Seventh Angel - "The Torment"

Seventh Angel - The Torment

1990/2008, Metal Mind

1. Tormented Forever

2. The Charmer

3. Forbidden Desires

4. I of the Needle

5. Expletive Deleted

6. Dr. Hatchet

7. Locked Up in Chains

8. Acoustic Interlude

9. Katie

10. Epilogue

Bonus Track:

11. Lamentations

Seventh Angel is a thrash band with a distinctly British flavor to them. The Torment knows how to be fast and heavy but can also be melodic and reflective. The album also contains some beautiful acoustic passages. "The Charmer," "I of the Needle," and the epic "Katie" are all highlights for me. But really the album is full of great thrash. One thing I noticed listening to this the other day is how great the bass is. Usually in metal bass doesn't play that big a part and it's usually played using a pick to create a rumbly sound. I'm sure the bass in this disc hasn't been played with a pick because it's too precise. It's also very melodic and really lends a unique sound to the band.

I finally got to replace my defective copy with the Metal Mind reissue this Christmas. It's a digipak but the artwork is good and the liner notes are informative and it also includes the lyrics. The bonus track, "Lamentations" is actually on The Dust of Years.

Useless Fact: The rumor mill says that vocalist and guitarist Ian Arkley hates the lyrics to this album. I'm not sure why... I don't think they're that bad.