Toxic Holocaust - From The Ashes Of Nuclear Destruction

Toxic Holocaust

From The Ashes Of Nuclear Destruction

by Drago at 28 March 2013, 4:07 PM

For those uninitiated with the metal devastation that is TOXIC HOLOCAUST need to reevaluate their metal credence. Started as a one-man band by Joel Grind, they have been annihilating everything in their path since 1999. Responsible for devastating albums like "Hell on Earth, An Overdose of Death" and 2011s "Conjure and Command" prove that they are leading the way in the modern day Thrash revival. Their latest release through Relapse records is a collection of rarities and demos; "From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction" which is the perfect stopgap release that puts unreleased singles and demos in one convenient package.

The sound of TOXIC HOLOCAUST can best be described as a cross between old SODOM, DESTRUCTION, "Show No Mercy" era SLAYER with a dash of MOTORHEAD. Their playing is frantic, disjointed and at warp speed. They are the quintessential thrash metal band. They explore punk themes and Grind’s voice is raspy and resembles a young Tom Angelripper.

The gems here are the hard to find singles from long sought after EPs. “Metal Attack” explores their long love of Teutonic Thrash, as it is a perfect hybrid of early SODOM and DESTRUCTION. Hearing it reminds me of why I flipped out hearing TOXIC HOLOCAUST for the first time. A breakneck pace accompanied by some frenetic drumming shows Grind embodying Marcel Schmier from his glory days.

“Created to Kill” is another mind-blowing experience that is two minutes of pure energy. Grind spews forth his vocal melody like he is rising from the pits of hell. A solid example of how the strength of the early material is just as strong as what they were releasing on their official releases in the early days.

The demo material is for the hard-core loyalists that are looking to complete their TOXIC HOLOCAUST collection. You can sense the strength of the material on these early demos as “Death Camp”, “Send Them to Hell” and the MOTORHEAD inspired “Ready to Fight” jump from the speakers and you can hear how far ahead Grind was in developing the thrash revival.

The material is better on the actual releases but these versions are even more raw and have a certain charm about them. Especially the later material like “Nuke the Cross”, “Bitch” and “Agony of the Damned.” You almost get a glimpse of what the latter material would sound like if they hadn’t signed with a major record label like Relapse Records. The guitars are grimy and the songs aren’t as polished as their official releases.

Joel Grind explains his current process on demoing songs. “When making an album, I usually demo out the entire thing before I step into a studio”. "From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction" gives us a peak behind the curtain and a look at the process on how TOXIC HOLOCAUST operates.

It has been announced that TOXIC HOLOCAUST is currently in the studio writing the follow up to 2011s gargantuan "Conjure and Command". This historic look at the many facets of the band is the perfect introduction for those not initiated with TOXIC HOLOCAUST yet. There is example after example on "From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction" that shows why TOXIC HOLOCAUST is the clear leader of the modern day thrash movement. They capture the essence, attitude and vibe of the legendary bands that created one of the most important genres of Metal.