û
Û Û is somewhere out there hunched over, hat in hand, but the Û Û
Û Û axeman is scheduled to deliver the death blow to other lps Û Û
Û Û instead. Yeah, Torment in Fire definitely isn’t the Barry Û Û
Û Û Bonds of thrash records from ‘85, but it isn’t a rookie Û Û
Û Û Triple AAA baller either. Actually, the four-piece from the Û Û
Û Û home of the Blue Jays were rookies at this time, Û Û
Û Û tenderfoots who were gleaning inspiration from Slayer, Û Û
Û Û Razor, Exciter, Metallica, and no doubt some others, and Û Û
Û Û while these bands haven’t felt the cold metallic sting of Û Û
Û Û the axeman either, they’re usually thought of in higher Û Û
Û Û arcs of presentation and maturity. Û Û
Û Û Sacrifice concocts cannibalistic fervor, unrefined thrash Û Û
Û Û vigor, arguable maturity, and a glut of undefined ideas Û Û
Û Û that were probably flowing way too fast for the young Û Û
Û Û quartet, hurl it all into a huge simmering black pot, stir Û Û
Û Û it with a set of pipes that sound like a thousand crows Û Û
Û Û falling to their doom, and almost literally we have Torment Û Û
Û Û in Fire. Hell, sometimes it even sounds like it was Û Û
Û Û recorded inside a cauldron, and the often annoying overloud Û Û
Û Û cymbal work is someone pounding on the side of it with a Û Û
Û Û sledgehammer. But despite all its idiosyncrasies, it’s Û Û
Û Û still an acceptable piece of work. Û Û
Û Û Since Evil Dead had only been filmed four years prior to Û Û
Û Û this, I don’t sigh as much when I hear intro “The Û Û
Û Û Awakening” and its now generic quote and unceremonious Û Û
Û Û feedback. Nowadays, quoting something from Arnie Û Û
Û Û Schwarzenegger is more refreshing. This bucket of joy Û Û
Û Û squeals into “Sacrifice”, only a slightly above-average Û Û
Û Û track to kick things off, meanwhile “Turn in Your Grave” Û Û
Û Û turns it up a notch with rapid fire vocals and a chorus Û Û
Û Û slightly more hospitable than the rest of the track. At the Û Û
Û Û start, “Homicidal Breath” shows us a docile side to the Û Û
Û Û band, but injections of aggression and a near lack of a Û Û
Û Û chorus throw that idea and the song’s identity. “Warrior of Û Û
Û Û Death” is one of the lp’s speed brokers, fast and untidily Û Û
Û Û intrusive, but has yet to stamp individuality to their Û Û
Û Û sound. “Infernal Vision” is perhaps the most diverse so Û Û
Û Û far, jutting in and out of tempo worlds with a Slayer-esque Û Û
Û Û appeal and finishes off the side. Û Û
Û Û Cryptically distorted noise mutates into the introductory Û Û
Û Û riff of “Burned at the Stake”, a track menacing with a Û Û
Û Û slow, grim-eyed pace that explodes into a speeding reverie Û Û
Û Û of Rob Urbinanti’s glass-warping screeches, tight tornado Û Û
Û Û riffs, and a pseudo solo that shrills the songs end. Û Û
Û Û “Necronomicon” is another example of Slayer-ism by Û Û
Û Û following the dramatic chorus with a slow, deliberate Û Û
Û Û section and solo, then reinventing itself with another Û Û
Û Û blizzard of white-fisted riffs. Without a word, “The Û Û
Û Û Exorcism” brings forth more speed effort with only one Û Û
Û Û minor blip of melancholy on the track’s Richter scale. Û Û
Û Û Before you know it, “Possession” kicks the instrumental out Û Û
Û Û of the way by calling on some latent hardcore influence, Û Û
Û Û quickly sung, near-hollered vocals the main denominator, Û Û
Û Û but there’s still no denying the thrash undertow. Û Û
Û Û “Decapitation” is another swirl of velocity with more Û Û
Û Û hardcore-ish vocals and a corny chorus that could have been Û Û
Û Û thrown off a ledge. The finale is “Beyond Death”…twisting, Û Û
Û Û groaning feedback doubles as solos, some odd, hurried Û Û
Û Û militant drumwork hamstrings some listeners, more feedback, Û Û
Û Û momentum shifts like my grandmother driving a stick shift Û Û
Û Û for the first time, some weird timing changes…I can see Û Û
Û Û their intent here, attempting to end the album with an Û Û
Û Û arresting jack-of-all-trades impression that instead comes Û Û
Û Û off being audibly verbose and somewhat unspectacular, but Û Û
Û Û hey, they’re young. Û Û
Û Û And since they’re young, they would improve, mature, Û Û
Û Û prosper, and do it better in two years for Forward to Û Û
Û Û Termination. As for this twelve-tracker, it has its share Û Û
Û Û of rousing moments that collectively don’t spell out Û Û
Û Û ‘classic’. Right now, I don’t think the gang has to worry Û Û
Û Û about the axeman, but who knows in another twenty years. Û Û
Û Û Û Û
Û Û “…priest reads his rites, vomit strikes his face…” Û Û
ÛÿÛ ÛÿÛ
Û°Û Û°Û
Û Û 1. The Awakening 1:33 Û Û
Û Û 2. Sacrifice 3:09 Û Û
Û Û 3. Turn in Your Grave 3:52 Û Û
Û Û 4. Homicidal Breath 2:55 Û Û
Û Û 5. Warrior of Death 3:07 Û Û
Û Û 6. Infernal Visions 2:32 Û Û
Û Û 7. Burned at the Stake 4:41 Û Û
Û Û 8. Necronomicon 2:34 Û Û
Û Û 9. The Exorcism 2:52 Û Û
Û Û 10. Possession 1:52 Û Û
Û Û 11. Deception 1:34 Û Û
Û Û 12. Beyond Death 5:33 Û Û
Û Û 36:14 Û Û
Û°Û°
Comments # 0