Artist: Toxik Society
Title: Living Thrashers
Type: Album
Label: Self Released
Living Thrashers? Hmm, I don’t know, there is something about the need to constantly prove how thrash, or how metal, or how true one is that really makes me question the authenticity of a band. More to the point, it makes me question the ability of a band; after all, if your brand of thrash metal is truly convincing surely the music should do all the talking!? Any regular on this site will know I have a true love for all things thrash, and when I say thrash I exclude a great deal of the modern so called thrash bands with growly vocals and who base their entire oeuvre on Kerrang telling them that Trivium created the genre. Many sound just far too polished and, well, glossy for a genre so renowned for its downright dirty, sweaty, beer-stained attitude. If any style of music can get away with being raw and unpolished it is thrash metal, and in some cases, it adds to the appeal. There’s something about sticking on an album like Destructions ‘Mad Butcher’ or Exodus’ ‘Bonded By Blood’ that just makes you want to bang your head and thrash like a maniac, and while I was most pleasantly surprised with the re-recording ‘Let There Be Blood’ it’s still not a patch on the original.
I guess there’s a fine balance that must be met; I mean, not that either of the above bands were technically dazzling at this early point in their career, but they had…something. Maybe the raw energy and attitude is what made them so special, but whatever it was, I’m afraid Toxik Society just don’t have what’s necessary to pull off the whole raw thrash thang with conviction. Rather, this sounds like a bunch of kids mucking around trying to find a way to justify their sloppy musicianship. When I reviewed their demo back in October I pointed out it sounded like the band had rushed into the studio, as many inexperienced acts do, and put out a demo as soon as they could. Having formed only in mid 2008, I also stated that the band had clear potential and that I’d look forward to hearing them with a couple more years under their belt. Now, six months later they are back this time with a very nicely packaged full length but musically this shows no evidence of a band progressing and sounds as shoddy as their demo.
There is a certain amount of thought that seems to have gone into this, with the misleading doom-stricken, drizzly thunder storm introduction that takes us to the ‘Morbid Crypt.’ As this track scurries along it’s clear they owe practically everything to Slayer in the scything riffs and full speed ahead drumming, while as we get to the bridge shouts of ‘Welcome to hell’ all I need to do is tell you, dear reader, to imagine the cheese encrusted yelps of Jeff Waters on the track ‘Alice In Hell’ and you’ll know from which well they have stolen their water. There is very little deviation between tracks, and while the likes of ‘Fuck Off’ and ‘Toxik Invasion’ show there is a fair amount of potential there, this potential is a long way from being realised. Everything about this album screams to me this is a young band rushing ahead, trying to run before they can walk and I really cannot see the purpose in releasing an album only a few months after putting out a demo when they are still at this early stage. My advice; practise, practise, practise…perfect your songs, play lots of gigs and then come back when you’re ready. Next.
http://www.myspace.com/toxiksociety
Luci Herbert
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