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Album Reviews : Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry of Consciousness

By on November 4, 2013

Harsh, in your face, loud and aggressive; Toxic Holocaust are set to rescue the best of 80s thrash and crossover, leaving no stone unturned in the process. Even their album covers are reminiscent of metal’s golden years. Recently released, their fifth studio album ‘Chemistry of Consciousness’ reminds me of Whiplash on the rather (intentionally) juvenile album cover, and makes me think that these guys might have found a time warp through which their music was harnessed into the 21st century.

Being retro is awesome and I love it. Nothing wrong in worshiping what was one of the best eras in music, ever. These guys do it and pass with flying colours. This album sounds like Motörhead, Kreator and Discharge jamming together at a party where skinheads, punks and metalheads dance franticly in the mosh pit, and after which you go home smiling with the few teeth left in your mouth – the rest was yanked out by a flying boot. Highlights go to the razor sharp riffs of ‘Silence’, the dizziness in your head after head banging to the gem ‘Salvation is Waiting’, the skeleton-shattering axe attack and vocal brutality of ‘Out of the Fire’, and the groovy differentiation brought up by ‘Deny the Truth’.

If you like your old-school thrash with hints of crossover, this album is for you. Satisfaction guaranteed. Top to bottom a solid collection of torpedoes that would make the past metal heroes proud. Put your bullet-belt on, crank the volume up to 11, and head-bang until your brains spill out through your eye sockets.

Band: Toxic Holocaust
Album: Chemistry of Consciousness
Year: 2013
Genre: Thrash/Punk
Label: Relapse
Origin: USA
facebook.com/ToxicHolocaust

Track listing:
1. Silence
2. Awaken the Serpent
3. Rat Eater
4. Salvation is Waiting
5. Out of the Fire
6. Acid Fuzz
7. Deny the Truth
8. Mkultra
9. I Serve…
10. International Conspiracy
11. Chemistry of Consciousness