Tornado - Commitment to Excellence

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When a band starts to make changes on the classical format of a musical genre, it can be blasted by many fans. It’s normal, because the different things take some time to be assimilated. So when you have to deal with the work from the Finnish quartet TORNADO, you must take them seriously, but must be prepared for things that can’t be fitting on your musical ideas. That’s the trial that “Commitment to Excellence” demands of us all. We can say that they play a mix of Thrash Metal/Crossover based on names as NUCLEAR ASSAULT, S.O.D. and M.O.D. with some influences from Glam Metal and Sleazy Rock. To some, it can be difficult to assimilate at first, but it’s far from being bad. It’s excellent as it is, with vocals that run away from classic screams and snarls to something more melodic and filled with Groove. But don’t get the wrong idea: they know how to play heavy and extreme when they need.

Produced by Ben Varon; and mixed, mastered and engineered by AK and Chris Paccou, of course the sound is clean and loud as it must be, but beware of the sharp aggressiveness from the instrumental tunes they use. So we can say that they had worked seriously to create a sonority that would make their music comprehensible, even it must be thrown down your throat. And by the way, you’ll find some invited musicians on “Commitment to Excellence”, as Karl Sanders of NILE and Niko Kalliojärvi (on “White Horse of the Apocalypse”), Ross Dolan of IMMOLATION (on vocals on “Spirit and Opportunity”), Adam Phillips of PRO-PAIN (on the guitar solo of “Endless forms of Torment”), and Glen Drover (former MEGADETH guitarist) playing solos on “At the Chapel of Rest”. All to make this album shines even more than it already shines.

If you’re looking for best shots on “Commitment to Excellence”, you better give up: the entire album is amazing, sounding fresh, aggressive and personal. And let me tell you: “White Horse of the Apocalypse” (a fine and technical song with excellent guitars riffs and great vocals, especially due the contrast of Joey’s and Karl’s voices), the brutal thrashing blow of “Global Pandemic” (very good technical work, and the rhythmic changes shows that bass guitar and drums are excellent on the creation of a heavy and impacting rhythmic basis), the catching duet between guttural grunts and melodic aggressive voices on “Spirit and Opportunity”, the whiplashing and fast tempos of “Endless Forms of Torment”, the sharp and bitter aggressiveness that “Chaos Among the Ruins” (if these melodies won’t catch you, you’re not alive, because they are easy to be assimilated), and the shrapnel of technical riffs and bitter vocals shown on “At the Chapel of Rest”. And don’t dare to not listen to their version for “United Forces”, an old classic of S.O.D.

It’s really new, and “Commitment to Excellence” is pointed to another great name that brings new things into Metal. Hear TORNADO and let chaos and riot rule!

Originality: 9
Songwriting: 10
Memorability: 9
Production: 10