Torch (band)
Encyclopedia
Music
The band have self-described their sound a mix between RockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and Metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
. Although sources have described their sound as everything from Hardcore Punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
to Metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
, Emo
Emo (music)
Emo is a style of rock music characterized by melodic musicianship and expressive, often confessional lyrics. It originated in the mid-1980s hardcore punk movement of Washington, D.C., where it was known as "emotional hardcore" or "emocore" and pioneered by bands such as Rites of Spring and Embrace...
and nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
.
History
Torch was formed in TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 1999. Their style back then was a combination of hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
. The sound of their early demos bears a strong resemblance to the style of bands like Korn, Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
and especially Snot
Snot (band)
Snot was an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California. Formed in 1995, the band released their debut studio album Get Some with founding vocalist Lynn Strait in 1997 and disbanded after his death in 1998. In 2008, the lineup of guitarists Mike Doling and Sonny Mayo, bassist John Fahnestock...
.
In 2003, with new key members added to the line-up, they released the Visions of... EP
Visions of... (ep)
Visions of... is an Torch studio EP, released independently on November 23, 2003 through Hardstar Records.The band recorded a pre-production before the recording of their EP, although only 1 song would end up on the EP...
. It was released independently through Hardstar Records. The EP led to a successful national tour with the bands Miksha and Turdus Musicus in early 2004. They toured England the same year, gaining praise from small, but enthusiastic crowds.
In 2005, the band would sign to the Norwegian indie label Kong Tiki Records. Their video, The Experiment debuted on the national TV charts Urørt Svisj and ZTV
ZTV
-History:The channel started in Sweden as a daily afternoon show in TV3 and TV4 in February 1991. The channel got its name as it was a simulcast version of the radio station Z Radio. There was also a Z magazine available for some time....
. It helped them keep the fire hot while they started recording their debut album. The recording process would eventually take 7 months to complete. The documentary, titled How To Start a Fire was added as a limited edition bonus DVD on their debut album. The Experiment remains the band's most well-known song.
On March 27, 2006 Death To Perfection
Death to Perfection (album)
"Death To Perfection" is the debut album by Torch. The album was released on March 27, 206 and was recorded at Dsign Studio in Throndheim. It was produced and engineered by the band themselves and Edgar Lien.-Track listing:All tracks by Torch...
was released. It debuted at #23 on the Norwegian Billboard Chart, supported by a video for the song K-Bomb that would air weekly on ZTV
ZTV
-History:The channel started in Sweden as a daily afternoon show in TV3 and TV4 in February 1991. The channel got its name as it was a simulcast version of the radio station Z Radio. There was also a Z magazine available for some time....
. The album debuted at #1 on the charts on Trøndertoppen (The Trønder Top). The band would end up playing the biggest festivals in the country like Quart Festivalen and Stavern Festivalen, sharing stages with bands like Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
, Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
and Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
.
In 2008, the band released a self-titled EP on cassette to the surprise of some. Torch are in the midst of recording their second album, which was planned for a late 2009/early 2010 release. Although the recording session didn't end until the end of 2010 when they sent the album into the final mixing and mastering. The album Pt.IV: A New Beginning was recorded and engineered by Jørgen (guitar) and the band in their own studio. Except the drums, which was recorded at Skarp Studio with Jon-Tore Dombu (ex-guitarist in Torch, the Hate Colony). It was mixed by Steve Evetts
Steve Evetts
Steve Evetts is a music producer who has produced music for Alesana, Poison the Well, A Static Lullaby, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura, Symphony X, Saves the Day, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Story of the Year, Every Time I Die, Earth Crisis, Still Remains and Our Last Night.-Partial...
in late 2010, and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.
The album will be released in Norway in late august 2011!
Current members
- Marius Forbord - vocals (1999–present)
- Jørgen Berg - guitar, vocals (2002–present)
- Tommy Kviseth - bass (2004–present)
- Thomas Farstad - drums, vocals (2002–present)
- Ola Pettersen - guitar, vocals (2009–present)
Former members
- Jon Tore Dombu - guitar (2007–2008)
- Torbjørn Ringstad - guitar, vocals (2004–2007)
- Erlend Nibe - guitar (1999–2004)
- Mats Paulsen - drums (switched to guitar in 2002) (1999–2003)
- Endre Forbord - bass (1999–2002)
Albums
- Death to PerfectionDeath to Perfection (album)"Death To Perfection" is the debut album by Torch. The album was released on March 27, 206 and was recorded at Dsign Studio in Throndheim. It was produced and engineered by the band themselves and Edgar Lien.-Track listing:All tracks by Torch...
(2006) - Pt. IV: A New Beginning (2011)
Music videos
- The Experiment (2005) [Ignore Entertainement]
- K-Bomb (2006) [Ignore Entertainement]
- Previously Cured (2007) [Ignore Entertainement]
- Hathem (2010) [Ignore Entertainement]
- Wake Me When It's Over (2011) [Ignore Entertainement]
Compilations
- 2112 , appearing on Sellout Vol. 2 (2000)
- K-Bomb, appearing on Hellfest Vol. 2 (2007)
- K-Bomb, appearing on European Metal Assault (2007)
Promo releases
- Promo '03 (2003) The Slip-Case version of "Visions Of..." with an extra song Far From Alone. Meant for labels.
- Promo '04v1 (2004) Contains the songs I'm All About Something New, Welcome and Insecure
- Promo '04v2 (2004) Features The Experiment; the song which would put Torch in the spotlight of labels and eventually get them signed.
- Promo '05 (2005) Contains the songs The Experiment and Insecure. Used to promote Torch in the USA.
- Promo '08 (2008) Self-released demo. Contains unmastered versions of Breathing, We Bury Our Dead Alive and Repeat Until Sane.
- Friday The 13th Special Promo (2008) Self-released split promo with Miksha. Contains the songs Breathing and Murderer's Alley from their self-titled Cassette EP.