So here we have one of the inductees for the Candlelight Cult Series: TORCHBEARER, a Swedish band featuring members of ANGEL BLAKE, SCAR SYMMETRY and SATARIEL. Mixing Melodic Death Metal with Thrash and Black elements, TORCHBEARER have crafted an album that is both technical and highly enjoyable.

The album opens up with a soaring Power Metal-esque riff with some insane blasting behind it, moving into a Melodic Death fest that just keeps me headbanging the entire time. With fast as hell songs like “Last Line Of Defense”, “Swift Turns Of War” and “Sealer Of Fate”; TORCHBEARER keep the listener on egde with brutal drumming and awesome guitar work. While songs like “Burial Waters Deepsome Graves” and “The Stale Drownings” slow it up considerably and even add in that new found Symphonic stuff! And here is where TORCHBEARER does right what so many Melo-Death bands mess up, they keep the entire CD fresh and enjoyable to listen to, not once did I find myself skipping over tracks or wishing a song would end, everyone was highly enjoyable.

TORCHBEARER have taken the Melodic Death Metal route like so many others but manages to blow them all away with technical and melodic skills. In a genre turning stale with all the DARK TRANQUILLITY, AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES and SOILWORK clones, it’s nice to see a band that reminds me why I love the genre so much in the first place. The album is being marketed as Death/Thrash but I would say that Amazing Melo-Death is much more appropriate! Highly Recommended! (Online August 27, 2006)