Not exactly the most original name coming down the pike, Scorn hails from France, a relatively newer band forming in 2021 that quickly got into recording mode, signing with Great Dane Records to release their debut platter Winds of Torment. This quartet use thrash as their main musical base, adding death nuances (especially on the vocal front) to develop a crushing cocktail that comes from more of a European base than necessarily the North American angles – although the melodic touches advance the proceedings beyond normal just aggressive, bashing principles.
The triplet strokes and jazzy harmony nuances Guillaume Peraudeau delivers against his fierce rhythms and riffing assure massive approval – check out his spirited playing on “Resilient” and “The Urge to Kill” that siphons elements of Coroner, Heathen, and Revocation into the aural swirl. Diverse tempos from steady double kick at groove pacing to heads down thrash combinations make opener “Let Me See Your Blood” a thrilling opener – the stop/start shifts and jagged transitions very dynamic to keep you on your toes for the subsequent musical action. Doomy passages and thunderous bass/drum support kick off “Despondency” in a brooding manner – the tapping accents deadly while vocalist Manu Iriaté bites heads off through his sinister, vicious growling delivery that are surprisingly discernible. The progressive bass abilities of Rob add that extra musicianship dimension for lower end engagement – look into “Deathstroke and Agony” in this regard, the semi-blasting and gear shifting aspects horn worthy. In under forty minutes, the band allows the listener to process these tracks accordingly without feeling overwhelmed by the intricacies and stellar playing on hand.
The underwhelming cover art aside, Winds of Torment is an excellent example of pulling from old school and newer influences to create a compelling, tight debut that could sneak under the radar through the underground.