Toxic Holocaust

Toxic Holocaust
Toxic Holocaust at Party.San Metal Open Air 2018
Background information
Origin	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Genres	Thrash metal
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Relapse, eOne
Members	Joel Grind Tyler Becker Robert Gray
Past members	Al Positions Phil Zeller Nick Bellmore
Website	toxicholocaust.com

Toxic Holocaust is an American thrash metal band from Portland, Oregon.

History

Toxic Holocaust in 2011

Joel Grind founded Toxic Holocaust in 1999. He originally wrote and recorded all of the band's music himself, and after a couple of demo releases (Radiation Sickness, 1999; Critical Mass, 2002), he made his official album debut as Toxic Holocaust with Evil Never Dies (2003).

Two years later, after some touring with a hired backing band, Grind released the second Toxic Holocaust album, Hell on Earth (2005), which once again he wrote and recorded by himself. The album notably features cover art by Ed Repka, known for having created iconic covers for albums by Megadeth, Death and others. Extensive touring followed, along with a recording contract with Relapse Records.

In addition to releasing the third Toxic Holocaust album, An Overdose of Death... (2008), Relapse reissued Evil Never Dies and Hell on Earth. Toxic Holocaust also recorded and released a number of other recordings: Gravelord (2009, EP), Conjure and Command (2011), and Chemistry of Consciousness (2013).

In 2019 Joel Grind signed to Entertainment One, and released Primal Future: 2019 later that year. Tours were planned but halted due to the spread of COVID-19.

Musical style

Toxic Holocaust plays thrash metal thats heavily influenced by punk, and has been compared to bands such as Venom, Discharge, Motörhead, D.R.I., The Exploited and Slayer. They also take influences from first-wave black metal.

Joel Grind

Joel Grind around the release of Evil Never Dies

Joel Grind at Party.San Open Air 2015

Joel Grind is the frontman and main songwriter of Toxic Holocaust. He now lives in Oregon. Grind began his musical career at a young age, first playing drums. His musical influences included bands such as Metallica, Bathory, Venom, and Sodom. As a teen, he ran a home recording and mixing business for local bands. In 1999, he started Toxic Holocaust. Around this time, he picked up guitar.

Grind now works as a music producer, and has been involved in side projects other than Toxic Holocaust. He has released synth tracks, as well as metal albums for his solo projects War Ripper and the Yellowgoat Sessions. Grind is known for being social with his fans and can often be seen at the merchandise table before a Toxic Holocaust show.

Members

Current members

• Joel Grind – lead vocals (1999–present), bass (1999–2008, 2015–present), guitars (1999–2015), drums (1999–2008)
• Tyler Becker – drums (2018–present)
• Rob Gray – guitars, backing vocals (2019–present)

Past members

• Donny Paycheck – drums (2008)
• Al Positions – drums (2008–2009)
• Phil Zeller – bass, backing vocals (2008–2015)
• Nick Bellmore – drums (2009–2018)
• Charlie Bellmore – guitars, backing vocals (2015–2018)
• Eric Eisenhauer – guitars, backing vocals (2018–2019)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Evil Never Dies (2003)
• Hell on Earth (2005)
• An Overdose of Death... (2008)
• Conjure and Command (2011)
• Chemistry of Consciousness (2013)
• Primal Future: 2019 (2019)

EPs

• Death Master (2003, EP Gloom Records)
• Power from Hell (2004, EP)
• Reaper's Grave (2006, EP Gloom Records)
• Gravelord (2009, EP)

Demos

Main article: List of Toxic Holocaust demos

• Radiation Sickness (1999, demo)
• Critical Mass (2002, demo)
• Promo 2004 (2004, demo)
• Demo 2007 (2008, demo)

Live and video albums

• Only Deaf is Real (2007, live album)
• Brazilian Slaughter 2006 (2008, video album)

Compilations

• Toxic Thrash Metal (2004, CD)
• From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction (2013, CD)

Splits

• Toxic Holocaust / Oprichniki (2001, split CD)
• Implements of Mass Destruction / Nuclear Apocalypse:666 (2002, split CD)
• Outbreak of Evil (2004, split CD)
• Thrashbeast from Hell (2004, split tape)
• Blasphemy, Mayhem, War (2005, split CD)
• Don't Burn the Witch... (2006, split 10-inch)
• Speed n' Spikes Volume 1 (2008, split 7-inch)
• Toxic Holocaust / Inepsy (2010, split 12-inch)
• Toxic Holocaust / Midnight (2011 split 7-inch to benefit the Japanese tsunami victims)
• Toxic Waste (with Municipal Waste) (2012, split 12-inch)

Contributions

• Thrashing Like a Maniac (2007, CD)
• In the Sign of Sodom – Sodomaniac Tribute (2008, 12-inch)
• Power Trip – Nightmare Logic (2017, CD) [mastering]

Videography

• "Wild Dogs"
• "Nuke the Cross"
• "Lord of the Wasteland"
• "Judgement Awaits"
• "666"
• "Agony of the Damned"
• "Acid Fuzz"

External links

• Official website
• Toxic Holocaust on Facebook
• Toxic Holocaust on Bandcamp
• Toxic Holocaust at AllMusic