Toxik "Breaking Class"

    Highly respected for being a pioneering force in the world technical and progressive thrash, Toxik is seeking to conquer 2017 with some epic new material. The band will be releasing a new three song EP called, “Breaking Class,” August 4th and there is talk of a full-length album to be out around the end of the year.

    Although Toxik may not receive the same mainstream recognition as Metallica, the band has a strong cult following who will lose their metal minds once they hear Toxik is releasing new material. Toxik’s first two albums, “World Circus” (1987) and “Think This” (1989) are brilliant releases that pushed thrash into a more technical and progressive world back in that mid-eighties to late-eighties period. I have friends who play in bands that worship Toxik and work on crafting their music in a similar fashion by being progressive with thrash instead of just copying the same old generic song structures.

    The new EP, “Breaking Class,” features three songs that continue to fuel the minds of thrash fanatics with insane lead parts accompanied by thought provoking lyrics. Josh Christian, guitarist and founding member of Toxik, is an unbelievable player with such a tremendous technical style that crafts some wicked riffs. Singer Charles Sabin who joined the band for the “Think This” album, delivers a killer vocal performance and I think he is one of the best singers in the thrash/speed metal genre. Toxik has always been about high caliber musicianship, so one should expect that this new music is far from basic and simplistic.

    The opening song, “Stand Up,” starts out with an eerie sound clip of children singing “America the Beautiful” and then explodes into a furious thrash assault. Josh lays down some vicious riffs of blistering fury and his leads are extremely well executed. He demonstrates that playing fast does not mean shit if your solos can’t compliment the music. All around the band’s sound is impactful and each musician contributes an equal amount of monumental energy to the song.

    The second track, “Breaking Class,” definitely maintains that rapid fire tempo of technical thrash madness with crushing drum parts and blazing guitar riffs. Some of the riffs even reminded me of something you would have heard on, “World Circus.” Instead of just hammering out recycled riffs, Toxik strives to add a refreshing variety of clever sounding instrumental compositions. The final song, “Psyop,” is probably my favorite song off the EP. There are plenty of dynamic compositions that fans will be frantically banging their heads along to when listening at max volume. Musically you just can’t complain and the song keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

    Even though there are only three songs, fans of Toxik are going to want to pick this up when it is released. Also, I am definitely looking forward to a full-length release from Toxik. Unlike some bands who return after a long hiatus, Toxik is not hastily rushing to throw an album together. These guys take pride in their music and the new tracks show a desire to offer fans some brilliant technical and progressive thrash metal. Plus, I think right about now is a great time for Toxik to return since the world is truly becoming a World Circus! …Just look at the news! ...Don't do that actually, but instead listen to Toxik!



Toxik "Stand Up" :

Toxik Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TOXIKMETAL/

Phylactery "Necromancy Enthroned"

    Hellish death thrash devastation invades the metal world with Phylactery’s debut full-length release, “Necromancy Enthroned.” These Canadian extreme metal musicians take the relentless speed of thrash with the unforgiving brutality of old school death metal and create some terrorizing sounds of unholy proportions.

    Phylactery happens to be yet another band from Unspeakable Axe Records that does not disappoint and knows how to construct solid extreme metal music. Their debut album features eleven tracks of vicious riffs, thunderous drumming and demonic sounding vocals of unworldly terror. For their first album I think the band did a solid job crafting a unique raw and brutal sound that simply does not fall into the category of generic metal garbage.

    Each track on the album runs about the same length of time and the songs are usually about two to three minutes long. I think length of each song is just perfect for the band to deliver their merciless death thrash assault. If the songs were longer I believe the band would be recycling riffs to the point of complete and unbearable redundancy. The opening song off the album, “Risen Restless Dead,” wastes no time by thrashing away at a flesh tearing riff. Even though the song is short there are plenty of distinct riffs that are vicious yet extremely catchy. The band’s nonstop aggression continues on the second track, “Wisdom of Heretics,” with bombastic drumming and lightning fast guitar parts. I really liked the guitar solo, because the lead guitarist composed something that actually complimented the song instead of being a random hurricane of obnoxious shredding. Don’t get me wrong, I like shredding when it has a purpose and is not just an excuse to show how fast you can play through scales.

    Out of the elven tracks I find choosing a favorite to be a difficult task, but I will name some of the ones that I think standout a little more than the others. “Morbid Existence,” is a furious cut of metal music with insane sounding verse sections accompanied by haunting vocal parts. “Where I Dwell” contains some bone crushing guitar riffs and the bass sound adds an extra explosion to the distorted fiery chaos. I have talked about this before in previous reviews and still want to stress the importance of having a strong bass sound. There are some bands who turn the bass volume down to where I question if the bass player even showed up during the recording process. The final song I want to mention is, “Enslaved by the Dawn.” On this track the band delivers some nasty riffs of raw thrash attitude. I want to try and compare them to other bands, however, it is hard because their sound takes from so many different extreme metal elements.

    For their debut album I think Phylactery did a great job being themselves and leaving room for them to take their music into an even more unforgiving and brutal level. Some bands want to hit home runs for their first album, but sometimes just offering a consistent brutal sound is enough to peak the interest of listeners. Highly recommended for people who desire some vicious thrash and raw old school death metal blended together into one diabolical concoction. Also, I recommend people check them out because they are signed to Unspeakable Axe Records. I trust Unspeakable Axe Records more than I trust the people in charge of running the state I live in…


Phylactery "Unholy Empire" :

Phylactery Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/Phylacterydeaththrash/

Unspeakable Axe Records Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/unspeakableaxerecords

Necrot "Blood Offerings"

    Unforgiving, relentless and ear splitting riffs of crypt desecrating madness is what Necrot unleashes upon the metal world with their debut full-length album, “Blood Offerings.” These Bay Area death metal musicians have become a force to be reckoned with amongst the underground metal community. The time just seems right for them to make their conquest across the brutal landscape of extreme music by showing no mercy with the release of their debut album.

    After the release of their compilation of remastered demo songs, “Labyrinth,” I have noticed Necrot feverishly putting in the effort and keeping their extreme brand of old school sounding death metal firing on all cylinders. The work ethic is what I respect the most about these guys and the songs on this new album demonstrate what it takes to truly craft some brutal pieces of cranial crushing metal. “Blood Offerings,” is the perfect conjuring of raw old school death metal with a brilliant and unmistakable sound that comes from years of passionate dedication for extreme music.

    Like any great trio in rock or metal history, the skill level combined creates such impactful music. The vocals provided by singer and bassist Luca Indrio are bold and merciless. Sonny Reinhardt's vicious guitar playing abilities add such a boost of aggression. Also, his lead parts are precise and get to the point instead of being an extra thirty seconds  of aimless shredding. Drummer Chad Gailey plays an important role laying down some crushing drum parts. The recording of his drum sound on the new album is well executed and injects tremendous force into the already bombastic sounding riff sections.

    Out of the eight tracks on the album, you are going to find yourself struggling to choose a favorite. For the opening song, “The Blade,” the band unleashes a blistering assault of riff carnage. Chad ushers in the destruction by pounding out some thunderous rhythms from his kit. Sonny’s guitar solo provides a wicked touch to the already devastating sound by offering a flurry of sinister sounding notes that are perfectly incorporated into the song. Track number two, “Rather Be Dead,” wastes no time and dives into the chaos with a rapid fire sounding verse section. The riffs are very catchy and provide optimal moments to bang your head. On the next song, “Shadows and Light,” Necrot maintains their feverish old school sound with Luca presenting some haunting growls. The title track off of the album, “Blood Offerings,” is ferocious sounding and keeps your attention focused on the monstrous sounding instrumental compositions. Sonny’s string bends toward the end of the song send chills down your spine as the song comes to a close.

    The second half of the album is just as solid as the first half, so there is little time to catch your breath. Song number five, “Empty Hands,” sounds like something from the Tucker era of Morbid Angel. The tempo fluctuates yet conveys this sound of suffocating musical brutality. “Beneath,” and “Breathing Machine,” hit you hard in the gut with thick distorted guitar and bass riffs. The final song, “Layers of Darkness,” begins with a bone grinding riff of relentless chugging fury along with Chad’s intense style of drumming. There are no dual moments, so until the song ends you will be possessed by the unholy sounding power of Necrot.

    From the impressive recording quality to the consistent songwriting, "Blood Offerings" is an album for all those fans who enjoy old school death metal with an unforgiving spirit of unfound brutality. Also, the album is a great example of what happens when a band does not hastily throw material together and knows how to write a strong album from top to bottom. Necrot may not be reinventing the wheel of extreme music, however, their tight sound and solid songwriting skills are quite desirable in the world of extreme music at the moment. We need more bands like Necrot and less bands that sound like a tsunami of musical diarrhea...

Make sure to get your copy of the album from either Tankcrimes (CD) or Sentient Ruin (Cassette). Two great DIY labels from the Bay Area! 

Necrot "Empty Hands"

Demonsmoke "Morphine Moonshine"

    Traveling through the air on dark wings, the monumental distorted power from Demonsmoke’s music brings forth an onslaught of unforgiving doom and sludge devastation. Hailing from the wastelands of Antioch, CA the band offers listeners a juggernaut of sheer doom with their debut album, “Morphine Moonshine.”

    When I saw Demonsmoke play in a Petaluma diver bar about a couple years back, I remember thinking these guys had the potential to write some really crushing music. Their sound is very tight and the band gives every ounce of energy when playing their songs. The vicious passion from the singer’s delivery to the nasty sounding riffs of sinister reverb, unleashes a sound that stays in your head. Honestly, this debut album surpasses what I originally thought they were capable of recording. I remember them being a solid band, but the musicianship and songwriting on this debut album is utterly amazing. Also, getting Greg Wilkinson to record the album was a good choice since he really captured the raw and unapologetic attitude that Demonsmoke can deliver through their music.

    Out of the nine songs on this album you will not find one piece of generic music. I am talking endless skull crushing fuzz guitar riffs and bluesy sludge rhythms that make you want to bang your head into oblivion. The opening song, “Creeping Down Your Neck,” was actually featured on the band’s three song demo which I picked up at the show in Petaluma. Also, featured on that demo were “Morphine Moonshine,” and “Sever.” All three songs sounded great on the demo and have somehow been elevated to even greater heights on the new album. Demonsmoke writes solid verse sections that eventually reach these behemoth climaxes filled with earth shattering drum parts and riffs of glorious doom.

    “Morphine Moonshine,” is one of the song’s that stands out the most with its rebellious audio clip from the movie, “The Wild Angels,” in the beginning on the song, followed shortly by their singer’s cry of torment over the bombastic riff attack. I want to live inside that guitar amp because the tone is insanely addicting. Another song that I want to mention is, “Spewing Disgust,” which contains some demonic and vitriolic vocal parts with plenty of low end destruction coming from the drummer and bass player. Once again the riff tears through the speakers spewing distorted sounding hatred without remorse.

    Track number five on the album, “Set in Stoned,” is another solid piece of doom and has a killer bass intro that creates a haunting buzz of noise right before the band kicks into a heavy jam section. Songs like, “Through the Sun,” and “Backside of the Spoon,” have this hypnotic vibe going at times, yet they convey an extremely raw and bold attitude. The band also does an impress cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Junkie,” by taking the music and applying their own vicious sludge and doom interpretation. The last song on the album to mention is, “Sawed Off Sociopath.” I thought it was one of the band’s heaviest songs which is saying something, because all the songs on this album are unbelievably heavy. While the guitarist hammers away to the main riff you stand there anticipating each note of sludgy aggression.

    Compared to a lot of Sabbath like doom and sludge worship bands, Demonsmoke does not mess around and has their shit together. The production was flawless and the strong recording quality made these musicians sound great from start to finish. For a debut album the band should be extremely proud of what they accomplished. Each song is well written and does not sound like it was hastily thrown together. Demonsmoke is a great example of how the power of the riff can still conjure up some killer sounding tunes. If you enjoy sludge and doom metal and want a cascade of loud distorted aggressive sounding music to come crashing down into your ears, you need to get this album right away!

Demonsmoke Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/demonsmokeband/

Death of Kings "Kneel Before None"

    In a world that needs more brutal sounding metal bands and less whiny indie rock bands, Death of Kings new album, Kneel Before None, arrives with a vengeance of pure unforgiving thrash. The Atlanta, GA based band’s new release is a culmination of their hard work and determination to create merciless sounding thrash metal music.

    I reviewed the band’s 7” single, Hell Comes to Life, just a few months ago and was extremely impressed by the new song from that single along with their killer cover of Judas Priest’s, “Hell Patrol.” That single gave people a great preview of what was to come with the release of, Kneel Before None. I think Death of Kings right now is firing on all cylinders, because the music on the new album does not disappoint and there is a consistency to their songs that I don’t hear often from most current metal bands.

    Another area where Death of Kings shines on the new album is the overall production and recording quality. The production is solid throughout the album, so there are none of those moments where you begin to question if someone fell asleep while working in the studio. From the recording of the drums and guitars to the vocals, the band sounds like they are determined to unleash that raw extreme sound on each track. I also found that the guitar solos really complimented the compositions on this album. Sometimes you get those bands who throw in awkward solos to where they are just trying to show listeners how fast they can play instead of making the music sound tight.

    There are nine tracks on the new album, so I consider there to be nine opportunities to bang your head and mosh around your bedroom. The first song, “Shadow of the Reaper,” is a vicious assault of chaotic sounding riffs and furious drumming. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Matt Matson, provides some hellish screams to compliment the song’s blasphemous sound. Fellow guitarist Matt Kilpatrick uses his instrument to decimate your speakers with plenty of skull crushing riffs. Drummer Amos Rifkin and bassist Scott Price establish a solid rhythm section and are sort of the unsung heroes in my opinion. For some reason those guitars players get all the attention, but you definitely need a strong rhythm section to provide a solid backbone for those crushing riffs and blistering lead parts.

    Once the main riffs in the second song, “Sojourn,” kicks in with its malicious sounding tone, you wonder if you will be able to survive the massive metal onslaught. Track number three, “Regicidal,” is probably my favorite song on the album and contains elements of more than just thrash metal. There are some death growls used to contrast with Matt’s style of vocals. The music takes you on this extreme rollercoaster that you wish would never end. The next song, “Descent Into Madness,” feverishly grinds out relentless sounding riff after relentless sounding riff. Tracks five and six, “Hell Comes to Life” and “Knifehammer,” are previously released singles added to the album. I consider, “Hell Comes to Life,” to be another one of my favorites as that song sounds as though Hell has risen up from below to reign upon Earth for all eternity. Wouldn’t that be nice?

    The final three songs, “Plague (Upon the World),” “Too Fast For Blood” and “Revel in Blasphemy,” maintains that ferocious sounding attack you heard on the previous six tracks. “Too Fast For Blood,” is a nasty piece of old school sounding thrash with this slight Exodus vibe. I thought, “Revel in Blasphemy,” was a strong choice to finish the album since I really liked the ending riff section. You feel as though the entire world around you is crumbling away as the guitar players unapologetically strike their instruments.

    If you were to ask me: what is one of the best sounding metal albums to come out in 2017 with an emphasis on consistency from start to finish? I would not hesitate to consider, Kneel Before None, as my first choice. Although they are not pushing the boundaries of metal music by incorporating latin jazz music with endless random scale runs, I appreciate Death of Kings for taking their enthusiasm for heavy metal and creating some extremely solid metal music. When will some bands realize that it is better to sound consistent than to write a tornado of musical diarrhea?! At least we know that at the end of the day, we can be assured that the hard work and brutal sounding thrash metal music from Death of Kings will always be there to appease our ravenous metal souls.



Death of Kings Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/deathofkingsmetal/

Game Over "Blessed Are the Heretics"

    Game Over is a band that simply does not record an album and then disappears for a few years before returning to the studio. Last year the band released their third full-length album, Crimes Against Reality, and now they are back this year with a brand new EP called, Blessed Are the Heretics.

    These Italian thrashers have been on my radar since I reviewed their second album, Burst Into the Quiet. That release is well worth checking out and conveys such a raw old school thrash sound. Also, I have definitely heard an improvement in their sound since I reviewed that second album. When I reviewed Crimes Against Reality last year, I was impressed by the band’s hard work and dedication to take their sound into a more technical and dynamic direction.

    This new EP features a brand new song, a re-recorded version in Italian of the song “No More” from the band’s second album, a cover of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) and three live recordings. Game Over’s new song, “Blessed Are the Heretics,” reassures people that the band knows how to conjure up a fierce piece of thrash metal music with an unapologetic attitude. I thought the song’s production stood out the most for me. The track is not another generic thrash tune with basic boring palm muted riffs. There are some unique compositions to demonstrate a more progressive style of thrash which I notice Game Over is starting to focus more on.

    The second song on the EP is a re-recorded version of the song, “No More,” which is now titled, “Mai Più.” I liked the idea to record the song in Italian and felt the band did a great job presenting the lyrics in their mother tongue. For their cover of Dead or Alive’s, “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), I was quite interested in hearing how the band would tackle this 80’s pop song. To my surprise the band cleverly converted the 80's one-hit wonder into a nuclear assault of thrash fury. The band’s vocalist provides some solid vocals to compliment the song’s fast paced tempo. I can actually picture some metal maniacs thrashing around in front of the stage during this cover.

    Listeners who enjoy live recordings will want to check out the final three tracks on the EP. The final three songs, “Mountains of Madness,” “Fix Your Brain” and “C.H.U.C.K.” are killer live versions of songs from the band’s previous releases. I personally enjoyed, “C.H.U.C.K.” the most out of the three live recordings since that is one of my favorite Game Over songs. The band summons that sinister riff driven old school thrash sound and I really like the bass parts during the song. That bass sound is something I would expect to hear from bands like Anthrax, Nuclear Assault or Overkill.

    Once again, Game Over is keeping the relentless thrash attack moving forward by putting out yet another solid release with, Blessed Are the Heretics. For the last three years I have reviewed three Game Over releases and I look forward to more music from these dedicated enthusiastic thrashers. If you are a fanatical fan of thrash metal I recommend checking out this new EP and the previous Game Over releases. I find that the metal world needs to put less emphasis on Metallica possibly collaborating with Lady Gaga and pay more attention to bands like Game Over. The up and coming acts such as Game Over are helping to keep the thrash metal legacy alive and I hope they continue to carry on the flag for many more years.


Game Over "C.H.U.C.K." :

Game Over Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/GameOverThrashMetal/

Classic Albums Review: Rush "Presto / Roll the Bones"

    2017 is sure shaping up to be a good year for rock and metal music. I have reviewed a fair amount of impressive releases with plenty more to come. Even with all these new albums coming out, I always find myself listening to Rush.

    As of recent I have been listening to Presto and Roll the Bones. In my opinion, these two albums are extremely important in the band’s history and begin the transition from their heavily electronic synthesizer sound to the more traditional power trio formula focusing primarily on drums, bass and guitar. Although the band still uses synthesizers on these two albums, you start to notice them moving away from the sound on Power Windows and Hold Your Fire. Also, I felt Neil’s lyrics started to take on a slightly different tone compared to their previous albums. The words from the songs can really relate to what people go through when dealing with a difficult and demanding society. Neil has always had that ability to write such meaningful lyrics, however, I notice the songs from Presto and Roll the Bones are extremely relatable.

    We start with, Presto, the band’s thirteenth studio album which was released in 1989. The band recorded the album at the legendary recording studio, Le Studio, in Morin-Heights, Quebec. Rush definitely moved away from the previous releases with regard to the heavy emphasis on synthesizers, but if you listen carefully there are still a decent amount of synth arrangements. Overall the music on this album is dynamic yet does not lose listeners with constant complexity. The foundations for most of the songs are very well thought out and the attention given to the verse and chorus sections instantly catches your attention. I believe the words leave an everlasting impact, while the musicianship reminds you how much talent Geddy, Alex and Neil have to offer.

    The album’s opening song, “Show Don’t Tell,” contains some of my favorite lyrics and also demonstrates the band’s instrumental genius. Some lines that stand out are, “How many times do you hear it, It goes on all day long, Everyone knows everything, And no one's ever wrong…Until later.” I find that statement is very telling about certain people and provides great advice for those who live in their own little isolated bubbles. The second track, “Chain Lightening,” is another work of musical brilliance with probably one of my favorite chorus sections. I always feel a positive vibe when listening to the song, especially when Alex breaks into the radiant sounding solo.

   Out of all the songs on the album, “The Pass,” is probably my favorite. The song talks about dealing with the serious topic of depression and feeling isolated. Neil writes the lyrics as a way to motivate people out of the darkness by not losing hope when feeling down. Geddy also provides some memorable bass lines to accompany his confident vocal delivery. The next song, “War Paint,” contains a very catchy chorus that easily gets stuck in your head. Also, Neil’s playing really drives the song by providing such a bold rhythmic supporting force to the verses.

    I will mention a few more tracks that I think standout the most on Presto, because if I go through each track off the album, this might turn into more of an essay than an article. The title track off the album features Alex’s brilliant dynamic guitar playing skills and I believe the phrasing of each note during his solo is flawless. “Anagram (For Mongo),” offers listeners a very soothing keyboard section to compliment Geddy’s vocals, while “Hand Over Fist” unleashes a very strong sounding main riff from Alex with Geddy and Neil providing solid support.

    Moving on now to Rush’s fourteenth release, Roll the Bones, we find ourselves with the band using the same recording studio and even using the same producer, Rupert Hine. Released in 1991, the album is known most for the title track which features a rap section during the song. Overall, I consider the album to be a continuation from Presto with a few slight differences. On this album the band wrote an impressive yet very modest instrumental song called, “Where’s My Thing (Part IV, “Gangster of Boats” Trilogy).” Unlike, “La Villa Strangiato,” the instrumental on Roll the Bones does not contain as many complex time signatures and the length of the song is shorter. Still, the musicianship is mesmerizing and the overall piece sounds exciting from beginning to end.

    Similar to Presto, I notice that the first three songs on Roll the Bones instantly establishes the album by coming up with extremely memorable tracks that demonstrate powerful lyrics and great musicianship. “Dreamline,” “Bravado” and “Roll the Bones,” were probably the best choices when figuring out which three songs should start off the album. I personally enjoy, “Bravado,” the most and I am always blown away by the song’s deep lyrical content. The lines, “We will pay the price, But we will not count the cost,” sort of makes you stop and think about the world around you. In my opinion, there are few bands that can come up with something as meaningful and thought provoking as Rush.

    Other tracks I wish to highlight off the album would be, “The Big Wheel,” “Heresy,” and “Ghost of a Chance.” The main riff in, “The Big Wheel,” packs such an aggressive punch and then transitions into a very vibrant and inspiring chorus. I would say I prefer the first half of the album to the second half, but it is really close. Rush simply knows how to produce great full-length albums with great engaging songs from start to finish. That is why they are the masters!

    To conclude this article, I recommend anyone who has not yet checked out these albums do so right away, because you are sure missing out on some amazing music. For all those Rush fanatics reading this article, please tell your thoughts on these two releases in the comments section and maybe even share some memories when the albums came out. The best part about being a Rush fan is that you can meet people who are just as passionate about the music as you. Plus, we can agree that no matter what the trend in music is at the time, we will always have those timeless recordings from one of rock’s greatest bands (In my opinion, they are the greatest band)!