With a name that relates to a substance that can destroy red blood cells and cause serious organ and tissue degeneration, it’s pretty obvious that Californian act Hemotoxin isn’t going to be known for radio-friendly power ballads.
Formed in 2010, When Time Becomes Loss (Pulverised Records) marks the band’s fourth full-length studio release, and the fourth to feature an almost completely different line-up. For this latest record, frontman/bassist/guitarist and general mastermind Michael Anthony Chavez has recruited former Morbid Angel and Havok drummer Scott Fuller and guitarists Tony Barhoum and Andrew Lee, with a further six stringer – Donnie Small of Laceration and Trecelence guesting on the album’s blistering second track, “Call From The Abyss”; a frantic burst of technical thrash metal energy.
Progressive death/thrash with a Lovecraftian science fiction bent, Hemotoxin might sound more like the name of a fairly uncomplicated eighties speed metal band but there really is nothing straightforward about them.
Opening with the excitable drums and dive-bombing squeals of “Morbid Reflection”, Chavez’s voice resembles the late, great Death frontman Chuck Schuldiner as the song moves at a blur of speed yet still possesses all the room necessary for a lengthy, schizophrenic guitar solo.
“Malediction” maintains the speed and slashing riffery, only decelerating for a while in order to birth a darkly crushing groove riff before returning to even more fretboard wizardry. From the riffs to Chavez’s voice, the first half of “Abstract Commands” has Symbolic/Individual Thought Patterns-era Death written all over it, a thrashier element quickly emerging as it charges viciously towards the finishing line.
Opening with gentle acoustic strumming, it doesn’t take long for one of the record’s undisputed highlights “Conscious Descent” to burst eyeballs with its killer riffs, insanely prog-tastic melodies and four string work of a Steve DiGiorgio nature. If this one doesn’t go straight back onto repeat then you’re quite obviously doing it wrong.
Penultimate cut “Reborn In Tragedy” is slightly more direct but no less ruthless; the moody middle section another chance for some refined, high quality prog influenced soloing before exploding back with scorched earth vocals and drums fast enough to receive a speeding ticket.
Clocking in at just shy of five and a half minutes, the title track is the longest on the album and features pretty much everything including the kitchen sink. Spidery riffs, pulsating bass work, chunky rhythms and powerhouse drumming are all topped off with yet another jaw-dropping melodic display of whammy bar and six string savagery.
Without doubt one of the most exciting death/thrash/prog albums of the year, When Time Becomes Loss takes you on a journey that lasts less than half an hour but explores so many different territories you’re likely to feel completely overwhelmed by the time it ends. Get on it. Now.
Buy the album here:
https://pulverised.bandcamp.com/album/when-time-becomes-loss
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK