Tor Marrock
A Gothic Romance

THE REVIEW

A band newly emerging on the music scene has the responsibility (primarily to itself...) of choosing the style to which it will dedicate its sonic course. And - except for exceptional cases of bands outside of categories (although by now these are very rare situations) - often the decisions made are influenced by musical forms (perhaps the most overstated) that, at the particular historical moment, can guarantee greater exposure or, alternatively, bring to the surface what has been their youthful listening habits (and which perhaps continue even in more mature age).

Sometimes, however, it happens that the guiding force for aspiring musicians is the desire to explore the potential of one or more genres, thus allowing themselves greater freedom of action. This is the case with rookies Tor Marrock, a trio from Wales, who opts for a sound molded in various ways, depending on different expressive perspectives. Thus, gothic sounds derived from both rock and industrial are mixed, separated, and rejoined (although the sources are always instrumentally traditional and thus there is no contribution of machines and laptops, beyond those used in the studio) with extreme forms of metal, often black, but also with a sort of raw, abrasive, and dark new metal.

In the end, one is left with a work that could evoke images of Fields Of The Nephilim/The Nefilim, Khold, Moonspell, and Slipknot in a lo-fi version. Which makes ‘A Gothic Romance,’ despite an unremarkable title, a album of evident depth and perfectly cast in the role of those rummaging in the murky to emerge even more malevolent and sinister.