SEVERE TORTURE is a death metal band from the Netherlands, who formed in 1997. “Torn From the Jaws of Death,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released a demo, two splits, three EPs, and two compilations. It has been a long 14 years since their previous full-length album. Death metal has seen a metric ton of great albums since then. Do SEVERE TORTURE have what it takes to stand out? Does this album recall their past while having the ability to keep up with the current scene? Yes to both those questions. Upon first listen, it is pretty standard fare for the genre. You could either ask yourself, “I can just listen to literally any other death metal, right?” or “Don’t fix what is broken, right?”

But give it time. After a few listens, the subtleties of the album begin to reveal themselves while they soak into your psyche. Yes, it’s standard death metal in the fact there isn’t anything real flashy here. No intros, outros, atmospheric passages, or stepping outside their very comfortable circle. But there is a certain appeal to that. The band knows its craft and, if they are returning to it after 14 years, then it’s a craft they love. I can feel the passion in the music–they want to be here, they wanted to make this album and they definitely have something to say. The songwriting is very, very smart. Of course, it’s ‘brutal’ or any other adjective that can describe death metal. However, the songs are riff based and each band member turns in a tight performance that goes toward making the song as a whole standout, rather than anyone trying to take the spotlight.

The music rides the line between groovy and techy—how they handle these elements is what makes the album so good. Every song is solid, with many hooky moments, and there is enough difference between them that the album never runs out of steam. With 10 songs at about 38 minutes, it’s just the right length. The songs exemplifies this approach as well, never lingering longer than a second needed. They get in, get off, and get out. The production and mix is near perfect. It has a dense sound that fully captures the band when they are at their heaviest but certain elements, like the lead guitar and bass, really stand out, even when the guitars and drums are their most furious.

“The Death of Everything,” cuts right to the chase, offering riffs for days while Dennis lets loose his commanding bark. The band doesn’t miss a beat as they blitzkrieg through to the middle part, where they dial it back (slightly) to inject a groove that will bang your head off. The guitar solo is surprisingly melodic, a shining showcase of how to keep leads in death metal interesting. “Hogtied In Rope,” is methodical in the beginning, the riffs moving every forward as the band continues to grasp for new heights. The groove of Thijs and Marvi grab hold and swing to the other side, where Patrick and Damien await with their rhythm prowess. It’s hard to deny the power of the band when they are firing on on cylinders such as the movement from 1:50 to 2:20; a short and sweet section that doesn’t need to stay because why repeat yourself when you can just offer more kick ass riffs?

The title track is immediately catchy but it’s the tight drumming that sticks out the most to me as the song barrels through. It is the bass guitar’s turn to impress around the 2:30 mark with it’s rumbling song and hearty constitution. One of the most zeroed song is “The Pinnacle of Suffering,” a three minute burner of which the band truly harnesses the power of death metal. The crisp drumming sounds amazing, cutting through the guitar/bass riffs even as the other instruments use the foundation to run across the top of the notes and drop down at the 1:47 mark. The bass in particular goes for broke, leaving behind audio puncture wounds as it destroys with pure guile. The riffs at the 2:12 are insane and I could help but put my head back on my shoulders just for it to fall off again.

“Through Pain and Emptiness,” is another banger that starts at full-speed and doesn’t let up. The drums steer the music through it’s tunneled passage ways, the production tightly binding the music to near explosion but not releasing it until after the (awesome) solo where the band goes back to hammering. The final song, “Tear All The Flesh Off The Earth,” is my favorite song on the album. The slower approach in the beginning does wonders for the band, letting the tone of the instruments sink in a little more. Starting at the 3:35 the song slows down to let dismal melodies pepper the atmosphere. The drums sound off like explosions as the lead guitar builds into a clever harmony over the rhythm guitar, which consists of some of the album’s best riffs.

All in all, SEVERE TORTURE are back in a big way . “Torn From the Jaws of Death,” proves the band has lost none of their potency and they are more than capable of competing with anyone in the scene, old or new.