Torii - Torii

Angry Metal Guy

Written by: Nameless N00b_66

Self-releasing an album can be a viable path to success in 2021, but if you’re still at it after seven tries, most bands would find it tough to keep the flame burning. This isn’t an issue for Torii mastermind Bill Masino, whose apparent need to create has seen him persist with the project through years, lineup changes and numerous shifts in approach. Their latest, self-titled platter finds the act returning to its origins as a solo outfit, intent on bringing Masino’s blend of post-metal, doom, and death metal to fresh audiences. Is this version of Torii poised for a breakthrough that’s been a decade in the making?

A torii is a Japanese gate found at the entrance to a Shinto shrine, where it marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. True to the name they’ve chosen, the band plays a variety of spiritually yearning metal that will be familiar to fans of Yob. Masino describes the band’s sound as “post death/doom.” It can be hard to hear down here in the Skull Pit, what with all the promos playing at once and the constant screams for mercy,¹ but to my ears the “post” and “doom” elements are much more present than the “death” ones. These are sprawling, atmospheric compositions that reflect the influence of acts like Cult of Luna, Mizmor, and the early work of Torii’s fellow Arkansans Pallbearer. Masino will hook into an idea, be it a tremolo-picked riff on “The Second Renaissance” or the gentle lilt of “Persephone,” and build layers of synths and echoing lead guitars on top of that foundation. Burly sections and growled vocals co-exist with acoustic passages and (programmed) string interludes, all of it straining to be heard through a production job that mutes the impact of the songs.

Torii by Torii

A somber mood prevails on Torii, and the compositions can be powerful when the album is at its best. Numbers like “Grey Expanse” and the instrumental “Void” seem to evoke emotional states as much as they do places. You could fill a Spotify playlist with songs named “Void,” but Torii manages to contribute something new to the annals of void-dom by crafting what feels like a journey through the cloud that’s left behind after the Earth is gone. The term “Grey Expanse” is one of the better descriptions of what it’s like to live in the fog of a depressive episode that I’ve come across, and the song itself reflects that numb grind. Themes of departure and travel recur throughout, with the funereal “Eurydice” calling to mind a plodding journey whose only certain outcome is exhaustion. All the techniques, sounds, and themes heard throughout the record are woven together in closer “Torii,” which combines heavy sections that build like a Pelican song with mournful acoustic segments to make a potent final statement.²³

Unfortunately, Bill Masino the producer stomps all over Bill Masino the musician’s vision.⁴ There’s audible distortion on every track, the product of a cramped master that can’t handle all the layers of Torii’s sound. It gets rough in spots, making it feel like you’re hearing the album leaking out from the headphones of someone sitting beside you on a bus. All that straining to listen leads to fatigue as the fifty-three-minute record winds on, creating a blur out of the later sections. This comes to a head on penultimate number “Inertia,” a title that feels like an unwitting description of where the album stands at this point.

Torii struggles to stay afloat in its own sea of auteurism.⁵ I don’t want to be cruel or dismissive about the flaws that drag Torii down; for all I know, Masino is doing everything himself because that’s the only option available. However, other voices might have suggested a crucial trim here or steered the production differently there. As it is, we’re left with a record of obvious strengths and equally glaring weaknesses. Torii have plied their craft with a tenacity anyone can admire, but after seven full-length releases, Bill Masino’s brainchild still hasn’t come far enough to stand out.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-release
Website: torii.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: December 17th, 2021

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