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What do you get when you combine a toxic with a holocaust? Give up? Toxic Holocaust! These punk-inflected thrash metallers out of Portland, Oregon have been kicking it old school since the 1980s. Their musical influences had ranged from a wide variety of acts, Discharge, Hellhammer, Bathory, Venom and Possessed just to name a few. Joel Grind founded Toxic Holocaust in 1999 being the original team mate who wrote and recorded everything within his very own bed room.

After a couple of demo releases (Radiation Sickness, 1999; Critical Mass, 2002), an official LP was revealed entitled "Evil Never Dies (2003). Two years went by and after some constant touring hiring backup back after backup Grind had gone off to release his second attempt "Hell On Earth" (2005) then another round of touring followed. Soon after Relapse Records contacted Grind and everything fell into place from that day, bringing forth "An Overdose of Death," (2008) and thus the birth Grind like's call "Nuclear Speed Metal" was born. Joel Grind spoke to me briefly while the band was on their last California date before heading out East to finish off The Decimation of the Nation Tour.

1. Tell us about Toxic Holocaust... a little history... a little about the band members.

Joel: Toxic Holocaust started in 99 I had started in high school with a couple friends. We did a demo tape but it didn’t really work out they weren’t into the punk thrash music style. So I started recording my own stuff in my bedroom for a couple of years which lead to “Critical Mass.” Then this record label out of California called Nuclear War Now took interest and released it via vinyl. So from doing that, it lead to underground tours, gigs etc.



But then I would have to travel and need to get a backup band, heading out to Austria need to backup band, going to Brazil backup band. So a solid line-up wasn’t set yet. I did one more demo - I believe in 2007 and sent that off to some labels where Relapse came out to be the best response. Since then we replaced our old drummer, have this new guy along with our bassist and everything has been working out great ever since.

2. If you had to describe your sound to someone what would you tell them?

Joel: I would say thrash punk basically combining different styles of music similar to sounding a lot like Hellhammer.

3. Your debut An Overdose of Death... is out. Tell us about it.

Joel: Well it’s not really our debut album but it’s our third record that’s actually received the most disruption. It has new songs that I’d like to call “Nuclear Speed Metal” I don’t know really but I like how the recording came together and how raw and intense it is overall.

4. Pick one song on the "An Overdose of Death...," and tell us about it. How was it inspired?

Joel: Well I’d have to pick “Nuke The Cross,” a lot of people hear the title and atomically think it’s a Satanic theme song it’s actually more about ending religion than the title claims it to be when looking at the lyrics. I’m not a big fan of a religion or a Satanist I just like doing my own thing and believe what I believe in.

5. Do you have any plans for the next release?

Joel: Yeah got a bunch of new songs ready to record so everyone should be seeing that very soon.



6. You guys have been constantly touring, what is one of the most memorable places you've been too?

Joel: Most memorable place would have to be in Japan it’s so different than any other place we’ve been too. It’s a completely different culture than anywhere else.

7. What are your upcoming plans for the rest of 2009?

Joel: We got a tour with Satyricon happening and then another with The Black Dahlia Murder coming up along with heading to Europe in December so basically lots more touring going on.

8. What are your goals for Toxic Holocaust?

Joel: Just get on the road and release more records. I don’t really have any goals just meet more fans and make new friends and get our music heard while out on the road.



9. What are one good thing and one bad thing about being in a band?

Joel: The good thing is all the girls we meet, and the interviews we do. The bad thing is not making any money but I do enjoy doing what I do.

10. Anything else you'd like to add?

Joel: Hopefully you’ll see us on the road we’ll be coming to your tour so come check us out!

Written/Photographed By: Natalie Perez
9:40 PM
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Chimaira formed in 1998 based out of Cleveland, Ohio these metalcore thrash addicts have taken the metal genre to a whole new level after unleashing "The Infection," Expanding a series of new material to express itself to not only the old school fans but the new comers as well. Matt spoke to me briefly on the band's tour bus right outside their last stop in California before heading out East to finish up the remainder of what is left is The Decimation of the Nation Tour.



1. So you must get a lot of freedom to do what you want to do with your music?

Matt: What’s cool about this record is having us as a whole grow up and being able to combine our certain favorites together to create a style all our own.

2. What are you currently listening to?

Matt: We kind of go back on what we grow up with I’ve been listening to Pantera lately.

3. If every member of Chimaira was locked in a room together what could you all agree on to listen to?

Matt: What’s cool a lot of us have the same backgrounds like Pantera, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, any of the old school heavy metal acts we can all relate too.



4. Are you looking forward to any specific venues or cities on this tour?

Matt: There’s some I’m trying to think all the California dates I love coming out here in the West Coast but I also like going out to Austin.

5. Any tour anxieties?

Matt: Not really anymore everything is pretty much going well.

6. Is everyone in Chimaira still sort of located in Ohio? Or have some members branched out and moved away?

Matt: Everyone is in Cleveland, Chris moved down in Florida stayed out there for 2 years then moved back. So having everyone around makes the music process a lot easier.

7. Does that make it difficult when the time comes to practice or write? Is the writing done separately and then sort of pieced together, or is it more of as group effort?

Matt: We write on our own at first then come together. Then we get together and piece it altogether.



8. How do you feel like "The Infection," is different than the other albums that Chimaira has released?

Matt: Yeah it’s definitely different than anything else we’ve released.

9. How does it make you guys feel to hear so many other bands trying to sort of mimic your sound? Is it flattering or…?

Matt: I think it’s flattering for sure it’s not like someone is trying to rip us off but I think its cool overall.

10. Of all of Chimaira’s albums, what is your personal favorite? Or is that like asking you to try and choose a favorite child?

Matt: I’d have to say this one because it’s fresh and new.

11. Any last words of wisdom?

Matt: Thanks for all the support.
9:31 PM
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One of the most brutalizing and intense acts around within the death metal pool is known to many as Dying Fetus. These three musicians combine death metal with a combo of grind and hardcore to establish a mixture of metal unlike any other out right now. Bassist Sean Beasley spoke to me outside the Glass House in Pomona while the band was out on the last stop in California on The Decimation of the Nation Tour.



1. Does the whole album creating process simply get more difficult as time goes on? Have you ever felt pressure to top yourselves?

Sean: You always feel pressure to top yourself. Definitely the song-writing process gets easier but the whole process does get harder as each album comes around.

2. That being said was there an intention to create an album which was a reaction to “War of Attrition,"?

Sean: Not really it was what it was and the same goes for this one coming out.

3. How is the current tour going, getting along with everyone?

Sean: Yeah it’s going great so far we’ve been playing a lot of smaller places. So it’s a lot more different than our usual standards.

4. What kind of steps does "Descend Into Depravity," takes in comparison? How do you view the leaps of growth Dying Fetus took between "Purification Through Violence," to "War of Attrition," from "Killing on Adrenaline," and from that to "Descend Into Depravity"?



Sean: I’m not an original member of the band so as far as that goes this band has gone through some line-up changes so that makes a difference here and there. Music wise it’s gotten a lot more intense expressing what Dying Fetus Is truly capable of doing.

5. What's left at this point? Are there still things left to challenge Dying Fetus?

Sean: Yeah get back on the bus than riding in a van, just go out and tour.

6. So what do you have going on this year?

Sean: After this tour is over our next release comes out in September then we’re going off to play with Cannibal Corpse. In the meantime we’re waiting for the release of our two new music videos to come out which should be anytime now.



7. What are the biggest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?

Sean: The biggest crowd was probably at Wacken 2002 about 40,000 or so and the smallest was 11. *Laughs* It was just the other band mates and their girlfriends standing and watching us perform.

8. Any last words?

Sean: Any last words check out the new album once it’s released.

Written/Photographed By: Natalie Perez
9:24 PM
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An award winning composer known as Christopher Lennertz scores big when scoring the album for the film entitled Adam. A tale about a man by the name of Adam, who is affected by Asperger's a high functioning form of autism. Lennertz has created a simple theme reflecting upon Adam's lifestyle. As Adam's life develops becoming more complex so does the music surrounding him. Lennertz wanted to use ensemble with a Beatles influenced impacted rather than your basic orchestra like tone. This consists of guitar, upright piano, cello, bass, drums, mellotron, marimba, along with a celeste and bansuri. A small six string section is added in making the romantic sequences more vivid and captures the entire scene than just certain aspects of it.



Lennertz uses some creative tactics such as reversing the harmonic guitar notes and lowering the pitch of the bansuri to create such an unique texture it captivates all its own. But that's not all Lennertz uses a wide range of other gadgets to keep the music embraced and moving from start to finish never missing a beat. All in all Adam is a film with excellent music passages that by pass one another clashing together to combine a source of music that stands out above all the rest.
1:43 PM
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"The Scars Between Us," is the new highly anticipated album from San Francisco Bay Area metal heads Skinlab. This long awaited accomplishment is the first LP in over 7 years! It's about time the metal revolution has dug itself a hole deep enough to withstand such brutality. 11-tracks equals out to 11 tunes that will astound and amaze you all in one single shot. Skinlab presents themselves hard and heavier than ever before, taking their musical abilities to a higher standard.

Instrumentally speaking directs the instruments down a whole another route being more aggressive and heavier than expected. Rotating that sound that drifts away then makes its way back around in full circle creating this sound wave of absolution. For instance when “Amphetamine Gods,” and “Scream At The World,” play back to back such intensity and adrenaline is used you could in hail the rush of energy pushing through. Skinlab goes down the lines of sounding a lot like Flatline as far as instrumentally goes, consisting that rough heavy uniqueness buried within. As far as vocals go, Skinlab’s Steev Esquivel takes complete control with two roles, one being bass the other vocals. His vocal chords set up an intensity that brings Jamey Jasta to mind with the screams and shouts come echoing through.

"In For The Kill," and "Still Suffering," is another set that goes well together. Head on "In For The Kill," instrumental usage takes up for the most part. Showcasing the guitars uniqueness in all means possible, unleashing several solos if not misleading riffs that constantly throw you off guard. Whereas "Still Suffering," does the complete opposite allowing Steev's vocals to do most of the work. Screaming and shouting until his vocals are tattered and torn, blood rushing from his lips drawing Skinlab to a final conclusion. The ending being…. What it says “The Scars Between Us.”
10:18 PM

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