San Diego-based melodic punk rock band Toxins have burst onto the scene with their debut album, Existential Dread, an impressive release that showcases the band’s undeniable talent and creativity. From start to finish, the album is a thrilling ride that blends aggression and melody to create a sound that is uniquely their own. One of the standouts of Existential Dread is the band’s incredible musicianship. Each member of Toxins clearly has years of experience, and they have honed their craft to an impressive level. The tight, rhythmic grooves provided by the rhythm section represent the backbone of the music, while both guitar players deliver intricate, melodic leads and crushing power chords.
The vocals on Existential Dread are equally impressive. The lead vocalist has a fantastic range, effortlessly switching from gritty screams to soaring cleans. His lyrics touch on topics like anxiety, self-doubt, and societal pressure, giving the music a relatable, introspective edge. The album commences with Something Worse Than Nothing, an aggressive melodic hardcore punk track that sets the tone for the remainder of the album. The song builds slowly, with fierce screams adding to the sense of tension before bursting into an explosive, fast-paced verse. The album doesn’t let up, barreling through fast-paced bangers like Hummingbird or excellent mid-tempo melodic punk rock song such as Burnout. All these opening tracks will leave listeners thrashing and shouting along.
But what really makes Toxins stand out from other punk rock bands is how they incorporate aggression and mellowness of all the beforementioned music genres. Their clever levitations between melodic hardcore, punk rock, and skatepunk are undoubtedly something special and more than evident in tracks like Brown Bag Special, Boxed In, and It Comes In Waves. These songs carry all these styles, carefully dosed to fit the mood and ambiance of an album, and it’s nearly mindblowing how Toxins stacked them with rage and harmony. One of the best tracks on the album is Shame, a technically demanding song that begins with progressive guitar maneuvers before building into a powerful, emotional pop-punk chorus. The singer sounds particularly impressive here, conveying a sense of desperation and frustration that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt lost or adrift.
Another standout moment on the album comes with Disconnected. Clocking under three minutes, this song is an epic, deeply emotional melodic punk rock journey where the entire band pushes their impressive musicianship to the max. It’s one of those tracks that immediately gets under the skin and demonstrates what this Californian punk rock band has to offer. The album’s final tracks, Worlds Apart, and Coaster Head, are fitting closures that sonically encourage listeners to keep pushing forward. The raw and vulnerable vocals, energetic rhythmic sequences, powerful riffs, and beautiful melodies make these tracks pleasant even more. Toxins put so much effort and time into their album, and you’ll have a mesmerizing listening experience from scratch to finish.
In conclusion, Toxins’ Existential Dread is an exceptional debut full-length album that demands your utmost attention. Their ability to combine aggression and mellowness of the genre is admirable, and their jaw-dropping musicianship, tremendous experience, brilliant ideas, creativity, and talent make them standouts on the contemporary punk rock scene. They manage to retain the raw energy and intensity that makes punk rock so great while infusing it with melodic sensibilities that add a whole new dimension to the music. Existential Dread sets the bar high for both old and new bands because it is one pleasant ride through all the vital elements of the genre. Whether you’re a die-hard punk rocker or just a casual listener looking for fresh music, this album is definitely worth a listen. You can order this album on vinyl on their Bandcamp page. Highly recommended!
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