Toxic Holocaust - Conjure and Command
Relapse
Crusty, Doomy, Blackened Thrash Metal
10 songs (32:09)
Release year: 2011
Relapse
Reviewed by Kyle

Toxic Holocaust’s Conjure and Command is different from the other major new albums from modern thrash bands that are coming out around the time this review is being written. Unlike the latest albums from Skeletonwitch, Evile and Warbringer, Toxic Holocaust avoids progression and once again opts for a bare-bones presentation of intense, simplistic, vaguely blackened thrash metal. And by no means is that a bad thing. I’m a fan of the previously aforementioned bands (the three combined with Toxic Holocaust seem to form a sort of “Modern big four”, if you will), but something about TH’s relentlessly old school approach is charming and damn addictive. Conjure and Command may boast an unfortunately clean production job when compared to its predecessors, but beyond this I doubt that Toxic Holocaust will ever significantly change its approach.

And once again, I’m perfectly okay with that; while other bands provide a similarly gritty take on thrash metal, none seem to attack the style quite as well as Toxic Holocaust. Conjure and Command is, as per usual for the band, an incredibly solid and consistent album, with nary a weak track to be found. As I’ve said, the production is gritty, but when compared to past TH albums the mix comes across as downright pristine. The clarity of the production combined with the opening track Judgment Awaits You may frighten fans at first; it’s a straightforward thrash number devoid of any of the crust punk / black metal elements that make Toxic Holocaust… well, Toxic Holocaust, really. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find tracks such as Sound the Charge which assure that the band’s stomping attack is still firmly cemented – just with a bit more variety this time.

There’s even some wonderfully ominous doom metal bits thrown in at various points, notably in the drawling intensity of I Am Disease. Here, the stronger production actually benefits the band, as the guitar sound during the doom passages is absolutely perfect. Other than this, the production only hinders the album, as Conjure and Command never sounds quite as crusty as it should. Because of this, it’s probably Toxic Holocaust’s worst album – but only barely. Like the band’s other albums, this one is a fantastic push-play-and-forget thrash experience, and its quality seems to increase when you’re pissed the fuck off while listening. For fans of the band or of simplistic, stomping thrash metal, this one’s a safe buy.

Killing Songs :
All
Kyle quoted 81 / 100
Other albums by Toxic Holocaust that we have reviewed:
Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose Of Death reviewed by James and quoted 82 / 100
Toxic Holocaust - Hell On Earth reviewed by Aaron and quoted 84 / 100
2 readers voted
Average:
 42
You did not vote yet.
Vote now

There are 10 replies to this review. Last one on Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:58 pm
View and Post comments