Thundering Florida riff-monsters Torche are getting ready to release the new album Harmonicraft, and if first single “Kicking” is any indication, it’s going to be an absolute hellbeast of an LP. “Kicking” is the sort of hugely catchy bulldozer that nobody does quite like this band. Use the widget below to stream or download it.

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Underground metal is generally a willfully insular world, but anthemic Florida stompers Torche don’t care about any of that. Their surging stomp is as much Superchunk as it is Slayer, and they cover three songs from indie-nation heroes Guided By Voices on a new split EP with Part Chimp. Right now, one of those covers, Torche’s faithful take on the Propeller track “Exit Flagger,” is streaming at Pitchfork.

Torche also cover “Postal Blowfish” and “Unleashed! The Largehearted Boy” on that EP, which is out 11/5 on Chunklet Industries.

Fox News’s “Resident Doom Metal Expert” Mike Huckabee stumped for Haunting The Chapel regulars Torche — “a band with more hooks than a pirate convention” — on Red Eye Monday night. Ridiculous and scripted, sure, but his “review” of the hardworking Miami trio is one of the most entertaining (and, at times, dead-on) I’ve heard: “It’s Black Sabbath meets U2 mixed with a vat of delicious chocolate sauce.” Etc…

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Just like last week, here are this week’s attention-worthy videos. New ones from Serena-Maneesh, Antony and the Johnsons, Gatekeeper, Gordon Voidwell, James Blake, Kid Cudi, Mark Ronson, Torche, and Warpaint, along with a cute/creepy kid video from Foals and a cute, not-creepy cat filled video from Holy Fuck. Enjoy:

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A couple of months ago I passed along details about Songs For Singles, Miami trio Torche’s followup to 2008′s beloved second album Meanderthal. I mentioned “songs for singles” could mean radio hits or songs for folks in search of love or etc., but don’t spend too much time worrying about it because as main man Steve Brooks puts it: “Dude, it’s just a rock band.” Well, not just any rock band. Per usual, Brooks has a crazy way with riffs and hooks, all contained within something sludgier than your standard pop (i.e. the reason for the “Sludge Pop” descriptors. “Stoner Pop” could work, too). Whatever you want to call it, the self-produced Songs cycles through 8 songs in 21 minutes, though I’m told it’s not an EP. I guess it’s just a full-length with short songs? (The second track “Lay Low” clocks in at 52 seconds.) It all opens with this 2-minute gem “U.F.O.” Please note: This is not the David Lee Roth joke version included on Hydra Head’s free digital sampler a few months back. Though that version had its merits, too.

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In 2008, hardworking Miami trio Torche’s Meanderthal topped a number of year-end lists, metal and otherwise. They were a standout at SXSW 2010, partly because the entire room was singing along (and also because of Steve Brooks’ goofy faces). Good news, for folks jonesing for more of those sugary sludge anthems: Brooks & Co. are following up Meanderthal with the playful titled Songs For Singles. These could be radio hits. They could also be songs for people in search of love. Whatever the case, per usual, they don’t waste any time: We get eight well-honed Torche anthems in just over 20 minutes. (Fans of the epic: 6-minute Closer “Out Again” will make you wet your pants.) Check out the tracklist while you inspect the album art.

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In its sixth year, Fuck Yeah Fest had the explicit intention of benefitting California’s state parks, and implicit intention of scaring away media outlets afraid of things with “Fuck” in the title. (Well OK: this year did bring the family friendly name change to FYF Fest, which is pronounced Fuck Yeah Fest Fest I think.) For those who paid the $20 to Fuck it up at the LA State Historic Park on Saturday there was, fittingly, Fucked Up. There was also an eclectic lineup of hard-edged bands — everyone from Wavves to Black Lips, from Torche to Tim & Eric. (The Awesome Show Great Job dudes did a rare real music set with Tim on guitar/vocals and Eric on percussion/vocals. I wanna meet that, dad.) Angela Gail brings back some photos of the day, but if you weren’t there and want some pithy reviews, here’s the festival in haikus.

Meanderthal made its way onto my and our and various other folks’ 2008 best-of lists, and it continues rolling well into 2009. Torche’s David Kleiler-directed video for “Across The Shields” was pretty goofy. When we posted it, we mentioned that it was shot last August, while they were on tour with Boris, which is why ex-guitarist Juan Montoya makes an appearance. We also mentioned it was the first of two videos shot on the same day. Juan shows up in Kleiler’s “Healer” clip, too, so we’re deducing this was that aforementioned video number two. This time the guys went with a fairly straight-up performance, which makes much better sense: You don’t need to get fancy when you write songs like this. Now get ready for a bunch of orgasm faces.

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Meanderthal was one of last year’s best records, one we selected for a Friendly Deal at the start of ’09, and praised over and over: We posted “Grenades” while telling you about main man Steve Brook’s work ethic and later passed along “Healer.” On the album, “Across The Shields” rears its catchy head immediately after “Healer.” If you still don’t have the album, listening to the two in succession will at least offer a tiny sample of why the band’s sludgy pop is so great. If that doesn’t convince you, maybe seeing Brooks dressed up in a bear suit in this David Kleieler-directed video will do the trick. It was shot last August, while they were on tour with Boris, which is why you’ll spot ex-guitarist Juan Montoya as one of four faces in a strange multi-headed monster suit. Should be a hit with Furries.

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Every week, Amazon.com lets us select one recent release from its MP3 store to go on super sale (up to 75% off normal prices). Hopefully you’ll be able to add these must-own LPs to your library without breaking your budget.

While they landed album of the year at Decibel and were more often relegated to the lower ends of lists in indie publications (Pitchfork gave them an Honorable Mention), Torche’s second full length Meanderthal was one of the best albums of 2008 in any genre. It’s just that people need to lighten up about metal — even the poppier stuff — because like country (or, in books, romance and sci-fi), it’s often pushed into its own separate genre-relegated realm. Anyhow, Torche: We mentioned being blown away by the heavy stoner goodness of the band a couple CMJ’s ago and then the Steve Brooks-fronted Miami/Atlanta crew released the superb, Kurt Ballou-produced Meanderthal, a mix of math angles, Melvins-esque sludge, and full-on turbo-powered pop hookery. Call us blown away doubly.

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