Toranaga U.K. – A New Order [The Return of the UK Thrash Legends]

You climb the steps up from the darkness and behind you a cold mist curls lazily through a place of ruin and decay. A golden sword hangs from the impenetrable shadows above, suspended by a thread it turns slowly in the air, casting a sickly yellow light upon the scene below. A hooded figure stands beside a cracked and broken shrine, a hammer in his left hand, its heavy, lumpen head stained with ancient blood, fragments of white bone trapped between its claws. Ahead stands another door, emblazoned with the face of a tiger above the silver blade of a katana. God’s gifts lie behind you and a new order awaits…

In the late 1980s the UK thrash scene was exploding, with a horde of bands riding the wave of the most exciting mutation of metal since the movement began. Bands like Sabbat, Xentrix and Onslaught were at the head of the pack and right beside them, in the vanguard, were Toranaga, weaving melody through complex riffs and bursting with a fierce energy and fiery creativity. Their Bastard Ballads debut for Peaceville Records hit with a seismic impact – leading to a deal with major label Chrysalis Records, tours with the likes of Manowar and Venom and a magnificent second album – God’s Gift – released in 1990. Sadly the band fractured under the stresses and strains and bar a brief revival under the banner The Bastard Son Of Toranaga, it seemed their race was run. However in 2024, with original, ever-present vocalist Mark Duffy at the helm, Toranaga were reborn as Toranaga U.K. and now, 35 years on from the release of God’s Gift, the first statement in this new chapter is ready to be unleashed!

A New Order brings together two brand new songs and two re-recordings of Toranaga classics – reinvigorated and re-energised for a new metal age. The EP begins with the precise riffing of ‘Desecration’ and two things quickly become apparent. Firstly Toranaga U.K. have embraced the original Toranaga spirit and captured so much of what was great about the band and the UK thrash scene of the ‘80s. Secondly, the power of Mark Duffy’s distinctive vocals remains utterly undiminished by the passage of time. With a great chorus and thrilling solos – the twin guitars duelling over snarling riffs – ‘Desecration’ sets the standards high. Luckily ‘A New Order’ matches those standards with ease, with superb atmosphere, an epic feel and jagged, staggered riffing over a rock solid rhythmic base. Then it’s time for ‘The Shrine’, one of the best songs bar none to emerge from the creative furnace of UK thrash. Armed with riffs that deserve to be heard by a whole new generation of fans, ‘The Shrine’ is a genuine classic. And finally we have ‘Sword Of Damocles’ – a stunning song full of dark portent that has been superbly recreated and reanimated. The way in which Toranaga U.K. have merged the old and new is masterful and A New Order is a remarkable new beginning for this outstanding band.

Produced and mixed by acclaimed composer Steve Kilpatrick at Soundfackery studios in France and adorned in the imagery of artist Sarah Louise Rose, A New Order will be released on May 19th.