Toxic Bonkers-Progress
(Selfmadegod Records, 2007)

A new full length from Toxic Bonkers equals a big smile on my face. The band has a pummeling and unique approach to grindcore that sounds like a cross between Bolt Thrower, Sepultura, and Napalm Death. Its one hell of a style, and it is in fine form on this album.

A lot of grindcore is about speed, but that really isnt the case with Toxic Bonkers. There is no denying that there are fast sections and this has its fair share of blasting. But this is much more rhythmic then most bands in the genre. They have a stomp similar to Bolt Thrower and a rhythmic diversity that brings to mind Chaos AD era Sepultura. This album shows the bands songwriting being the best it has ever been. The songs have a lot of impact and an energetic performance from the band really helps seal the deal.

The production is thick and really helps the heavy grooves have a lot of impact. The vocals are mixed perfectly and the guttural roar comes across with a lot of power and energy. It sounds very similar to the last album, but I would say that this is a better sounding album if only by a slim margin.

While it is sometimes easy to pick out the influences on display here, the way they come together and the different genres of metal the band draws from helps Toxic Bonkers forge their own sound. Its a mash up of death metal, hardcore and grindcore and it is a heavy and effective mix sure to please fans of everything from Napalm Death to Disrupt.

Daymares-Cant Get Us All
(Selfmadgod Records, 2007)

This one is surprised the hell out of me. Selfmadegod is mainly known for grindcore, but Daymares is something of a combination of death n roll and hardcore punk. Its fast and furious and just heavy enough to appeal to metal fans.

While Im not sure exactly who to compare this to, Id say that a mash up of Entombed, Integrity, Discharge and the Loud Pipes wouldnt be a bad description. They have the stomp and guttural vocals similar to Entombed, the heavy hardcore feel of Integrity, the speed of Discharge and the rock mixed with hardcore sound of the Loud Pipes mixed in for good measure. It isnt an incredibly original sound when you get right down to it, but it certainly is an enjoyable listen none the less.

There are also a lot of dynamics on display here. There are many slower parts that have a lot of build up and sound similar to Damnation AD but a bit more exciting to my ears. Damnation AD also came across as a bit boring to me, this is a similar style but with more energy.

This one was definitely a pleasant surprise. It draws from a lot of different styles but manages to keep everything cohesive and hard hitting. Fans of everything from Cursed to Entombed, to even Motorhead will probably find a lot to like on this album.

Dear Black Diary-Self-titled
(Year of the Son, 2007)

At first I was going to dismiss this as just being another heavy and technical band that was noisy and didnt really have anything new to offer. While this may not be anything really new, the hints of melody and some more straight forward sections help this stand out just a bit.

The easiest comparison would probably be say a band like Beneath the Massacre but a bit less death metal. The guttural vocals, technical riffs are very similar although this band isnt really anywhere near as fast. This usually has a bit more of a deliberate pace which somewhat make this sound similar to the endless parade of bands playing heavy music laced with breakdowns and dissonance.

There are some unique ideas on display here though. The album has a lot of really cool melodic sections that break up the usually straight forward and bludgeoning nature of the band. What I like is that they havent used clean vocals for the melody; they have crafted interesting melodic guitar lines that sometimes sound like they came out of left field. They do help keep the album interesting, and in all honesty I wish they would have explored these ideas a bit more.

There are a few drawbacks here. The vocals arent overly exciting. They switch between a shriek and an extremely guttural roar. It fits the nature of the band, but yet it isnt anything new either. The songs also have a tendency to sound similar from time to time. That said the band is definitely on to something and you can hear that they are trying to create something unique, they just quite arent there yet. Give them some time and Im sure they will have a violent and technical style that is all their own.