Interviews: Torchia

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Melodic Death Metal band Torchia, from Finland. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it, or did it just come out like that?

We can never plan for what the cursed fate has in store for us. For this instance, our group got its name from its spiritual originator Aristide Torchia, who was burned at the stake in the hands of the Inquisition in the year of their Lord 1666. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

As alluded to before, it is not for us to wish what music to perform. We perform whatever it is that manifests through our primus motor, guitarist Villemorte. He alchemizes in all varieties of metal – some that are of sinister quality: the sulphuric breath of death, violent thrashing wind, infernal black steel. Some bear a more rejuvenating effect, like the power of a hero’s melody and the electric roar of heavy metal thunder. These are elements that Villemorte blends into the special alloy that is the cursed metal of Torchia.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

One by one, we were brought to this group by the cursed fate. Guitarists Villemorte and Henri von Hardy are the only ones left who were there at the establishment of our order all those years ago. Along the way, some have been let go by the curse, yet they remain friends with Torchia to this day.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Nox and Vincent Oscar Mill delight themselves in the adventurous spirit of Iron Maiden. Henri von Hardy tends to quench his thirst for blood with Cannibal Corpse. Vulkan draws his earth-shattering groove from the strength of Pantera. And lastly, Villemorte was made into the maestro that he is today by spending his youth within the world of King Diamond.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We are shaped by the strange tales of Gothic fiction as well as mythology from all corners of the Earth. Through our art, we intend to blend fiction and reality to create a cursed realm of magic and mystery. The music acts as a medium and a gateway into this world.

6. Where was your last gig?

Last Autumn, we set forth to corrupt the youth of Finland as Torchia performed at youth centres in Tampere and Lappeenranta. We are thrilled to report that the spirit of metal is all but dead, and the next generation of metal fanatics is ready to enter the scene.

7. Where would you like to act?

It is our purpose to spread the curse across continents. Many years ago, at the time of our first album release, we travelled all the way to Taiwan to deliver four vicious shows. We were enthralled by Taiwan and its intense metal scene, so we made a promise to return one day. That nearly became reality in the year 2020 when Torchia was set to perform in Japan and Taiwan, those plans were reduced to ash as the world was consumed by disease. We now wish to make good on that promise and bring our new album ’They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness’ live to Taiwan, Japan, and elsewhere in Asia.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

The Dark Lord himself and Andy LaRocque of King Diamond. Perhaps Andy could bless one of our records with a guitar solo as he did for At the Gates on their song ’Cold’. Of course, it would have been a dream of ours to share the stage with our heroes, At the Gates, but that dream has faded away with the untimely passing of Tomas Lindberg. May the ghost of his legacy live on for centuries to come!

9. Whom not?

Even the darkest of stories benefit from moments of levity, and there surely is fun to be had with the thrills of Torchia’s music, but we do not view metal as a laughing matter. Therefore, we’d rather not be featured among the many party metal and humour acts that have been gaining popularity in recent years. Metal thrives off excess, often to the point of self-satire, but we choose to engage it with seriousness instead of resorting to parody.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

As a mundane layperson, it can certainly be daunting, if not impossible, to step into the limelight to conjure up a show of metal magic. But that magical property of heavy metal is precisely what one must utilize to succeed. The smoke and light, and the visceral bite of the amplified electric guitar create an illusion of a strange form of reality. But for the illusion to work on the audience, it must first fool the magician themself. Thus, the stage becomes a circle of transmutation where one can alter their character to wield the power to captivate the audience.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Inspirations are far too numerous to even begin mentioning. However, looking at the sheer volume of stolen guitar riffs and melodies, our main source of theft must be Behemoth and Children of Bodom.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Even though our stories are riddled with weird characters, our fans have always been on the normal end of the spectrum and extremely courteous, which we’ve come to appreciate.

13. What do you think of your fans?

All of the underground metal fanatics who enthuse about lesser-known bands like Torchia are extremely dedicated folk. We are very blessed to have such a large number of these die-hards following our journey. Torchia’s music has always been quite demanding on the listener, with very dense arrangements and unrelenting technical aggression. It seems that our fans are not afraid of this extreme sound, and they must have a high appreciation for demanding musicianship. However, with the new album ’They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness’, we tried to focus on storytelling and fleshing out the cursed world of Torchia, and therefore, we hope our fans will be able to engage with the music on an even deeper level. 

14. What do you think of our site?

Is it a purgatorial death loop? Or maybe a recurring nightmare vortex from the mind of an eldritch god? We may never know, but it is inducing a strong sense of déjà-vu, as if we had answered these same questions some six years ago. Dear reader, you have the power to unravel the mystery! Search for ’Torchia’ on this site, dig up the past texts and see how the curse has played on our souls for these six long years!

15. Something to add?

We hope you will enjoy ‘They Are Born Under Rules of the Darkness’ as much as we do. We hope that many of you can experience it live on stage. And remember, out of darkness there will be light.

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