Toxik
Think This

LA RECENSIONE

Album: Think This
Band: Toxik
Year: 1989
Label: Roadrunner
Genre: Thrash, Techno-Thrash, Progressive

Line-Up:
Charles Sabin ( vocals )
Josh Christian ( guitar )
John Donnelly ( guitar )
Brian Bonini ( bass )
Tad Leger ( drums )

I can't believe this album hasn't been reviewed yet! Well, I guess it's up to me!

I proceed with GREAT caution to describe for you, doing my best, the masterpiece that the five New Yorkers have created.

The compositional and lyrical level is simply scandalous in how beautiful, colorful, and captivating it is. The genre is almost indefinable, comparable to others like Watchtower, Realm, Sieges Even... in short, those who know these bands know what I'm talking about. Certainly, the album is mostly permeated with an aggressiveness and speed that even in the most furious moments does not forget to project you into the imaginary...

It's difficult to describe art, isn't it? What do you think about when you look at a Picasso painting? Or when you're eating that thing you love madly and you close your eyes? What do you think about? That's the sensation I feel every time I listen to this album: it's like standing in front of a blank sheet and gradually something forms that you can't describe... but you know you like it!

The tracks are a continuous bouncing back and forth, up and down in the 3 dimensions (even 4 at times!) like a roller coaster: songs rich in emotions like "Spontaneous", furious, angry, and controlled at the same time like "Shotgun Logic", introspective, introverted, and sweet like "There Stood The Fence" ("Can you hear me son... Or have you gone away"?).

Even in this last saccharine and almost glam (oh dear, what horror!) track, Toxik manages to be credible and do things properly. Needless to say, the technical level is out of this world: the guitar work ranges from granitic riffs to hypertrophic riff scales to dazzling solos, all executed superbly. The voice fits perfectly into the sound. The rhythm section is incredible: bass that goes its own way at times (in a good sense!) and pyrotechnic drums!

It's a pity that the Toxik creature didn't live long enough to give birth to a third album and maybe for this reason "Think This" remains unattainable. You can do only two things: get the album and listen to it (many, many, many times!)