For the last 7 years, New York’s Torturous Inception have been slinging their brand of brutal tech-slam death metal. I’ve heard smatterings of their 2013 debut, The Parable of Scorched Earth, but do not own it. It’s a good intro to their sound. 2017 began the partnership with the band and Amputated Vein Records when they put out the great comp Headfirst into the Void. This comprised their Headfirst into Oblivion and Void eps. The packaging is great because it comprises the full panel artwork of both eps. The music is bludgeoning with the tech solos, monster slam riffs and blast beats and guttural vocals to decapitate your pathetic head clean off your worthless shoulders. Really well played and catchy brutal shit. So how does their past brutal offerings compare to their new long-player, Arcane Dominion? Pretty damn good if you ask me. Oh, you’re not asking me, right, so I’m fucking telling you.

Some of the new ideas the band put forth, as they continue to further their musical progression is adding more technical aspects to their sound and having some longer tunes. I feel one of the reasons Torturous Inception are continuing to gel is the band stabilization. Members continuing to remain intact and in doing so becoming more adept. I recently was having a conversation with Tyler, vocalist, and the 2 of us were helping a new dm singer out on a variety of techniques and Tyler and I have had 1 on 1 vocal discussions as well. I’m impressed with how much he wants to continue improving but also unafraid of learning new things. It’s stuff I continue to do, in order to improve and learn different tones and/or techniques. So yeah, Tyler and I really connected. His vocals are putrid on this record, which is a compliment. Guttural belches, mid ranges and he continues those higher, raspy snarls. I prefer the lows he does, however, his vocals are a highlight on this album, for me as he vomits forth his brutal rantings. “Aberration Thorns” begins the album. 808 bass booms eventually come in right after the monster opening blast. Monster slams. Pinch harmonics and audible well-played bass guitar. The bass reminds me a bit like Parasitic Ejaculation, which I really dig.  The guitar riff returns to the slam a few times with pinch harmonics.  I like the band returning to parts like these because they use a lot of riffs.  But to go back to certain memorable parts really shows great song-writing.

“Dominion” has a great opening. More 808’s and a nice groove. Triggered as fuck (TAF) double bass drums to collapse your speakers. Varied vocals, great drum fills make this a winner. Guitars are not as heavy as eps, tuned differently. Torturous Inception going for a more tech sound, as opposed to more of their brutal slam/deathcore sound previously.  But make no mistake this is still a heavy and brutal album, just more tech components added in.  The 2.13 part returns to that great awesome opening part.  The 2.30 section has nice guitar solos. Then bring in the gutturals. At this point I am knocking people out with gorilla-magillacutty, sloberknocker dry-gulches.  It got to the point of being ridiculous when I looked all around me and bloody pulps were lying all over the floor as my fists were going through skulls. Fave song on Arcane Dominion is definitely this sucker.

“Perpetual Misery Storm” is the longest song. At a little over six minutes Torturous Inception begins spreading their wings with more melody and tech parts. Mid-paced rumblings ignite and at the 1.49 part a monster 808. Slower sections permeate the track as well as pinch harmonics and then monster blasting. This track is varied with epic and atmospheric moments. These passages, I do not feel are one off’s for this band.  I believe they will expand these moments on the next album, as well as they should.  It shows creativity and I really think this is a stand-out track.  The 2.25 section has another 808, which goes into a bouncy and fun part. The 2.42 part is epic, building to a nice spoken word guttural slam. I could understand the vocals of the spoken and guttural moments.  Well executed.

“Dragged Back Through the Portal” ends Arcane Dominion with being the shortest song and blasting out the starting gates. Brutal!  The one minute part is the start of the Holy shit slam part.  Your will know it once it hits, because city blocks will be swallowed by sinkholes and chest cavities will start exploding worldwide.  Mid-paced moments come forth and the tune ends with an instrumental section. Quick ditty of a song.  Torturous Inception should be very proud of Arcane Dominion.  It is a ferociously well-played and well produced album and I love it.  It’s one of the better releases for 2018 and yes, a Buy or Die for 2018!

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