Keller, Toxik Society & Thraw

May 21, 2010

CHRIS

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Keller - Awake the Forgotten

Release Date:  2008
Band Self Released

TRACK LISTING:
1. Sentenced to Death 
2. Summon the Mortals 
3. Death Command 
4. Holy Slaughter   
-    Total playing time:  16:27

Keller is a five-piece Slovenian thrash unit that has offered up its first demo, Awake the Forgotten. As is typical with these thrash bands of today, the 80s sound is highly represented throughout, creating that Exodus-meets-Slayer vibe. Drop-tuned and speedy, Awake the Forgotten is a decent blueprint for the thrash movement of the current day, albeit an expected one.

The opener, “Sentenced to Death,” is a fast-moving sonic hit to the senses, while “Summon the Mortals” has an intro that just screams early Sanctuary to these ears. “Death Command” is the typical, yet welcome thrash riff that nearly every 80s band used during the heyday. While there’s nothing indelibly new or fresh here, the music is better than most bands that attempt the thrash genre of late. The opening riff dual in “Holy Slaughter” seemed a bit off-kilter to me, but the song bounced back okay, sounding a bit like the Canadian band Slaughter (planned perhaps?).

Quick, yet catchy throughout, the demo is a pretty good first effort for these guys, who might only get better as they progress through the metal canals. The riffs are good old-school gallops, the production is overly-decent and the vocals are a low-brow Chuck Billy meshing with a very slight hint of Ron Royce from Coroner. I like the style, and as long as a band shows attentive intuition even the “dated” sounds of yesterday can become staples of today.    

Overall Keller has a demo worth your time if decent, if somewhat typical thrash metal is your vice. 

Toxik Society - Living Kufeso

Release Date:  August, 2009
Band Self Released

TRACK LISTING:
1. Morbid Crypt 
2. Toxik Invasion 
3. Human War

-    Total playing time: 12:31

Toxik Society calls Spain home and has pumped out three thrashing tunes of nicely-produced metal. Living Kufeso, the band’s second release, is a twelve-minute foray into the thrash zone that is well worth a listen.

Imagine Destruction’s Schmier fronting one of the lesser-known 80’s thrash bands in your demo collection and there you have. The high-pitched squeal that made songs like “Curse the Gods” famous for the German thrashers back in the day works well for Mark, the band’s vocalist. The band has that ancient sound down pat, and in a sea of up-and-coming thrash bands that recycle the same riffs and vocal styles over and over Toxik Society seems to at least give you pause when someone asks if the thrash scene is at all interesting today.

The production is fine, with all instruments audible and enjoyable; if we had the amazingly intricate devices back then that these bands have now imagine how much crisper some of the classic albums would sound. You can really get into the feel of this demo throughout!

For a band on the rise, Toxik Society fails to bore me. I’d say check these guys out when you can - they’re a fine thrashing trio indeed.

Thraw - Encephalic Oppressions

Release Date:  December, 2009
Band Self Released

TRACK LISTING:
1. Pandemic Reflection  2. Condemnation  3. Mage's Rage  4.Obscene Anatomist  5. A Piece Of Madness 
-    Total playing time: 22:53

Slovenian thrashers Thraw offer up the old “three-times-a-charm” adage with the latest demo, Encephalic Oppressions. There’s some good thrash metal to be had here, complete with some very clean production not typical of thrash bands of any era. I thoroughly enjoy it when a band takes pride in itself to polish its work to the point of legibility.

With some intricate guitar work slicing through the wall of sound, these tracks are fine-tuned examples of true passion for the music at hand. The second track, “Condemnation”, moves like an old Kreator song through the verses, only to spit out some Slayer and Testament chords for good measure. The vocals are very much in the vein of a less nasally Steve Souza, very entertaining and fitting to the music under him. I sincerely enjoy this demo so much I’m bringing it with me in the car tonight for my arduous journey for more record buying…a high compliment indeed! “Mage’s Rage” might get me to thrashing out behind the wheel and you may see me on the news blotter, but…it’s all for the music! If you can’t bang your head to this you’re too old or have mold.

While this style might be stagnant and boring for some, the thrash fans of old and new eras will get a charge out of Thraw, a talented band with some honesty and prowess with its instruments. Check these guys out and show some love for the Slovenian scene!    

DOWNLOAD Encephalic Oppressions and other stuff FREE from the band's  myspace page (click on link above).

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