TORMENTOR — Anno Domini (review)

TORMENTOR — Anno Domini album cover Album · 1995 · Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Anno Domini" is a demo release by Hungarian black/thrash metal act Tormentor. The demo has been released in many versions, formats, and reissues through the years, but the original version was independently released in August 1988 as a demo cassette tape. It was recorded in a professional studio in 1988 and was originally meant to be released as the band´s debut full-length studio album, but because of label issues/living behind the iron curtain, that never materialized and the band were forced to release the album as a demo instead, just to get it out. It wasn´t until 1995 the album saw a prober label release. Tormentor was formed in 1985 and is mostly known for featuring later Mayhem vocalist Attila Csihar in the ranks, but "Anno Domini" is also widely regarded as an underground black/thrash metal "classic".

Stylistically the material on "Anno Domini" is blackened thrash metal, strongly influenced by the usual 1980s suspects in that style in Bathory, Hellhammer, Venom, and early Kreator/Sodom. Attila Csihar has a blackened croaky snarl, which works really well, and it´s not surprising that Euronymous would ask him just a few years down the line to join Mayhem after Dead´s suicide. He is definitely a great vocalist for the style.

The instrumental part of the music is predominantly fast-paced, raw, and aggressive blackened thrash metal, although the band take the pace down to a heavier mid-tempo at times. Tormentor are overall a very well playing band and both guitar, bass, and drums are well performed and actually a little more varied than what you might expect. It´s an entertaining album throughout. From the opening intro track where Tormentor play an interpretation of the main title theme for the horror movie "Phantasm (1979)" (a theme also used by Swedish death metal act Entombed on the iconic title track from their debut album "Left Hand Path (1990)"), to the closing eerie sounding "Anno Domini" title track, there´s not a single dull moment.

"Anno Domini" features a raw, loud, and powerful sounding production, which suits the rawness of the material perfectly. The drums and the bass may rumble in the low frequencies too much to call the sound production perfect, but on the other hand the unhinged nature and the murkiness of that part of the band´s sound provide the music with great darkness and organic authenticity. So upon conclusion "Anno Domini" is a strong release by Tormentor and it´s no surprise it has retrospectively become a sought after release for fans of 80s blackened thrash metal. It´s not the most seminal or unique sounding release in the genre, but it´s still a great release in its own right. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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