Toxic Holocaust - Hell on Earth (2005)

I must be getting old or something because I just really don't care that much about all these new fangled metal bands out there, and I mean it too. Seriously, you can drive over to the yuppie part of town, slam a $6 latte and stick your post-black folkloristic urban elk metal bands straight up your fucking dick hole.

For those that don't know, Toxic Holocaust was founded in Portland, Oregon back in 1999 by Joel Grind and immediately he began writing music. From '99 to '08 he played all instruments and wrote all the music while releasing several split albums, singles, demos and three full-length albums before nowadays establishing a permanent three man line-up. I saw Toxic Holocaust a few weeks ago in a small bar round these parts and had a total blast, got drunk, headbanged, moshed, knocked some punkers over and bought Toxic Holocaust's second album, 'Hell on Earth.'

Mr. Grind's music is within a total old school style that draws a great deal of influence from classic thrash metal, punk and even a little bit of 80's black metal such as Bathory and Venom. This guy's music is fast, hard hitting and surprisingly quite melodic with catchy riffs and quick but effective solos that will leave the old school metalers pumping their fists and head banging like a drunken maniac. The production is deliberately raw in character, which is the only way true old school thrash metal should sound while the vocals are throaty raspy growls which bring me back to those early Bathory records and the campy lyrics about war, death, murder, hell and bloody fucking crucifixion rape bring a smile to my face every time. Oh, and the Ed Repka cover artwork depicting some sort of zombie onslaught makes it all the better.

Joel slams through eleven songs in just twenty seven minutes and I can't complain one bit, because I just start the bastard up and give it another spin. So, if thrashy high speed riffs, powerful bass lines, fast but simple drums, shitty production and raspy vocals are your thing then give this sucker a chance.