Can a band be absolutely crushing yet sweepingly anthemic at the same time? Miami's Torche have not only figured this out, they've mastered it. Their third release, Meanderthal, is simultaneously oppressive and powerfully uplifting.

Torche's gargantuan return to their patented megaheavy pop 'n' roll streamlines their form into brief and precise slabs of songwriting brilliance. Prepare to headbang while singing along at the top of your collapsed lungs as Meanderthal surpasses all groundwork laid by the band's self-titled debut and 2007's In Return EP. Copious hooks abound and psychedelic swarms of drone weave throughout riff-wizardry while the sheer heavyness is downright overwhelming. Robotic Empire goes huge on their most ludicrously elaborate packaging yet, because Torche absolutely levels the earth with their finest work to date.

"... heads full-bore into a world where brutal riffs, churning rhythms, and soaring vocal melodies coexist, and ... compared to the bulk of repetitive heavy music out there, the sound is not only very different from the rest of the pack, but it's also a most welcome change." --Popmatters