Standout Songs:
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On Songs For Singles, Torche takes their heavily detuned, stoner, alternative metal sound, and makes it the most accessible it could possibly get. The songs come at a blistering pace and generally all hover around the two minute mark. It's sugary, it's heavy, and really just an exhilarating thrill ride. It begins with U.F.O. which features one of Torche's catchiest guitar riffs and more notably Rick Smith's insane sprint on the drums. His foot is constantly going, the single stroke rolls go on forever, and the consistent intensity of his performance honestly leaves me winded just listening to it. Steve Brooks croons these long held notes that are soaked in reverb and propped up by stunning harmonies; Torche always nails that feeling of soaring with how they mix them. Lay Low, despite its short length at just fifty-one seconds, is also incredible. The rhythm is really hard to pin down, Brooks' performance is a little more aggressive and I love the echo that is applied to it. Brooks will occasionally hit his signature slack-tuned low string which sounds like a detonated nuclear bomb and the song also finishes in a rather deconstructed way that is really cool.
Arrowhead is another drum performance standout. Smith's tom groove has so much muscle and the way the drums are mixed make them very punchy. We also get some more lengthy single stroke rolls while Brooks performs these nifty harmonic sweeps. Shine On My Old Ways begins with some epic feedback that is satisfyingly harmonized and blindingly bright, or at least it would be if you could see a sound. Every song is honestly so great; no notes, that is except for the final two songs. Face the Wall ends up breaking the streak of short, fast songs with a rather slow, droning number. It's honestly a little boring, nowhere near the best track they've made in this vein. And lastly, we have Out Again. It's decent with its really patient pacing and the repetitive, simplified groove. However, at six minutes, this track really is way too long. This groove is nowhere near strong enough to ride out for four and a half minutes. So they don't stick the landing on this one, but the first six songs are Torche in their most potent form. A real shot in the arm of candied metal bliss.