Toxic Holocaust
An Overdose Of Death

There are CDs that hit the mark even without the slightest dose of innovation or originality. There are CDs that, due to their spontaneity, manage to engage and make the listener headbang without restraint. The new work by Toxic Holocaust, "An Overdose Of Death", is one of these CDs. Mixing the speed/black of Venom with Motorhead and adding a healthy dose of thrash appropriately dosed by New York-style hardcore, the all-rounder blonde Joel Grind - voice, guitar, and bass - churns out a raw and devastating album.

The album starts off fast with "Wild Dogs", a track that offers a good number of riffs but loses a bit of its way in the second part. "Nuke The Cross" and "Endless Armageddon" instead hit completely, two musical assaults made of rhythmic and vocal violence; the beautiful variations within the two tracks keep the listener’s attention alive and give a distinct identity to the songs.

"Future Shock" slows down the pace a bit, venturing into the musical territories typical of Motorhead and showcasing a nice guitar lead in the middle section, but the subsequent "War Game" raises the bpm once again. "In The Name Of Science" travels at the usual dizzying speeds, providing some relief in the final part, just like "War Is Hell", incredibly fast and destructive where a truly memorable guitar lead emerges, making this track a highlight of the entire platter.

But to truly listen to the best of Toxic Holocaust, you need to get to the final trio. "Feedback, Blood And Distorsion" mixes Motorhead-like riffs well with tighter parts; an extremely catchy piece that offers great moments, like the chord progression following the chorus. Then we're at "Death From Above" - nothing to do with the Anthrax track for those wondering -, which features a devastating chorus and bridge, in which you can almost distinguish a solo. The CD closes with the longest track - so to speak, 4 minutes and 51 seconds - "City Of A Million Grave" which has an extraordinary main riff, in addition to the usual chorus that will imprint itself in your head after the first listen.

Before summing up, I wanted to emphasize the production that, out of necessity or choice (I can't say), builds a rather rotten sound that perfectly matches the album’s themes - war, hatred towards religion, death, etc. - and highlights Joel Grind's dirty and angry growl.

In conclusion, apart from a few nondescript tracks, this CD is worth listening to, 36 minutes of sonic violence that will lead you to the most unbridled headbanging and make you relive the golden age of thrash, those 80s that today seem so far away.