Torrential Thrill is a hard rock band from Australia formed in 2014. The Melbourne four-piece has released three albums to date – ‘MARS’ (2015), ‘Nothing As It Seems’ (2017), and ‘State Of Disaster’ emerging in 2023…
…featuring eleven new songs across an almighty hour of rock! The band hit hard with their first new music in over five years – with lyrical content surrounding hardships, reflection, sacrifice, personal loss, and man’s relentless pursuit of power.
Musically, the album is an entertaining roller coaster of rock, swinging this way and that, giving you a jolt every so often!
The band launch their new album with the bombastic ‘Illusion’ – hitting hard like a heavyweight boxing champion! ‘Illusion’ also has a hint of late eighties Alice Cooper, about it, more specifically, the shock rocker’s comeback albums ‘Constrictor’ and ‘Raise Your Fist And Yell’ – Torrential Thrill setting their stall out with a barnstorming opening salvo. The band, picking up the tempo and energy levels, storm on with the harder-hitting ‘Role Model’, and a thundering old-school hard rock sound that smells strongly of early Mötley Crüe. That said, Torrential Thrill is by no means a retro band…
…you’ll find plenty of modern touches on ‘State Of Disaster’ to satisfy the “new” school fans! The band marched on with the weighty ‘High Society’, punching hard and kicking harder – the band’s bombastic rock swagger in full swing! With a high melodious intent weaved into ‘High Society’s hard-hitting framework, the band are ramping up the infectious level, creating a sonic assault to please the ears of every single listener, wherever they may be listening! With a tad more mellowness than heard so far, ‘ITCH’ slow burns into life, adopting an energetic and up-tempo, fairly fast-paced gallop as it gets going proper – even assuming heavy metal’s iconic “foot on the monitor” stance! And talking of heavy metal – metalheads are gonna find ‘ITCH’ very attractive, turning their heads in the direction of Australia to find out more. And as they move nearer the land down under, they’ll find the even more mellow ‘Breathe’ – beginning with the sublime serenity of an incoming ballad! And yep – a ballad it is, ‘Breathe’ strolling on with a lighters-held high attitude, yet with a heaviness that may stop some listeners swaying from side to side, Torrential Thrill not falling fully into ballad territory.
Expanding their musical horizons, the band bring forth a progressive feel for the intro to ‘Dangerous Games’, assuming a heavy foot stomping attitude, shaking the ground as it marches on with head held high! ‘Dangerous Games’ is the most modern-sounding rock song heard so far, with Torrential Thrill exploring and showcasing their creative side. And with the heaviest aura of any song so far, ‘Colour Of Roses’ is a breathtaking barrage of heavy-hitting hard rock! Almost anthemic in nature, the band deliver the nearest to a heavy metal song ‘State Of Disaster’ has to offer – the Australia-bound metalheads starting their own mosh pits, with head banging and fists punching the air the order of the day! And returning the mellowness of earlier, ‘Know My Song’ is a serene meander through the ballad garden, a breeze blowing gently as the band invites listeners to once again raise their lighters high and salute a slice of balladry. Torrential Thrill keeps the attention of everyone by swinging this way and exploring every corner of the hard rock genre, delivering variation to intrigue and interest the ears of every listener, fan and follower.
And with a sudden increase in energy and tempo, the album lurches forth in party mode for the party anthem ‘Crossroads’ – a lighter sound than heard anywhere else. A sound that remains firmly in the hard rock genre, the band “starting the party” with a swing and a war cry, ‘Crossroads’ even stretching its feelers into the Southern rock style of music too! So prepare yourselves for the swagger of American legends Aerosmith to surface and dominate the airways. The title song, ‘State Of Disaster’ maintains the band’s exploration of rock styles, with touches of classic rock and AOR sewn into the band’s hard-rocking roots! Along with echoes of driving anthems, ‘ State Of Disaster’ (the song) is a song to play on a drive across Australia. Bringing the album to a close, ‘Animal (Like Me)’ returns the bombastic nature of the albums opening double salvo – hitting hard and kicking harder! And a final flourish to please the metalheads of the world – ‘Animal (Like Me)’ another chance to rock heads back and forth vigorously.
Overall, a hard-rocking album of varied rock styles, ‘State Of Disaster’ is a creative and attractive slab of infectious hard rock.
TRACKLIST
Illusion
Role Model
High Society
ITCH
Breathe
Dangerous Games
Colour Of Roses
Know My Song
Crossroads
State Of Disaster
Animal (Like Me)
Torrential Thrill: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
