{"id":7639,"date":"2020-11-26T19:15:31","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T18:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=7639"},"modified":"2025-05-30T19:56:20","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T17:56:20","slug":"armed-cloud-torque","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/armed-cloud-torque\/","title":{"rendered":"Armed Cloud – Torque"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Als je deze recensie liever in het Nederlands leest, kun je hier klikken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Armed Cloud<\/em><\/strong> is a modern prog metal band from Nijmegen. Just like many other bands there were some changes in the line-up. Guitarist Wouter van der Veen left the band, his place is taken by Kay Bouten. This gave the band new energy and inspiration for their third album. That’s why they chose ‘Torque<\/em><\/strong>‘ as their album title. The theme of this album is about the suffering you feel when you can’t satisfy society’s expectations. Partly because some standards provoke hatred. ‘Torque<\/em><\/strong>‘ will be released on November 28th at the label ‘MEY Productions<\/a>‘.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Torque<\/strong>‘ starts with all kinds of strange buzzing and mysterious sounds. This is cool, but if you set the headphones up loud it’ s less comfortable. Then there is a piece of quiet music. Daan’s calm singing fits in nicely with this. This short opening track turns into ‘Heat of Darkness<\/strong>‘, and starts ‘full blast power’. Daan’s characteristic voice sounds raw from time to time, without the heavy low sound we usually hear in metal. High notes of the keys and heavily played strings alternate, at other moments they form one whole. In ‘Torque II<\/strong>‘ there is a delightful piece of drumming, in which the tone differences between the drums can be heard well. This short, instrumental song ends with special sounds. The strings are played heavy in ‘Cloud Overture<\/strong>‘. This is wrapped in a delicious melody in which light folk elements are incorporated. This has a rousing effect and the atmosphere becomes almost cheerful. This beautifully constructed instrumental track slowly dies away. Daan sings almost solo in ‘Wound in my Heart<\/strong>‘, his voice sounds down. At first the music is light. Then follows a slightly poppy rhythm with details of acoustic guitar. This suddenly changes into a heavier sound. The twists and turns after this are slower. There is a constant mix or alternation between the lighter and heavier music and\/or the high versus low tones. The bass is pleasantly present. Sometimes Daan’s voice sounds despondent, at other times you can hear his pain and frustration. Everything is in perfect harmony with each other, the melody soon settles in your head. The light, dying away end could have lasted a fraction longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Awaiting the Sound of the Chimes<\/strong>‘ has a spherical beginning in which the warm sounds of an acoustic guitar can be heard. The cool, tightly played heavier part flows over to melancholy, Daan sings here suitably slowly. Moments later melancholy and tightly played mix. There is a lot coming your way, sometimes in high speed. The atmospheric images in singing and music vary from ‘panic’ to ’trust’ and vice versa.
Between all this hectic you can hear some slightly classical elements in the background. This insanely well-constructed epic ends with all kinds of bizarre sounds. What a cool ending of a marvellous album! The new line-up causes a change in sound, there are more details and some pieces are experimental. This may make it less accessible, so ‘Torque<\/em><\/strong>‘ has to grow. Daan has a versatile voice, in which he expresses various emotions. Sometimes he sings lightly and almost softly, at other times his voice is raw and goes in the direction of grunting. His background singing certainly has an added value as well. Together these men have taken Armed Cloud<\/em><\/strong> to a higher level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(90\/100) (MEY Productions<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Website: Armed Cloud
Facebook: Armed Cloud<\/a>
Bandcamp: Armed Cloud
Pre order: Torque<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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