MUNICIPAL WASTE, TOXIC HOLOCAUST & HUMANITY'S GONE
LEEDS JOSEPHS WELL 05/02/08
The night is young and yet it already proves to be too much of a challenge to bustle my way through the crowd in order to take some photos of Humanity’s Gone. Not only is the room fast filling up but as I try to dodge flailing limbs in the pit, this demonstrates that perhaps this band weren’t such a strange choice for a support band after all. They may be doing a more than adequate job of warming up the audience but I find myself quickly tiring of their Hatebreed-esque style which offers very little that enables me to differentiate one song from the next. Having previously taken the time to check out this band on MySpace in order to gauge what to expect, it is clear that the vocals on display tonight are nowhere near as dire as I was expecting, as the frontman emits a clear and competent series of grunts down his tightly clutched microphone. Needless to say Humanity’s Gone will gain their fair share of fans after tonight bearing in mind the eclectic mix of people in attendance, although for me, they’re just another generic hardcore band to add to the list.
It’s 0-60 in 5 seconds as Toxic Holocaust take to the stage, and at first glance I am ever so slightly bewildered; with his wild, mid length bleach blonde locks held back with a bandana, Joel Grind looks as though he moonlights as a Vince Neil impersonator, although as soon as he swings into action it is clear that’s where the Motley Crue similarity ends. Having drafted in a couple of session musicians for the purposes of touring, this is the first time in the UK for Joel with his one-man project Toxic Holocaust and a lasting impression is what I am left with. A raw and uncompromisingly aggressive sound is on show with songs such as “Wild Dogs” and “War Is Hell”, which go straight for the jugular. Dark and scything guitar riffs, a prominent low end rumble and crashing drum battery forge together creating a sound that brings to mind the likes of Possessed and Sodom with a dash of Slayer circa “Show No Mercy”. “Enemy Of Jesus” is one of the numbers that hints at a blasphemous approach to the lyrics, which are acrimoniously delivered with pure malevolence and rage. A thoroughly enjoyable performance.
There are few bands around who have the same level of undying enthusiasm for touring as Municipal Waste, and, once again, this is reflected in the over capacitated venue which suggests to me that an upgrade to somewhere slightly larger is definitely in order for their next visit. By the time the Waste hit the stage it is almost impossible to move, and you could forget about any plans you may have had of visiting the bar mid set for a drink. The atmosphere in the venue is intense, with circle pits running all the way from the stage to the back exit. Beach balls bounce back and forth across the sea of heads, not to mention (naked!) crowd surfers, whom end up being a subject of abusement for Tony Forresta who takes great delight in poking fun at the exposed thrasher, which if anything acts as a reminder of just why Municipal Waste are such jolly good fun to watch. With his antagonistic mien, the frontman jerks about the stage like a raging maniac, spitting out his crude vocals with exuberant finesse. The four dudes surf through a high octane set comprising the likes of “Beer Pressure”, “Nailed Casket”, “Headbanger Face Rip” and “Sadistic Magician”, dishing out a lethal dose of thrash that threatens to tear off the faces of anyone who dares not to be affected by the radioactive force that is Municipal Waste. It’s all over too quickly, with the Waste hardly being renowned for long songs, and an encore of Bangover rounds off the event nicely.
Luci Herbert
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