Toxic Trace - Torment (2011)

In case of a thrash band, extreme intensity and aggressive approach as style features are not surprising (except if it's about Bay Area thrash of course). But there's are always levels how these features could be involved, and if Toxic Trace was introduced as a thrash/death band, it wasn't far from the truth.
   Even though their music was probably mainly influenced by German thrash classics, such as Sodom or Kreator, they've passed far beyond, to nearly ending up at the border of the genre. Therefore the overwhelmingly intense and aggressive touch of "Torment" reminds more to the extreme approach of South American thrash bands like Disaster, or in general to bands who mixed thrash with death or black metal influences. In themes they stay strictly inside the border of the genre, but the intensity on the side of the cawing/growling vocal assistance pushed the scale a bit further. Except some occasional middle speed themes, there are no slow downs or empty phrases to find on "Torment", and also no calm moments. Short, noisy solos are assisting. The album is like one fast unified overwhelming rush, based on simple but effective themes, that are well managed to not turn boring. It's thrash metal exactly how it supposed to sound like, and might be more than satisfying for the fans of the genre.