Biography
Even in the insular realm of heavy metal, few acts have earned such a devoted following with so modest an output as the enigmatic English band Isen Torr. Formed in 2003, the project was assembled by Solstice guitarist Richard M. Walker—who also runs the Miskatonic Foundation label—in tandem with Twisted Tower Dire vocalist Tony Taylor, ex-Destiny's End guitarist Perry M. Grayson, ex-Ritual Steel bassist Oliver Zühlke, and future Ritual Steel drummer Martin Zellmer. The group's sole initial mandate was to cut three vinyl-only EPs and then stage a one-off live presentation of the complete trilogy before calling it quits. That scheme collapsed when the original roster dissolved right after the 2003 appearance of Mighty & Superior, leaving listeners with just two eight-minute tracks. Those galloping anthems of trad metal—self-described by the band as "Anglo Saxon Battle Metal"—nonetheless seized the attention of underground devotees worldwide, provided they could locate a copy or pull the songs from the web. Despite the acclaim, Isen Torr never delivered the promised follow-up recordings until Walker authorized Shadow Kingdom Records to issue Mighty & Superior on CD in 2008, thereby widening the band's mythos and intensifying demand for the remaining two EPs along with the long-awaited debut and farewell concert whose date and venue remain undisclosed.
Albums