Spirit Adrift’s “Tortured by Time” is heroic, heavy metal majesty

Spirit Adrift has come a long way. The once-solo project of Nate Garrett expanded out into a full-blown band with 2017’s excellent Curse of Conception, and somehow the band just keeps growing better. They’re heavier, more melodic, more complex and their songs seem to have more layers to unravel. That’s what we’d expect from most bands, but there’s still something impressive about the arc of this heavy metal band, which seems to only bend upward. New track “Tortured by Time” from their upcoming album Divided by Darkness is another mighty leap for the Arizona band. It soars from note one, a roaring heavy metal waltz that showcases some spectacularly hook-laden guitar work. There’s some deep anguish to Garrett’s vocals when he sings, “At first it hurts to die/ Tortured by time.” But the mood of the song is one of endurance, heroism—there’s a summer blockbuster film soundtrack in need of a song like this somewhere. For now, it’ll have to make do as the soundtrack to some pretty epic daydreams.

From Divided by Darkness, out May 10 via 20 Buck Spin.