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Track Listing
1. Faithless
2. Hating Life
3. 2014
4. Falling Down
5. On Wings Of Pestilence
6. The Day You Died
7. Away From Emptiness
8. Macabre World
9. Typhoid Mary
10. Fail To Exist
Label : Metal Blade
One of Holland's best known and internationally most successful death metal bands has to be God Dethroned. With six full-length albums in the last decade of their existence, they probably are one of the most productive bands as well. You would think that this might cause some problems in the creative department, yet the band was reinvigorated just there with a new line-up right before they did their previous album 'The Lair Of The White Worm' (2004).
The new album 'The Toxic Touch' is the result of two years of extensive touring with the new band members Henk Zimmer (bass) and Isaac Delahaye (guitar) and again their sound has undergone some surprising evolutionary steps. In the first place the approach is even more melodic than it was on the previous album. In the second place it is very noticeable that the special trademark of the band, the one and only blast beat, has been pushed back a bit and is only played at certain tactically chosen moments in order to be more effective. For me personally this does not work that well, because it seems as if a bit of the pace and aggression is lost.
Whereas the material on 'The Lair Of The White Worm' were mainly built on pure speed and aggression and the melody was a nice extra, this last element has become the most important one in God Dethroned's sound of today. This has improved the catchiness and recognizability of the songs. The choruses of 'Hating Life' (please note the extremely brilliant melodies in this one!) or 'On Wings Of Pestilence' cannot be ignored and are sure to be sung along to easily in a live setting. The nine songs on 'The Toxic Touch' all show that the trusty God Dethroned sound has reached a new stadium in its evolution. When I compare the new album and its predecessor, I have to be honest and admit that I prefer the previous one, but I am sure that there will be enough people to whom the changes mentioned above will make things more interesting.
1. Faithless
2. Hating Life
3. 2014
4. Falling Down
5. On Wings Of Pestilence
6. The Day You Died
7. Away From Emptiness
8. Macabre World
9. Typhoid Mary
10. Fail To Exist
Label : Metal Blade
One of Holland's best known and internationally most successful death metal bands has to be God Dethroned. With six full-length albums in the last decade of their existence, they probably are one of the most productive bands as well. You would think that this might cause some problems in the creative department, yet the band was reinvigorated just there with a new line-up right before they did their previous album 'The Lair Of The White Worm' (2004).
The new album 'The Toxic Touch' is the result of two years of extensive touring with the new band members Henk Zimmer (bass) and Isaac Delahaye (guitar) and again their sound has undergone some surprising evolutionary steps. In the first place the approach is even more melodic than it was on the previous album. In the second place it is very noticeable that the special trademark of the band, the one and only blast beat, has been pushed back a bit and is only played at certain tactically chosen moments in order to be more effective. For me personally this does not work that well, because it seems as if a bit of the pace and aggression is lost.
Whereas the material on 'The Lair Of The White Worm' were mainly built on pure speed and aggression and the melody was a nice extra, this last element has become the most important one in God Dethroned's sound of today. This has improved the catchiness and recognizability of the songs. The choruses of 'Hating Life' (please note the extremely brilliant melodies in this one!) or 'On Wings Of Pestilence' cannot be ignored and are sure to be sung along to easily in a live setting. The nine songs on 'The Toxic Touch' all show that the trusty God Dethroned sound has reached a new stadium in its evolution. When I compare the new album and its predecessor, I have to be honest and admit that I prefer the previous one, but I am sure that there will be enough people to whom the changes mentioned above will make things more interesting.
