Band: Toxemia
Album: Ancient Demon
Released date: March 3rd, 2015
Genre: Death Metal
Country: Philippines
Label: The 3rd Inferno
Last year after I got my hands on and reviewed Toxemia‘s 2013 debut full-length “Planetary Devastation“, I had since looked for their 2015 sophomore released “Ancient Demon“. The hunt was a bit difficult for the fact that I was still based on a secluded place in the Zamboanga peninsula which had little access to the outside world. By early February this year me and my fianceé moved to Cebu, and that made things slightly easier because it made it easy for me to contact people who might know where I can purchase Toxemia‘s sophomore offering.
Following the event of our relocation, I got back in contact with an old mate named Michael. He’s a fellow from an old extreme metal promotion, Southern Abyss Production, that I was a member of back in college and he offered me a copy of “Ancient Demon” for Php 300 (that’s USD 5.88). Finally the copy arrived last July, and I was one happy bastard for acquiring a copy after a long delay.
Toxemia picks up right where they left off in delivering a solid old school death metal record with this CD release. What I noticed most about this album is the tenebrous production and how dark it sounds. Dark in the sense that the bass amplified here is really heavy, but completely evident with respect to the other instruments and elements in the album. The guitars in the whole album possessed an ample supply of crunch on them to make it sound not overly distorted or harsh. There is also a virtuous quantity of killer solos inserted in this offering, which is totally one of the most important aspects in manufacturing a good release. As for the bass, it is utterly distinct with a strong resonance that goes well with the way everything sounds.
The drums are really obscure, though executed in a fairly simple manner. Having the drum work delivered in such a way is not a bad thing, as it gives that really enigmatic feel to the entire atmosphere of the record. It’s the slower moments of the drums that make me adore their quality, since it underlines the terrific doomier sections of the album. We can also find no complaints about the vocals. The vocal work’s disturbing vibe is perfect for the album’s unilluminated ambiance.
Altogether, “Ancient Demon” is a substantial follow up to the already solid debut “Planetary Devastation“. Zealots of old school death metal should secure a copy of this tour de force. Yes, it is a magnum opus which I consider a conventional summoning to a decrepit supernatural fiend. This sophomore had hardened the already well-acknowledged status of the band in the Philippine underground extreme music scene.
Rating: 8.8/10
Realm of Asmodeus 
Hails and cheers for the review brother! A follow up release for our second album is an EP, and are already working on the mixing part.
We will inform you once it is out! Thank you
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Thank you brother. I will wait, and I will certainly purchase a copy of the upcoming record once its out.
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