TORSO emerged from the ashes of UK horror-metal cult heroes POSSESSOR, a new beast forged in neon fire and cinematic madness. Less than a year after POSSESSOR’s demise, in 2022, frontman, guitarist and horror aficionado Graham Bywater returned with a vengeance — reborn as TORSO, a snarling one-man wrecking crew fuelled by fuzz pedals, grindhouse trash, and the spirit of DIY. 

Following on from 2023 debut record A Crash Course in Terror and 2024’s sophomore album Brain Cells, TORSO is back with third full-length Annihilation Day, set for release on 29th August. A culmination of everything that came before, this album is TORSO’s most focused and ferocious statement yet — fusing the lo-fi horror grit of Crash Course, the snarling energy of Brain Cells, and adding layers of thrash, black metal and NWOBHM. The riffs are sharper, the mood darker, the vision clearer. 

Annihilation Day is TORSO’s first concept LP. Set on January 1st, 1984, it tells the twisted tale of a small-town university campus invaded by an escaped madman and ex-student on prom night. 

The town’s fate lies in the hands of two girls, Rita and Christine…and all hell breaks loose! 

Annihilation Day features a diverse range of guest vocal spots from Sam Marsh (Jacobs Mouse, Machismos) Paul Waller (OHHMS) and Thomas House (Charlottefield, Sweet Williams), all of whom have cult status in the world of indie, noise rock and sludge stretching as far back as the early nineties, adding an even more unhinged edge to proceedings. 

Annihilation Day will appeal to fans of Nirvana, Darkthrone, Church of Misery, Uncle Acid, Satan’s Satyrs, Mastodon and Acid Bath. 

You’ll be able to hear a cut from the album in mid-June.

In the meantime, for those keen to ensure they get their hands on the limited edition (of 100) Black Blood vinyl LP, or the limited edition (of 40) mini-VHS cassette tapes – both of which will likely sell out – pre orders are open now here on the APF website. The album is also available to order on CD, and there are t-shirts designed by artistic legend Johny Bekavac too. 

With one foot in a haunted video store and the other in a mosh pit, TORSO continues to carve out a unique place in the underground — a blood-soaked blend of nostalgia, noise, and nihilism.

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