Vicious Beast - Tortura Obscura

I love power electronics and noise for many reasons. I am sure that each of us has his own. I would like to mention one of the main reasons here and this is the wide opportunities for a huge field of experimentation to reveal almost every possible emotion, feeling or experience. You can shake, mix, fuse almost everything, different melodies, different styles, but don't forget what you do it for. The answer is to take those mixes beyond the boundaries to the most extreme areas of imagination, because I am sure that most of the feelings expressed through this type of music deserve a special intensity.

So today I have in my hands an album from USA based Vicious Beast that can be a good example of the experimental mind thinking. Being a fruit of Thomas Mortigan whom I know better from his other projects like Black Leather Jesus, Octagon and few others that are concentrated more on metal scene, but this time he decides to express himself through kind of a mix of noise, death industrial and dark ambient music. Apparently, the album under the name 'Tortura Obscura' was released in 2009 as a cassette edition, but during 2012 the well-known German label L.White records decides to rerelease this record in CD format. Through L.White edition 'Tortura Obscura' receives a totally different look and graphics together with two additional bonus tracks which make this candy even tastier.

First of all, I would like to divide this album in two parts. The difference between the original tracks that presented on cassette and two bonus tracks is so significant that it is really important to mention this fact. The most noticeable element that singles out Vicious Beast music from others in the genre is the usage of strong darkwave element as a foundation for the whole structure. A slow piano melody accompanies four from five tracks of the first part, being a transmitter of a general emotional signal. The melodies are very primitive; they remind me old black and white horror movies, where the colors are bleak and dirty with lots of disturbances and scratched pictures. The names of the compositions like "Bog Beasts", "All in Black" and others definitely support my impression. A noise element is not always strong leaving more space for creepy and cold layers to make the proper effect. For example, "Even in Death, They Sang Songs" it almost disappears somewhere in the middle of the track making it drift forward with a freezing drone, where different growling and whispering voices add the horror atmosphere. But in tracks "Bog Beasts" and "E.V.P. Impressions" it plays an important role covering the soundscape all over with overloaded high frequencies. The final composition of the first part of the album called "Finale Tortura Obscura" is a long noisy track that fills the air with a constant drilling and extremely dirty loop full of splashing effects, scratches and distorted pulsations. It is a little bit too overextended for my taste thought, and I really didn't understand its end, when the wall of sound is suddenly cut without any sign for it.

And here comes the second part of the album that consists of two tracks. I have no idea whether they are older or fresher than a previous material, but they are definitely different from it. The first of them "Purgatory Chaingang" is based on a bass droning, very deep and ultra-slow, rolling over the surface with its strong death industrial feeling. Various special effects present there as well; a distant drum bit, electrical pulsations and growling voice cover the viscous soil with a dense layer of demonic visions. "Ride the Riverboat (Ride to Hell)" is a final track, and as you can understand from its name, it is a logical extension of the previous composition. The droning bass guitar is there again, while demonic voices become much more dominant, guiding me on my ride to hell.

'Tortura Obscura' is straight and honest record that doesn't fear of exploring and experimenting with sound. It is not the best material that I ever heard in this genre, but it is interesting enough to spend few hours in high concentration. The bonus material is more powerful for my taste, but maybe someone will have a different opinion. Grab this cd from L.White and judge by yourselves. Feb 26 2013