This is the debut album from US thrashers Toxic Ruin.
This is thrash metal with some progressive tendencies and even a smattering of death metal influences here and there. Both modern and old-school ground is covered on the album too, and overall this is a band that show a good understanding of various types of thrash.
With some good songwriting and no little talent when it comes to holding the attention of the listener, Subterranean Terror takes its many influences and weaves them together into a thrash metal attack that’s surprisingly diverse for his type of thing.
The songs are largely catchy and memorable, and the combination of old-school thrash, modern metal know-how, progressive musicality and death metal technicality is really good to hear. With some classic metal widdling added into the band’s delivery too, these tracks hit the spot quite nicely.
The vocals are resolutely old-school in style, more or less. The singer shows both thrash and death metal influences in his delivery, but either way, he has his performance sights firmly set on the past more so than the music itself. He’s not without charisma or presence though.
Think a mix of Testament, Exodus, Lamb of God, Iron Maiden and Death. It all comes together nicely and Subterranean Terror is quite the enjoyable monstrosity.
Wonderbox Metal 