I generally try to shy away from direct band comparisons, unless the antecedents were such blatant influences that to ignore them would be to admit sheer ignorance. A band like Toxic Holocaust, however, practically dares you not to mention their allegiance to Bay Area thrash and mid-80's proto-black metal, and even though they're chugging along into album number four with solid results, there is still little evidence of the band actually coming into their own.
It may be that one day Toxic Holocaust forge a unique identity, actually becoming retro-futuristic instead of just plain retro, but in the meantime Conjure and Command is the strongest, most concise statement they've yet made in defense of their stubborn unwillingness to progress… and what's more, they didn't have to rehash "War is Hell" again to get there.
"Bitch" puts a bit of a spin on the Possessed/Destruction alchemy usually employed by TC by going in an early Venom direction, with all the NWOBHM riffing that would imply. "The Liars are Burning" similarly evokes Mercyful Fate – with a more raspy King Diamond, of course – with its sinister spin on the 70's metal riff and basic, accessible chorus. Overall, there is more of an emphasis on Conjure and Command in creating catchy, memorable hooks rather than relying on the raw abrasiveness that was the primary selling point on their prior, often interchangeable albums.
As welcome as I generally find the concept of retro-thrash (or neo-thrash, whatever you want to call it), in execution I find that too many of the bands choose to emulate third or fourth tier 80's groups without making any effort to improve on the generic quality of those groups. Often there is very little difference between listening to a young retro-thrash outfit and putting on a listless reunion album by one of the old bands who have reformed to cash in on the new retro craze.
This is where groups like Toxic Holocaust and Municipal Waste come in, two acts who – if we absolutely must recreate the 80's with little to no new advancements – actually make a legitimate case that thrash should have never died in the first place. I personally believe that any musical genre that was ever worth a shit to begin with doesn't have any innate shelf life; it's only t decline in quality due to bands getting bored that make pundits think that all trends were meant to inevitably die. I'd like to see a few of these retro brands deviate from the sloppy, "garage" thrash influences and go for the clean, melodic styles of late 80's Testament or Anthrax, but until then if there is a torch to be run with in the movement Toxic Holocaust are as good a pacesetter as anyone.
8 out of 10
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