Album review: Torus – Torus

Two years ago, Torus frontman Alfie Glass told Kerrang! his band were “ready to take over the universe”. If this intergalactic domination has been slow to manifest, then by the trio’s own admission the fault lies in a period of poor communication and emotional struggle. However, the process of getting to grips with this situation has evidently resulted in a mature, involving debut full-length.

Melodic alt.rock remains the foundation that Torus build upon, with Avalanche providing the perfect introduction with its mixture of Foo Fighters melody and desert-baked, QOTSA-ish riffs. Into The Clear demonstrates the band’s attention to dynamics with its stop-start structure and a chorus urged on by breakbeat-adjacent rhythmic energy. Indeed, this sense of drive fuels many of the album’s highlights: take Crash Wave, a flimsy construction if you break it down, yet in reality a winning chunk of urgent psych-grunge.

In keeping with its challenging creation, the album has much to say about feeling overwhelmed and isolated. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are layered throughout its lyrics: a racing heart in All On Me, insomnia in The Overload, intrusive thoughts and visions in Gone. But, just as Torus came back together to rediscover their collective focus, some of these songs also offer or ask for help. When It Comes is addressed to ‘The only one who won’t let me drown’; The Overload recognises someone in trouble and pledges to ‘rip off the chains.’

This can be a heavy listen, then, but it’s also packed with immediately accessible tunes like Downfall and Back To Life. If Torus had to go to dark places to survive, they brought back a record that shines with sufficient light to rekindle those dreams of stellar success.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Royal Blood

Torus is out September 13 via MNRK / Inside Job