Toxik — World Circus/Think This

Here’s a CD set bringing together the two 1980’s albums from Peekskill, New York Trash band Toxik- that were originally put by Roadrunner Records. There’s their 1987 debut World Circus, which focused on a more formal Thrash/ speed/ power metal sound. And its follow-up 1989 Think This, which was a more creative mixture of Thrash, prog metal, and power metal. The set appears Dissonance Productions, part of the Cherry Red family of labels, which focuses on releasing all things metal bound.

The CDs come presented in a glossy six-panel digipak- this features a black, grey, and green outer colour scheme. Inside and under the discs, we get the cover artwork for each of the albums. Also included is a glossy sixteen-page booklet- this features a ten-page write-up about the albums and the band by metal journalist/ writer Kevin Stewart-Panko, a good selection of posters/flyers, release artwork, and band photos. So, a nicely presented release.

Formed in 1985 in Peekskill, New York, originally under the name of Tokyo, Toxik initially featured just guitarist Joshua Christian and bass player Lee Erwin. Over the next few years, the line-up shifted somewhat- and by the time they got a deal with Roadrunner, it had firmed up to the following Mike Sanders - Vocals, Josh Christian - Guitars, Brian Bonini - Bass, Tad Leger – Drums. The band initially ran between 1985- 1992, releasing just the two albums to hand. Then they regrouped in 2007, then until from 2013- to the present, when they released an EP 2017’s Breaking Class, with a new album Dis Morta due out on Massacre Records this year.

On the first disc, we have the band's 1987 debut album World Circus- this was recorded and produced at the famous Tampa Florida-based Morrisound studios, which of course went on to become synonymous with the Death Metal scene. It’s a ten-track album, which runs just over the thirty-seven and a-half-minute mark- and while there are very heavy nods towards more known names in both the Bay Area & NYC Thrash/ speed metal, the band weave in elements of power and light prog metal to their sound, which is finished off with the often soaring and at points scorching falsetto of Mr Sanders. The album opens with the sound of a heart monitor trailing off then we’re into “Heart Attack” this starts all chugging ‘n’ mid-paced, before speeding off to a rapid gallop creating an interesting crossbreed between Thrash and power metal. As we move, we have manic gunning speed metal of “Voices” which rather brought to mind a more prog metal-infused take on early Death Angel. There’s the title track, which after crowd/ nuke explosion sound effects kicks into a rapid circus-sounding-like riff- before shifting into a nice blend of darting ‘n’ gallop metallics, with some nice meaty mosh meets widdling guitar breaks downs along the way. The album plays out in high gear with the sailing-to-wailing vocals meets manic head-banging thrashing of “Victims”. On the whole World Circus is a good and compact debut album, nicely blending and blurring Thrash and speed metal with power and prog metal touches to great effect. This reissue just features the original album and no extras- as does the second disc too.
 
Moving onto the second  CD, we have the band's 1989 follow-up Think This, and once again this was recorded/ produced in Morrisound. The line-up had once again shifted slightly with the following Charles Sabin – vocals, Josh Christian – guitars, John Donnelly – guitars, Brian Bonini – bass, Tad Leger – drums. The album featured twelve tracks, and a running time of fifty-three and a half minutes. The sound here, while still grounded in Thrash showed more prog metal tendencies coming to the fore- there are still touches of Power metal here and there, but Speed traces were pretty much rubbed out. We go from “Greed” which opens up with a sample from a certain Mr Gecko- before moving between darting ‘n’ chugging riffing, metallic ‘n’ clean strums, and sailing/ widdling breakdowns. Moving on we have the bounding bass meets chugging metal of “Black and White” which sits in a rewarding place between Thrash and power metal. We have “Machine Dream” which feels like an even blend of the Thrashing and prog metal, as we shift from heavy Rush-like riffing, on to cutting ‘n’ chopping mosh craft, gang vocals, and cascading guitar soloing layers. We have the manic gallop meets darting riff craft of “Time After Time” which goes more back to their straight thrashing origins, save for the call ‘n’ response vocals, and sailing/ complex guitar breakdowns/ soloing. All in all, this is a great follow-up record, with the band's own identity coming more to the fore- and the more prog metal elements are most welcome too….such a pity there wasn’t another album to follow this in late  the 80s/ early ’90s
 

It is wonderful to see these two albums getting a reissue, as they are most worthy examples of the 1980s Thrash metal featuring creative touches of both power and prog metal. I’ll certainly be checking out the band's new album when it appears and let us hope it follows the path started by Think This. To buy this direct from the folks at Cherry Red Mosh by here.