Metal prodigy Joel Grind’s musical mastery concept that is Toxic Holocaust is back with the explosive new album Primal Future: 2019. Combining imagery of a post-nuclear world with classic speed and thrash riffs, the album could well be a soundtrack straight from a glorious ’80s Sci-Fi action movie. It’s Toxic Holocaust’s sixth full-length album and it’s about to set you up for a future that is dangerous, edgy and very primal.
‘Chemical Warlords’ blasts out of the gates clad in denim, sneakers and long hair as it snarls through the speakers. It gives you no time to prepare for the incoming barrage of speed injected riffs. The theme continues on with ‘Black Out the Code’ as Joel Grind’s guitar solos pierce the night sky backed by his guitar melodies which hark back to classic Megadeth.
The bullet belt, cigarette hanging from the mouth, metal bravado is fully embraced on songs like ‘Time’s Edge’ and ‘Controlled by Fear’—neither of which would be out of place on any Motörhead record.
The music is unrelenting speed-thrash metal, only taking a breather for a suitably dramatic intro to ‘Primal Future’ which then lurches into shoe-gazing head banging, and the punk-styled ‘Deafened by the Roar.’
This is Toxic Holocaust’s forte. It’s hair twirling, neck snapping, spilling-beer-on-everyone-around-you heavy metal. It’s unashamed metal and it works as shown on ‘New World Beyond’ and ‘Aftermath.’ Meanwhile, closer ‘Cybernetic War’ combines all the elements before and brings them together in an apocalyptic version of nuclear hell in a suitably epic five-minute explosion.
Toxic Holocaust has the grooves, the choruses to get you singing and, most importantly, the balls to pull it off while still sounding fresh. Just make sure you take two paracetamol the next day for your impending neck pain.
Rating: 8/10
Primal Future: 2019 is out now and you can purchase it here.
Watch the video for ‘Chemical Warlords’ here.
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