Vinyl LP
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Minneapolis' Tora! Tora! Torrance! follows in the footsteps of the city's greatest rock band -- Hüsker Dü -- with a collection of aggressive tunes that fuse hardcore punk and melodicism. A Cynic's Nightmare is an awe-inspiring set that adds a touch of classic rock to the unbridled fury of At the Drive-In. "Sapphire Jungle" rumbles to life amidst feedback, a slow stomp beat, and epic, ascending riffs even worthy of U2, until the distorted call-out vocals and experimental noise place the song in the Relationship of Command canon. The singing on "I Thought This Was a Punk Show" is all Blood Brothers, but the music is large-scale, arena-ready rock & roll complete with Guns N' Roses guitars. The beauty of A Cynic's Nightmare lies in Tora! Tora! Torrance!'s ability to let songs simmer -- the band will go at a Led Zeppelin pace where its contemporaries might blast through with speedy punk aggression. It's spirited, exuberant, and passionate, with the pomp and aural theatrics of Queen ("I wanna smell your sweet, sweet sweat") but the D.I.Y. grit and delivery of a band like the Minutemen -- a swell combination to say the least. ~ Charles Spano, All Music Guide All Music Guide