Tortured Conscience
{{Short description|American Christian extreme metal band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Tortured Conscience
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = San Francisco, California
| genre = Christian metal,{{cite book|title=New Wave of American Metal|first=Garry|last=Sharpe-Young|date=2005|page=52}} death metal, extreme metal brutal death metal, grind metal{{cite web|url=http://www.indievisionmusic.com/reviews/tortured-conscience-every-knee-shall-bow/|title=Tortured Conscience - Every Knee Shall Bow|website=Indie Vision Music|author=JoshIVM|date=March 25, 2007|accessdate=September 6, 2017}} deathgrind
| years_active = 2000-present
| label = Sound of the Dead, Tarantula, Bombworks, Battlefrost
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- Disciple
- Vulgar Pigeons
- Agenda of Swine
- Benumb
- Decapitated Sheep
- Arterial Atrophy
}}
| website = {{Facebook|TorturedConscience2000}}
| current_members = Jeff Lenormand
| past_members = Shannon Frye
Paul Pontikoff
Berto Salas
John Gotelli
}}
Tortured Conscience is a Christian extreme metal band from San Francisco, California.
History
Tortured Conscience formed in 2000 with the lineup of just two members, Jeff Lenormand on guitars and bass and Shannon Frye on drums and vocals. In 2001, the band released their first demo, titled Faces of God. The demo was re-released through The Collection Vol. 1: Tools of the Trade, a split release with Royal Anguish and Soul of the Savior in 2002.
In 2002, Sounds of the Dead (SOTD) Records, released A Brutal Christmas: The Season in Chaos, a compilation of Christmas songs covered by Christian metal bands.{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.hmmagazine.com/reviews/cd/archives/000198.php |date=* |title=Various Artists - A Brutal Christmas - "The Season of Chaos" }}. HM Magazine. Retrieved on September 6, 2017.{{cite web |author= Raucous Rocker |title= Music Review: Various Artists – A Brutal Christmas: The Season in Chaos |url= http://blogcritics.org/music-review-various-artists-a-brutal/ |publisher= Blogcritics |date= December 19, 2011 |accessdate= September 6, 2017 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022728/http://blogcritics.org/music-review-various-artists-a-brutal/ |archivedate= November 17, 2015 }} Tortured Conscience appeared on the compilation, alongside bands Kekal, Frost Like Ashes, Royal Anguish and Death Requisite, recording the song "The Little Drummer Boy".{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/music/five-more-heavy-metal-christmas-carols-6525506|title=Five More Heavy Metal Christmas Carols|website=Houston Press|first=Craig|last=Hlavaty|date=December 9, 2010|accessdate=September 6, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://planetradio.co.uk/kerrang/entertainment/music/13-totally-rocking-christmas-songs/|title=13 Totally Rocking Christmas Songs|website=Kerrang!|accessdate=September 6, 2017|date=2012-12-05}} Tarantula Promotions released a sampler, titled Arachnid Terror Sampler for to promote some artists they had worked with, including Tortured Conscience, Soul Embraced, Frosthardr, and Sanctifica.{{cite web|url=http://sta.www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Turn_Or_Burn/32513/p1/|title=Turn Or Burn: Tarantula Promotions release compilation CD of extreme metal|publisher=Cross Rhythms|date=March 1, 2003|accessdate=September 6, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907075725/http://sta.www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Turn_Or_Burn/32513/p1/|archivedate=September 7, 2017}}
In 2006, the band released their debut album, Every Knee Shall Bow, via Bombworks Records.{{cite web|url=http://sta.www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Death_Metal_Delight/24790/p1/|title=Death Metal Delight: Tortured Conscience bow in with 'Every Knee Shall Bow' CD for Bombworks|publisher=Cross Rhythms|date=November 18, 2006|accessdate=September 6, 2017}} By this time, the lineup was Lenormand on guitars and bass, John Gotelli on drums and Berto Salas on vocals.{{cite web|url=http://sonic14va.tripod.com/Christianextrememetal/torturedconscienceinterview.html|title=Tortured Conscience Interview|author=Serpent Grinder|date=2006|accessdate=September 6, 2017}}
Current
- Jeff Lenormand - Guitars/Bass (2000–present)
Former
- Berto Salas - Vocals (2004-2010)
- Paul Pontikoff - Vocals (2002)
- Shannon Frye - Drums/Vocals (2000-2002)
- John Gotelli - Drums (2002-2015)
Discography
Studio albums
- Every Knee Shall Bow (2006; Bombworks){{cite web|url=http://sta.www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Tortured_Conscience/Every_Knee_Shall_Bow/21494/|title=Review: Tortured Conscience – Every Knee Shall Bow|publisher=Cross Rhythms|first=Jonathan|last=Langley|date=April 12, 2007|accessdate=September 6, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://powermetal.de/review/review-Tortured_Conscience/Every_Knee_Shall_Bow,8864.html|title=Tortured Conscience – Every Knee Shall Bow|website=Powermetal.de|date=January 1, 2007|accessdate=September 6, 2017|language=German}}{{cite web|url=http://www.artfortheears.nl/NL/r/reviews2006.htm|title=Reviews - 2006|website=Art For The Ears Zine|date=2006|accessdate=September 6, 2017|page=Tortured Conscience – Every Knee Shall Bow}}{{cite web|title=Tortured Conscience - Every Knee Shall Bow|website=Heaven's Metal Magazine|first=Ed|last=Hellig|date=February 2007}}
Demos
Splits
- The Collection Vol. 1: Tools of the Trade (2002; w/ Royal Anguish and Soul of the Savior)
Compilation appearances
- A Brutal Christmas: The Season in Chaos (2002; SOTD)
- Arachnid Terror Sampler (2002; Tarantula)
- Christian Brutal Death Metal: Vol. 1 (2015)