Torch/Flame

Swedish rock duo Johnossi went extra-large on 2017s Blood Jungle, working with industry hitmakers and scaling up their already-capacious sound to a decidedly slick, though not totally unpleasant arena-filling level. To call 2020s Torch // Flame a back-to-basics record would be somewhat of an overstatement, though it does opt for a more grounded, minimalist approach that better suits the bands simple guitar and drums set-up. Over its nine tracks, John Englebert (vocals, guitar) and Oskar Ossi Bonde (drums, percussion) reacquaint themselves with the riffy, straightforward style that won them an international following back in the mid-2000s. Songs like Hot Thoughts (not the song of the same title by similarly minimalist trio Spoon) and The Beat are appealingly heavy and a little dirty while still sporting the kind of strong melodies that Johnossi write so well. They also hit a few dynamic peaks and valleys along the way, toning it way down for the mostly acoustic title cut, then ramping it up for the anthemic Sleepin In. After reaching for the stars on their previous release, Torch // Flame feels like a welcome return to form and plays to the bands strengths while turning in some solid songwriting in the process. ~ Timothy Monger