Synth-pop vibe mixed with hard rock

While Torche’s fifth full-length album Admission doesn’t achieve what the cover album art depicts—a mind being blown,— it offers a different side of the band. After four years and getting readjusted with a new member as well as a shift in instruments, the American heavy metal band delivers an album inspired by synth-pop. The harmonization of hard rock and synth-pop makes way for uncharted territory that opens up a realm of possibilities.    

Honestly, this album seems to ride the same line as their last one Restarter. Admission incorporates pop elements with their sludge metal vibe but doesn’t instill fervor in fans. Overall, many see Restarter as an almost end for Torche, and while Admission isn’t up to caliber with the albums before the last one, it does bring hope for new avenues in the future. 

One of the main issues of the album is the fact that most of the songs tend to blend together due to the guitar and vocals being at the same intensity on every track. While the intensity of the instruments isn’t a bad element necessarily, it makes it hard to distinguish one song from the other. “Slide,” the third track, could be mistaken for “Reminder” which is the seventh. It almost creates a haze throughout the entire 40-minute album. 

Out of the 11 tracks on the album, “Changes Come” offers the most versatility and is clearly distinct from the rest of the songs; it definitely is the stand out of the album. Unfortunately, since most of the other songs blend together the question is whether or not people will make it through the album to hear the shift. The song right before it, “Infierno,” also brings in a new riff feel which is again unfortunate since these songs are at the end of the set. 

In the end, Admission isn’t a life-changing listen, but it does open the door for Torche to fully explore new areas and shows that they aren’t done yet. After four years, Admission is a good “testing the waters” album and people should keep an eye out for what Torche will put out next.