You know those bar bands that sound like they should be headlining arenas but never will? Well, that's kind of the deal with Torok — killer name for a rock group, eh? And given the lineup of indie-metal veterans who join the five-man Twin Cities-based band on Addiction of Fools, that's no surprise. Mike Torok was the original guitarist for shock rockers Impaler, and players from King's Machine, Touched, Sometimes Y and Ragged Radio put in guest appearances. Throw everybody together, and you've got a rock-solid third record oozing with Van Halen, Whitesnake, Led Zeppelin and Badlands references. Bryan Erickson's massive voice is perfect for this kind of music, invoking everyone from David Coverdale to Sammy Hagar. There's the urgency of "The Burden," the boogie-rock injection of "Y" and the arena-ready hooks of "Full Moon" and "1,000 Reasons." These guys have been around the scene a long time and know what works — and what doesn't. Plus, they're probably old enough to not give a damn anymore about playing arenas. Addiction of Fools is a professional recording — album art aside — that reminds listeners why the Seventies (and even some of the Eighties) produced such classic music. In short, Torok definitely knows how to rock.
Track Listing:
1) Wolf Within
2) Full Moon
3) 1,000 Reasons
4) Addiction of Fools
5) Infamy
6) Do U Harm
7) 'Y'
8) Breathin'
9) The Burden
10) Forsaken