Tormentium

Tormentium was conjured in the autumn of 2004 amongst the rainy woods of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It was conceived by axemen Wes Beanblossom and Ray Eversole, vocalist Sky Skizz, drummer Jesse Levine, and bassist John Arbogast, with the intent of expressing their darkest vision to a reality. Covering a wide range of emotions and subject matter, the band has written of unknown horrors, prideful impiety, and story-like tales of destruction. As a metal band tapping into a plethora of inspirations, the band has always broke the bonds of expectations to cultivate a creative sound that is melodically grandiose, eerily haunting, and violently brutal.

Tormentium sparingly released a few hand-made demos during the years of bloodying stages, sharing performances with a variety of influential bands such as Horna, Impaled, Phobia, Inquisition, Noctuary, Rotten Sound, and High On Fire. However, the band has been known for its undying support of the Pacific Northwest’s underground metal scene, which is where the band’s core fanbase grew. For 6 years, the band went on to write enough material for a few albums, yet most of the songs were never released, and left to live on in the hearts of the local diehard fans.

In the summer of 2010, guitarist Ray Eversole left the band to pursue his career as a professional tattoo artist. With Wes taking over as the main songwriter and sole guitarist, the now four-piece increased focus on this music’s dark narrative, feeling there were more stories to tell. In 2011, the band produced two releases. A split with longtime allies INFERNUS (Portland, OR) included the last material written as 5 piece with Ray Eversole, which was a pro-printed CD with a lush 6-fold booklet, limited to 500 copies on Dark Forest Productions.

The EP “Cursed Beyond Flesh” saw the first new material as a 4 piece band, pro-printed on CD and self released to 100 copies. “Cursed Beyond Flesh” focused its high energy to share insight to the blessings of damnation, destruction, and things that lurk beyond the dark. In 2012, the band released a split with local brothers CULT OF UNHOLY SHADOWS entitled “O Lorde In Thee I Trust”, the title a mockery of Christian martyrdom. This effort was self released on CD to a small 100 copies, in collectable DIY-style glory.

The year beyond apocalypse, 2013, finds Tormentium writing new material for a full length album, slated to record next year. Some of the tracks include Black Womb, Melody Vitriol, and Fallen (In Defiance) which can be previewed on the DIY-style DVD entitled “Ceremony Of Necromancy”, released in late 2012. This will be Tormentium’s most creative and undaunted release to date. The future has never looked as bloody…

Members of Tormentium have also played in Soul Scythe, Ara, Cult Of Unholy Shadows, and Effigy in the Mausoleum.