Tor Marrock – The Concept Of Self Review

Release date: 13th December 2018

Tor Marrock is a band that’s been on my radar for a couple of years now. I was first introduced to them in 2014 not long before they supported the magnificent Eye Of Solitude in Liverpool, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Concept Of Self is the band’s third full length, following on from 2013’s Destroy The Soul and 2007’s A Gothic Romance.

Admittedly, this isn’t one of those releases that will immediately grab you. Concept Of Self is more of a slow-burner that takes a bit longer to fully get into; the main issue being that it opens with one of the weaker tracks so it doesn’t leave a massive impression on you from the get-go. However it’s certainly worth sticking with because it is a powerful and emotive piece with a lot of layers to it.

A particular highlight is fourth track Let’s Make Love In The Dark. The female vocals add a nice bit of colour and melody to proceedings, and the crushingly heavy instrumentation juxtaposes tremendously against them – the two different styles blend seamlessly together to create something wonderful.

As a whole, Concept Of Self is a fairly decent piece that is definitely worth sticking with – and I for one already can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.

7/10

About Natalie Humphries 2046 Articles
Soundscape's editor. Can usually be found at a gig, and not always in the UK. Contact: nathumphries@soundscapemagazine.com or @acidnat on twitter.