Italy's very own TORMENT is more special than you think. This Thrash outfit shares a band name with many other acts, 24 to be exact (according to Encyclopaedia Metallum). But their 2007 release "Suffocated Dreams", just reissued by the Italian label Punishment 18 Records, proves that they are not a dime a dozen.

TORMENT is very old school in the way they dissect the art of Thrash. Riffs deliver the main impact of the album while vocals carry all the dynamic work. Rhythm is also as brutal as ever. Some interesting effects are thrown in here and there, which at one point makes vocalist Ermanno sound like he's singing underwater or into a fan. All this adds to the interest value of the album. Rest assured, it's not just a bunch of old school trudging along to extreme metal trying to sound as brutal as possible, it's actually good musical work. They add in some Death Metal touches, further diversifying their old school sounds, so that there is no repetition with each song. Some riffs are played in a sludgy, slower rhythm, but that adds heaviness to the riffs and gives it that unbeatable chunky feel that Thrash is so famed for.

All these factors make the album super tight, packed with aggressiveness and true to old school roots. It's really a pity I only got introduced to this version of TORMENT now, when this gem of an album has been lying around since 2007. I can only imagine what a live show with these dudes may be like. With songs like that, I won't be surprised if they bring the house down and more.