Review by JD on December 13, 2008.

Belgian Metal certainly has been streaming out onto the shores of North America lately. I have heard many Death Metal and Black Metal bands from the small country in the last little while... but here is a Doom Metal group, which intrigues me to no end. I had heard the name before, but finally got the chance to hear them finally.

I am struck by how well they sound, flowing majestic as any opera could, yet they deliver something that is so completely heavy and brutal as any band that is out there. I am a big fan of the band Novembers Doom, and this takes me back to hearing those guys first. Thurisaz have exactly what the ND boys have to this day:... Intelligence, musical thought as well as that oh-so-doomy qualities that I live for.

I have not been so excited about a band since I first heard one of my all time favourites, Candlemass, for the first time many years past now. This band is avant-guard as all hell, but not too damned artistic as to have some metal heads turn away... they pound your head with their thunder as well. Thurisaz truly combined heaviness, intelligence and just plain all around class into one.

Thurisaz have a newer album out there right now, which I will be getting as soon as I can. Perhaps I need to impress that the readers might do that themselves too? I will be!! Get this one though.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9
Originality: 9
Overall: 9

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by JD on December 13, 2008.

Belgian Metal certainly has been streaming out onto the shores of North America lately. I have heard many Death Metal and Black Metal bands from the small country in the last little while... but here is a Doom Metal group, which intrigues me to no end. I had heard the name before, but finally got the chance to hear them finally.

I am struck by how well they sound, flowing majestic as any opera could, yet they deliver something that is so completely heavy and brutal as any band that is out there. I am a big fan of the band Novembers Doom, and this takes me back to hearing those guys first. Thurisaz have exactly what the ND boys have to this day:... Intelligence, musical thought as well as that oh-so-doomy qualities that I live for.

I have not been so excited about a band since I first heard one of my all time favourites, Candlemass, for the first time many years past now. This band is avant-guard as all hell, but not too damned artistic as to have some metal heads turn away... they pound your head with their thunder as well. Thurisaz truly combined heaviness, intelligence and just plain all around class into one.

Thurisaz have a newer album out there right now, which I will be getting as soon as I can. Perhaps I need to impress that the readers might do that themselves too? I will be!! Get this one though.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9
Originality: 9
Overall: 9

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by JD on January 5, 2011.

Born from the relative obscurity of Turkey, Hardcore/Death Metal act Selftorture comes ashore over here in the west and are planting the seed of crossover on our shores. It is something that we were blissfully unaware of, but they are here, and are not going to go away any time soon.

Mixing the intensities of Hardcore with the domination and blood splattering of Death Metal, this Turkish band pulls no punches, and takes no prisoners as well. Putting these two very acrid and explosive forms of music together is like adding Nitro to Rocket fuel and lighting the match. It is a very impressive explosion of pure metallic might that is powered by pure angst, aggression and total anarchy. Selftorture is a band bent on utter dominance, and all in the way they want to do it.

'Hate, Anger, Fury' kicks off the album with all of the subtlyty of having a barbed wire enema with an iodine chaser. Pain and pleasure mixes - and then the fun ensues. These guys are harsh, unrestrained and barbaric, perfect blending of styles for such a band. To make it clear what this band sounds like, imagine Cannibal Corpse mixed with Agnostic Front and then add in a sprinkling of ol’ D.R.I. That is a hell of a mix!

This is a CD worthy of being listened to, and listened to more than a few times. Don’t let the harshness and brutality of the album scare you off. This is quality stuff the band is producing. Even though the recording could have stood more time and effort in doing it the music and passions of Selftorture comes through loud and clear.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7
Originality:7.5
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.9 out of 10