Torche

After the breakup of Floor in 2004, Torche vocalist/guitarist Steve Brooks decided to carry on the thundering tradition of his former band, recruiting guitarist Juan Montoya (also formerly of Floor), drummer Rick Smith, and bassist Jonathan Nuñez. This lineup evolved the sonic template Brooks had created with Floor into a lush and more fully realized sound. In 2005, the Miami four-piece released its eponymous debut, Torche, on Robotic Empire, introducing the world to a new brand of doom/stoner metal that replaced the bleakness and despair typical of the genre with a more triumphant and anthemic sound: the heavy metal equivalent of Chariots of Fire. Combining detuned, droning guitars reminiscent of doom luminaries Earth and Sunn 0))) with soaring, harmonic vocals, Torche created a new take on the genre that is best described as "doom pop." ~ Gregory Heaney