Kiss Of The Thorn's 10 songs are a combination of solid Metal riffs and strong guitar work, heavy drums, and a slightly-evil and sinister mood combined with gloomy and dark lyrical content, which often deals with macabre subject matter and/or religion. While an enjoyable album to listen to, Kiss Of The Thorn isn't a happy disc that you'd play to cheer yourself or someone else up ... unless you were an axe-murderer or something.
-Gary McLean/Metal Express
"Lots of excellent guitar work and Rick Black's vocals again come across as a mixture of Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne, both high and mighty and low and eerie."
"A Tortured Soul seems to have all the elements to become a great power metal band, combining elements of heavy metal and doom with raging guitar parts."
"Riffs that Tony Iommi himself would be proud of."
"Whereas some bands have tried to copy their influences, A Tortured Soul have mashed all of theirs together to create something truly evil."
-Hard Rock House
"If you’re thirsty for some dark and haunted steel, then grab this album as soon as possible."
-Symphony of Steel Radio
"This is '80s styled epic power metal, with soaring-with-the-eagles, then tearing-them-to-shreds singing."
"A Tortured Soul's music ranges from moody n' melodic to ball-crushingly heavy, from doomy plod to speedy chug, doing their damnedest to deliver on their negative, depressive moniker."
-Aquarius Records
"Vocalist Rick Black is an absolute beast on the falsetto, almost rivaling the King himself at times. Tasty solos are to be found in abundance, and the drumming is constantly impressive. Best debut of 2007? Possibly. Damn good metallic rockin'-ass fun? Definitely, my friends. Time to bang heads like it's 1983!"
-Rate your music.com
"Tempos vary, melodies flow, drums roll, dark atmospheres ranging from vampire-like to romantic are invoked, heads bang, metalheads go into delight."
"A Tortured Soul vocalist RICK BLACK is a special case and deserves a separate paragraph. The guy is just plain good. From low and sinister manly growls to soaring screams to high, and impressively sustainable, falsetto, Rick seemingly can do it all."
"More people, old and young, need to hear this brand of metal before 'core and Gothenburg plunge it into oblivion."
-Metalview Magazine
"I have received the CD ('Kiss of the Thorn') and I'm entirely impressed all over! Oh my goodness, this is almost impossible to express my feelings in words."
"Classic Heavy Metal minded as ATS sounds, they are really amazing!! Once again, this is another 2007 US Metal fave of mine!"
"Imagine yourself back in time when Metal was Metal."
-Metal to Infinity WebZine
"Fan's of traditional Heavy Metal combined with high pitched vocal's will like this one just like me."
-Digital Steel Magazine
"Creates a warm fuzzy feeling down below. This is music with passion and heart."
"This album sits quite nicely in the early part of the 80's, probably one of the most creative time in Metal history. A Tortured Soul has captured that moment in time perfectly and 'Kiss of the Thorn' is an absolutely stunning collection of retro Metal, that is full of passion that blow's me away every single time I listen to it."
-Live 4 Metal WebZine
"If A Tortured Soul's drummer is as young as i have heard, hold on tight, because you may have the next Dave Lombardo on your hands! I tell you his drumming, is some of the best I have ever heard. The kick beats are surreal, unbelievable control and speed with the style of music that A Tortured Soul plays this is quite remarkable. In time he just might be the best Metal drummer in the world!
-Heavy Metal Drummer Magazine
"Certified by Satan himself as the hardest rocking band to ever be released from the gates of Hell, Milwaukee's A Tortured Soul has been pummeling audiences with an assault of non-stop metal."
-Maximum Ink Magazine
"Piercing vocal's and guitar solos that blister at break-neck speed!"
-Shepherd Express