TOXIC LOBOTOMY

Tired of the endless stream of bands sounding alike? Tired of all the clean-singing cookie monsters, bad tunes wrapped in four-and-a-half minute drum solos and tiresome guitar scales? I might have the perfect antidote for you then. Lie down and make yourself comfortable and let me introduce you to Dr. Joel Grind a.k.a. Toxic Holocaust who will be in charge of your treatment today. Turn the music on and let the primitive and uncomplicated thrash from Toxic Holocaust take you back to a time when extreme metal was still in the early stages, and burning churches and molesting priests were still just used as harmless metaphors to scare the parents of rebellious teenage metal-fans. After a ride in the musical purgatory with Toxic Holocaust I can almost guarantee you a mental reset that will make you forget about all the narcotic cookie-monster, metal-rebel wannabes out there. I looked up the Toxic Holocaust clinic, hoping to reveal some of the secrets behind the musical lobotomy that worked so well for me. Unfortunately, Joel Grind kept his cards very close to his body and was not as informative when it came to revealing secrets of the trade...

# When I listen to Toxic Holocaust (TH), I instantly think of the 1980’s, and the metal from this era has clearly had an influence on your music. What is it about the metal from this particular decade that fascinates you?

“The metal music of the 80’s seems more honest, raw and in-your-face. I think the way many of the bands approached it then was different than now. Nowadays it seems that too many people are caught up in technical perfection and pristine recordings.”

# Should one interpret TH’s 80’s style metal as some sort of rebellion against certain commercial aspects of the metal community, or is your music merely an expression of your passion for this kind of music?

“It’s just what I play, man. Not too many deep thoughts into it. It’s just what comes out when I pick up a guitar.”

# I see that you have already toured the US, Australia and Japan. Is there any chance that we might get to see both you and your album in Europe soon?

“I actually went to Europe, Singapore and Malaysia in 2004 with Abigail. We did about six Toxic Holocaust songs per show. I will be doing some European touring in June 2006 with Dekapitator.”

# If you could choose any existing band to go on tour with, who would it be and why?

“Well, Dekapitator was pretty high on my list – and now that’s becoming a reality. Others would be Farscape, Nunslaughter or Gospel of the Horns.”

# Right now TH is a one-man band, and it is pretty obvious that you can not tour the world by yourself. Do you have any future plans regarding expansion of the line-up?

“Well, on recordings it will always be me, but live it’s pretty much whoever wants to do it. Usually every country I go to there is a different line-up.”

# I have read somewhere that you also play drums in a band called Grave Mistake, which is said to be heavily influenced by The Misfits. What can you tell us about this band?

“Grave Mistake was a total Misfits-influence punk band; nothing like the pop punk that losers try to pass off as Misfits-influenced. Some songs even had a thrash edge to them.”

# …And speaking of the devil: Bobby Steele, ex-Misfits, plays a guitar solo on the title track of your new album Hell on Earth. Could you tell us how that came about?

“I met Bobby about a year or so before the recording. He was a cool guy and we kept in touch. I asked him if he’d play a solo on it and he agreed. Cool, down-to-earth guy.”

# The punk influences are very pronounced in your music. You even look very punk, and when I see pictures of you I come to think of the British punk band Discharge. Name a few of your punk influences, and tell us what these influences mean to you!

“Definitely Discharge, Chaos U.K., Exploited, Germs, Black Flag, Broken Bones and GBH. These were bands that I really got into when I was younger. I guess the influence stayed with me.”

# Punk/hardcore and metal have always functioned immaculately when united. Here I am thinking of bands like D.R.I., Napalm Death and The Misfits, just to mention a few metal bands with huge punk influences. How come this constellation is so striking, and what is it by punk that seems so compelling to metal bands?

“I can’t speak for the others, but I assume it’s because punk has a ‘don’t give a fuck’-attitude. It’s something that is missing in a lot of metal of today, and which you could always hear on older thrash records. Nowadays it’s not cool to like punk – but fuck those black metal wimps that think that way!”

# You use many anti-Christian manifestations as far as lyrics are concerned. Is this just some sort of affected image, or is there more to it than that?

“I’m interested in it, but I don’t worship anyone.”

# Do you think it is ok to use anti-Christian/Satanic props and lyrics, even if you do not practice this in private? I mean, is Satanism not too serious an issue to just toy around with?

“Satan is the ultimate ‘fuck you’ to all the brainwashed fuck-heads. In reality, all religion is bullshit.”

# Many bands proclaim themselves Satanists and use this in their image and marketing. Yet the same cannot be said for most bands with other religious stands. Why do you think it is important for most satanic metal bands to show their affiliations?

“Well, could you imagine Bathory with peace-and-love-type lyrics?”

# Will Satan ever sell out?

“Who cares?”

# The legendary Ed Repka did the cover artwork for the new album Hell on Earth. He is primarily known for his work in the 80’s for bands like Megadeth, Death, Evil Dead, Defiance, Possessed, Nuclear Assault, Massacre, Atheist and others. Is there anything in particular you want to signal by using him and that particular piece of art?

“I’ve always loved his style, color choices etc. For me his artwork was a must.”

# Several metal bands with roots in the 80’s are all of a sudden reappearing and reuniting earlier line-ups right now, among them Anthrax and Heathen, for instance. Do you think this is due to public demand, or do you think there is another motive behind these popular reunions?

“I don’t know. Most of these bands weren’t good to begin with, like the two you just mentioned. For bands like Kreator and Destruction, they wimped out with shitty albums like Cracked Brain and Endorama – so why come back and do thrash again?”

# Thank for your time. I would like to wish you the best, and I hope to see and hear a lot more of Toxic Holocaust in the future. Any last words for our readers?

“Thanks to all of the supporters of TH! Thrash you bastards!”

Conducted and written by Jester