REJECTED SOULS OF KERBERUS - 2024 / TOXAEMIA
Otra crítica para METAL HAMMER ESPAÑA. Turno para el aún poco conocido grupo de death metal sueco TOXAEMIA y su segundo disco, REJECTED SOULS OF KERBERUS.
LABEL: EMANZIPATION PRODUCTIONS
RELEASE DATE: 15th of November, 2024
MEMBERS:
PONTUS CERVIN – Bass guitar
EMIL NORRMAN – Drums
STEVO BOLGAKOV – Guitar
DENNIS JOHANSSON – Vocals
ANTON PETROVIC – Guitar
TRACKS:
REJECTED SOULS OF KERBERUS
M.A.O.D.
HUNGER
BEYOND THE REALM
EX ODIO
BLOOD RED
DAWN OF THE ENSLAVED
TEMPLE OF VENOM
FOLLOW THE LEADER
TRAGEDIES THROUGH CENTURIES
I SAW THEM DIE
VIDEOS:
Music offers tons of benefits more often than not. One of them is knowing that the possibilities, regardless of the chosen genre, are, if not immeasurable, almost impossible to cover. In my case, it doesn't matter how long I've been devoted to this or that subgenre, I always end up realizing that what I know is much lesser than what I don't. The slight powerlessness it creates (you realize that, after many years, your knowledge is pretty much basic) is immediately outdone by the realization of the fact that, if I want, one way or another, I will always be capable of knowing new stuff.
The reason behind the previous reasoning is that a few years ago, by complete chance (through a forum on Facebook), I happened to meet DANIEL GALLAR, a spanish bloke who, after many years of travelling and, among other stuff, an intense musical life, has ended up settled in Viena. Dani not only is a seasoned musician with several bands and appealing records behind him (among which stand out SECTARIANA, the second and great album by the english band NEPHWRACK, his collaboration with MATHIAS DONOSO in THE NAKED SHOW and the whole body of work of the brilliant heavy / thrash band from Austria called VEIL OF DECEPTION), but he also is a seemingly bottomless pit of heavy metal wisdom. I've lost track of all the bands I've got to know and enjoy thanks to him, and also of all of those he has talked to me into and I have forgotten about. Not to mention the enjoyable conversation via Whatsapp for hours on end. Among the most standing out bands of the first bunch we can find the one which I'm about to discuss, the swedish (Motala) death outfit TOXAEMIA.
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| Current Toxaemia. Clockwise: Niklas (see PD below), Pontus, Anton, Stevo and Dennis |
To cut a very long story short, it needs to be said that Toxaemia is a death metal band created in the late eighties which, after not enjoying the luck they surely deserved and recording a couple of demos and an EP (BEYOND THE REALM, 1991), disbanded soon after, at the beginning of the nineties. A much later compilation, premonitory titled BURIED TO RISE (2010), would collect the band's entire body of work from those early years and serve as Toxaemia's testament. Until 2017, when the perseverance of three of the founding members, PONTUS, EMIL and STEVO, lead them to bring the beast back to life, releasing in 2020 the very good WHERE PATHS DIVIDE, their debut album after so many years of wait. Emil did not play on that one, but he's back now. Toxaemia's story reminds me of that of the great english band HELL.
The thing is that Dani told me about this band, not only because of their potential and that very good debut album, but also due to his long lasting friendship with Pontus, whom he met when they both run into each other during a work tenure in Scotland. They both shared a band which did not go anywhere but made Pontus rekindle the spark of his love for music once he went back to Sweden. How circular life can become. Toxaemia have released this gem, Rejected Souls Of Kerberus, a few months ago and, in order to purchase it and thanks to Dani's intervention, I've been lucky enough to contact the one and only Pontus himself who, doing justice to the reputation that precedes him, couldn't have been friendlier to me.
I recall when I first listened to Where Paths Divide and, after a short intro, I was immediately hooked by the guitar shredding at the very beginning of the opening track DELUSIONS. The rest of the album stood its ground too and it's a great record which receives regular spins at home we're talking about. However, Rejected Souls Of Kerberus is something bigger. Toxaemia pick it up where they left off and improve their craft at all levels (beginning with the cover by WILLIAM PERSSON ÖBERG), again with the help of the omnipresent swedish musician and producer DAN SWANÖ behind the desk (he had already produced the previous record and enhanced all the original recordings on the aforementioned compilation). Emil is back on drums, as I said, replacing PER KARLSSON, while DENNIS JOHANSSON remains as the singer and the other guitarrist, RASMUS AXELSSON, gives way to the new signing, ANTON PETROVIC.
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| Pontus Cervin |
The old school death metal rapid fire which opens the title track, together with Dennis' threatening role, make clear what this is all about and summarize just fine what's about to come, although Toxaemia don't hide their penchant for some shorter and more melodic moments which only make the whole thing better. In addition, and from the very get go, there's something which stands out for good: the overall sound is deeper and thickier than on the debut.
M.A.O.D. (Morbid Angel Of Death) begins in a similar fashion, but what I like the most is the guitar melody which combines with the vocals during the verse, besides a somehow rockier guitar solo during which the dominant intensity gives itself some breathing space, followed by a simple but heavy as hell section that leads the song to its end. This is getting better although, to be honest, I could live without Dennis' final agonizing screams repeating the title of the song once the music is over, even though something like that goes hand in hand with the cave-like atmosphere which is often linked to this kind of music.
HUNGER's opening is my favourite moment so far, thanks to a glorious riff and Emil's tireless pounding behind the drum kit. But the song morphes into a different beast before it reaches its first minute, due to some new riffs and atmospheres. This pattern repeats itself and amidst the whole thing there is another classy guitar solo, and I'd dare say every solo on this record is played by the same musician, but the album credits don't give any clue about Stevo or Anton being said person, or about myself being wrong about it because they both share the task.
As they had done on the first record, Toxaemia dust off (and improve) on this one some songs from their early years, such as BEYOND THE REALM, which gave name to their only EP, released in 1991. I love the open chords during the refrain, contrasting the usual blast beats of the verses, but not as much as I like the instrumental section halfway through the song, in line with M.A.O.D. finale, with Pontus and the rhythm guitar creating a huge wall behind another great guitar solo.
What's with the great and doomy beginning of EX ODIO! This song is a tad removed from the genre's usual patterns and has moments that even remind me of something that even PARADISE LOST themselves could have done in the past. What a scorcher this one is, with some of the album's nicest moments when it comes to create a taut atmosphere thanks to the seemingly simple, but inventive and flawless, guitar work.
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| Toxaemia with Emil (second from the left) still in the ranks |
BLOOD RED gets back on track with the opening assault and gets even better when the band loosens up during the subsequent and more nimble thrash section which goes before the wreck that Emil provides his kit with in the chorus. The instrumental part is very good, once again, and Pontus does a great job here. And this as good a moment as any to talk about Dennis' performance on vocals. Extreme metal resorts quite often to growls and raspy and extremely aggressive voices, but while some singers excel in this department, there are others who, in my opinion, get to the point of borderlining on parody and worsen the final outcome. The latter was far from being Dennis' case on Where Paths Divide, but it's also true that his voice turns out to be the most anodyne element on the record. The improvement is striking on this one and he sounds powerful and menacing without the need of going too far beyond.
The first seconds of DAWN OF THE ENSLAVED, the shortest track on here, is completely scandianvian and evocative. An unexpected but outstanding nod on an album like this one. When the track changes its dynamics you can also listen to some moments which even remind me of trad heavy metal, and I think the overall result could fit on the records that the dutch band GOD DETHRONED released not a long time ago within their trilogy about WWI.
Before I spin this record a gazillion more times, TEMPLE OF VENOM is one of my favourite tracks so far, thanks mostly to the guitar phrasing during the open chords parts (with Emil adding some brilliant touches with his double kicks) and the subsequent thrash bridge, which leads to another display of insane death metal. Another great guitar solo. The good taste of the guitarrists is to be welcomed.
The first times I've listened to FOLLOW THE LEADER I have thought that those opening chords remind me of some specific song, but without being able to find out which. Got it. It comes to mind, even if vaguely, the beginning of the very famous TWISTED TRUTH, by the again dutch PESTILENCE (TESTIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS, 1991), a band whose first era is a cornerstone of the death metal genre. Apart from that, both songs have little in common with each other, with Toxaemia's being more aggressive. It features a couple of pauses and and a different and accomplished middle part.
TRAGEDIES THROUGH CENTURIES is the other song which has been recycled from the band's already distant past. Its first version (same as happened with the other two old tracks that made it onto the debut album) did not go further than the demo stage and was featured on the BURIED TO ROT demo (1991). This is another exercise in old school death with lots of tremolo picking, very much in the vein of M.A.O.D. or Beyond The Realm. The guitar solo is more excessive this time around, with some whammy bar abuse, and the ending is thrashier.
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| If I'm not mistaken, this is the lineup which recorded Where Paths Divide |
The show reaches its ending with a cover of the song I SAW THEM DIE, by DISMEMBER (MASSIVE KILLING CAPACITY, 1995), something which makes perfect sense, given the kind of music they play and the origin of both bands, although I find the original a tad removed from what Toxaemia usually do. Pontus and the lads make this song their own (the contrast between both singers is remarkable), managing to toxaemiacize it.
And that's all folks. Thanks to Toxaemia for the music and making us all believe in second chances. Already eagerly looking forward the third album. And above all, thanks to Daniel and Pontus.
See ya!
*PD. After having written and sent the original draft to Metal Hammer, I've realized that the band has once again changed its drummer. Emil Norrman recorded the album, but there's another person behind the drums, although I don't know why. Anyway, the new guy's name is NIKLAS HOLMBERG.
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