Torture Garden – Dead Romantic


If Torture Garden do not take this comment the wrong way then their 2nd release Dead Romantic could be the soundtrack for the armageddon.It is so crushingly overbearing the listener feels like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.It would be unfair to dismiss it as a doom album as there is a lot more to it than that.In the press release,composer Matt Ford quotes,”if you dont feel the music you play,there is no point playing it”.This is certainly the case with his vocalist brother Adam Ford,his delivery on the album as he growls,shrieks,bellows,chants and on the track S.0.S he sounds almost suicidal!
Matt Ford provides the music to the album,playing guitars,bass,keyboards,percussion,drum programming and various backing vocals.They are working on a 3rd release called The Great Depression and Dead Romantic was preceded by a demo e.p Rotisserie Of Pain in 2007.Torture Garden now also consist of :-
Callum Glover.
Pete Lovering.
Christian Woods.
I have played Dead Romantic a lot over the past few days prior to this review and it is epic to say the least.Hopefully it will secure them a record deal.The album to me is a piece of music rather than 7 individual tracks as they seem to blend into each other.Highlights for me are the nagging riff that courses through And Hope To Die and the closing track Sympathy For The Monster with its choral like vocals delivered over guitar feedback.
Dead Romantic can be bought for £2.50,the band can be contacted via Facebook or Reverbnation.Track listing for Dead Romantic:-
Sacred Heart.
Torture Garden.
And Hope To Die.
The Call Of Nature.
SOS.
Yet Never.
Sympathy For The Monster.

I award the album 9/10.

About Dennis Jarman

Full time downtrodden album/gig reviewer and part time rock God!