Catalans Krossfyre produce a maelstromic noise that, whilst almost perfect in execution, offers little in originality.

Of course, many heavy metal fans are quite happy with such a state of affairs. And if you are one of those people, with a passion for blackened thrash metal, then Burning Torches will look good in your collection.

The band run through six tracks on this EP. The opening track being a short instrumental introduction to the mayhem. They are all, without exception, brilliantly performed. Each one is carefully crafted to cause maximum destruction, with the use of minimum imagination. Names like Gospel of the Horns and Nifelheim will come to mind while you listen. But both those bands possessed the mercurial spark of genius that’s sadly lacking here.

The members of Krossfyre are all seasoned performers in other bands, and their skill is unquestionable. The music is definitely enjoyable. Every time I put the EP on I find something worth listening to in the broadest of terms. But unless they can come up with a few more tunes like the ripping Tabellae Defixionem, which is easily the best here, adding a little Motörhead into the usual sound to brighten things up, there seems to be a bleak and somewhat pointless existence in waiting.