### Toxic Holocaust: An overdose of death

#### 20/08/08 || Euthanatos

I had never really paid much attention to Toxic Holocaust, and now I’m wondering why. First, there aren’t that many cool names like that around. Second, they play thrash metal, which is always peachy in my book. So why no love? I don’t know. Guess you can’t cover all the bases at all times. But everything comes to he who waits, and Toxic Holocaust finally makes its debut in my ears. And it’s pretty good stuff too!

The thrash metal presented by Toxic Holocaust is obviously influenced by the 80’s bay area scene, but they aren’t part of the 80’s thrash surge of late, like Bonded by Blood, Gama Bomb or Municipal Waste. No, Toxic Holocaust, for some reason, has definitely a unique vibe, maybe it’s the vocals, grim, a blend of death and black metal, different from a thrash metal perspective for sure. Maybe it’s the lower tuned guitars and the riffs being fast, but not too fast, mostly aggressive. There are, however, some truly homage moments, as for instance on “Future Shock”. If that doesn’t take you back to the times you first watched Back to the Future or Thundercats, I don’t know what will. The only thing I didn’t like on this album were the solos, which aren’t really that interesting, but hey, the riffs are killer, so I’ll settle for that.

I should have known that Joel Grind, of Destroyer 666 fame (GD note: really?), would have a badass side project. Well, there you go, the lesson of the day is, never pass up on good thrash metal, boys and girls. It’ll come back to bite ya, just like a good zombie. Very decent thrash metal with some memorable riffs, a little blend of Sodom and Venom, with a touch of death and black metal.

The cover: What looks like two radioactive wolves. Super.

7 666 destroyers out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Relapse
- Website: www.toxicthrashmetal.com
- Band
- Joel Grind: all instruments & vocals

- Tracklist
- 01. Wild Dogs
- 02. Nuke The Cross
- 03. Endless Armageddon
- 04. Future Shock
- 05. War Game
- 06. In The Name Of Science
- 07. March From Hell
- 08. Gravelord
- 09. War Is Hell
- 10. The Lord Of The Wasteland
- 11. Feedback, Blood, and Distortion
- 12. Death From Above
- 13. City Of A Million Graves