Toxin - Misantrophy (1991)

Though the 90s were largely barren of quality thrash, German and beyond, I feel like there are a few albums out there that really hinted at something special, and Toxin's sole full-length album, cleverly misspelled Misantrophy, is one of them. It's basically the closest thing I've heard to a cross pollination of Destruction's technical, cold and hostile riffing with the unbridled, alcoholic passion and fire of the early Tankard records. Add to this a bevy of fine-tuned leads and more riffs than you can shake your dick-wick at, and you've got a fine if forgotten epic of ballistic, intense thrash that deserved to spin a few more heads than it did.

Granted, that's a derivative description, and to an extent, Toxin can not be accused of much originality. But it's how they form these influences into cohesive clobbering that makes it a lost, minor cult classic. The Aphorisms EP was a statement of potential, but Misantrophy takes that potential and repeatedly beats you in the face with it, like a flailing limb that has been torn off a bodybuilder. Tracks like "Misantrophy", "Two Wishes", "Lust for Life" and "Wings of Death" pound upon you like a barbwire-encrusted baseball bat, but the band also has a pretty sensitive side which they explore through the 8 minute "Disintegration", which twists through clean guitar segments to power, fumbling a bit through the vocals; or the moody but warlike "Retrospective". These diversions are not necessarily the strong points of the album, though, I rather favor the methodical guitars of "Destructive Ways" or the great opener "Two Sided Existence" with its excellent lead flurries.

Misantrophy is still pretty far from perfect, but I favor the material over the EP before it. The production is not always on fire here, with the vocals seeming a whit sloppy (some tracks more than others), and some of the more expressive guitars coming off a little too chunky. Likewise, the songs are rarely loaded to the brim with quality, they'll five off 4-5 good riffs and then a few that just aren't as convincing, though the energy level rarely dips. That said, there's a lot to be said for the 'Germanic' style here, and for that reason I'd recommend it, at least for a listen, to fans of Tankard, Vendetta, older Deathrow, Destruction, Sodom, and other bands to take that torch through the decades. This album is not so good that you 'must' hear it, but if you enjoy the style, then it's solid second tier entertainment.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://www.toxincassel.de/Toxin_-_Official_Website.html

Toxin - Aphorisms EP (1989)

Toxin are one of the lesser known German bands to arrive in the 80s thrash wave, which is unfortunate, because they certainly had the chops and potential to move ahead in the game had they seen some better exposure. What I'm most impressed with is that they manage to sound somewhat unique among their countrymen, using a more distinctly American style in the pinched, often overbearing vocals, which are contributed here by several of the band members through a series of gang shouts, growls, screams and the beefy central force of Frank Ungewickel, who sounds not unlike Bob Mayo from the New England thrashers Wargasm.

Armed with versatile songs, explosive riffs and some fairly decent production, they set the stage for their tragic obscurity with the Aphorisms EP, which is easily a prescription for a neck brace through the five manic tracks. There's a sixth, "Lord of the Flies", a brief acoustic instrumental, which serves to further their variation, but it's hardly impressive or atmospheric enough to stand out among the meaty thrashers like "Dismembered Illusions", "Daily Inferno" or the title track, each loaded with angry, swerving aggression and riffs that reek of Destruction or Vendetta, only with a thicker tone. I also really enjoy "Land of Despaire", which takes on a more melodic hue, interspersed with passages of intense speed metal. "The Prophecy" is slightly weaker than the other metal tracks, but there are still a few moments of charging 80s speed guitars and capable yelling.

Aphorisms is somewhat less technical than the band's 1991 full-length, Misanthropy, and I don't think the songs are quite as good, but it compensates with a shred more blunt aggression and street character. The EP sounds quite good, the instruments clearly defined and honest; for a little known band on an even littler known label, that's saying a lot. Toxin really didn't have the same level of chops that bands like Destruction, Kreator and Sodom were laying out already, but they spend their time well here, creating a ballast that would carry the interested listener straight to the following year's album.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.toxincassel.de/Toxin_-_Official_Website.html