With the new Chemistry Of Consciousness (Relapse), frontman Joel Grind expands the Toxic Holocaust sound, explodes it with color and textures that seem more vibrant than the none-more-blackness of 2011’s Conjure And Command. The speed and righteous indignation of artists like Discharge and G.B.H. combine with the massive mixdown and mastering by heavy-music maven and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, creating a juggernaut of an album, a record that fires on all cylinders all the time. “Awaken The Serpent,” “Mkultra” and “Out Of The Fire” smack the listener upside the head like the wayward boot of an especially surly crowd surfer. Bassist Phil Zeller will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our recent Toxic Holocaust feature.
Zeller: I could go on and on for days about fossilized records that I still love and listen to all the time, but I feel like I should mention a record that came out in the last year that blew me away as well. These fine young lads from Dallas released one of the best metal records I have heard in a long time. They pull off a style of crossover thrash that is like an artillery shell going off in your ears. The razor-sharp retro-sounding guitars and the drenching of reverb on everything make for an intense listen. The vocals add to this even more so (kind of reminds me of Dwid from Integrity—good thing!). Listeners can close their eyes and feel like they just re-emerged in the year 1989, although I would not dismiss it as a throwback record. Having had the pleasure of playing a couple shows with these dudes, I can attest to the energy and freshness they bring to their craft. Do yourself a favor and check this record out, and go see them play when they come to your town.
Video after the jump.
