Following up their much acclaimed full-length, Meanderthal, Torche gives the Healer/Across the Shields twelve-inch EP and DVD to tide fans over until their next record. The record contains two tracks on that full-length as well as two additional songs (their last with recently departed guitarist Juan Montoya) which are new and a DVD with the videos for the two album tracks. Interestingly, this serves as a nice bookend to close the band's existence as a four piece, and while the DVD is nice, the real bonus is the two new songs which the band has here.
Besides "Healer" and "Across the Shields" (two of my favorite songs on Meanderthal), Torche offer two other tracks on this short EP. Both of the songs have the poppy vocals that one can hear on Meanderthal and are similarly short and sweet. "Mash It Up" contains some up tempo guitars and the drums are quickly pounding; vocally the song is not unlike other Torche material, but the biggest shock is the space rock sounding guitar part that kicks in over the last half of the song. "Sugar Glider" also has a similar feel, only this time it kicks in immediately rather than later in the track; the song seems to have more of a soaring feel to it and ends in an abrupt and odd way.
Healer/Across the Shields is a neat little release that ends an era for Torche and perhaps tides fans over until their next album. The two videos, for "Healer" and "Across the Shields", sort of go together and might get one chuckling a bit; I know that I did. When you see the costumes the band is wearing, you will understand because they are ridiculous. Torche fans will surely want to grab this single as that is who this release seems to be made for, but I seriously doubt that it will win them over new fans.
