1967/ 1976
Actually I always wondered what real differences there are between thrash metal, USA Power Metal and Speed Metal. It's not easy answer. In the case of Holy Mother's "Toxic Rain" the style is a mix between these three genres. Thrash for guitar, Speed for drums (but power for tempo) and thrash for vocals, also if Power for final result. Strange that this music, at the end, is only an extreme expression of Power Metal!
In my opinion Rich Naso is one of the more technical axeman I've ever heard. Wha-wha and fuzz are for him a way to exaggerate the sound of the guitar, how aggressive a few times I've heard. But Naso is, at the end, another Neoclassical axeman. James Harris is a hell of a drummer, a son of Gene Hoglan, Jorg Michael, Cozy Powell, Scott Travis and similar drummers. Harris' parts are technical even if masked by the use of double bass drums. Yet the fluidity that I listening isn't common. Randy Cowen, that plays a Sukop 5-string bass is not only a rhythm musician. In fact, here and there (and often) we hear in small rhythmic soli very technical, though very short. Mike Tirelli is a good vocalist, not banal, brutal style, dry and powerful. The end result is similar to the eruptions of Vesuvius (79 A.D.), Krakatoa (1883) or Eyjafjallajökull!!!
In this album is present also a tribute to Priest with the cover of "You've Another Thing Comin'". In this sense the style of this album is a sort of pure return to R'n'R with "Painkiller" in vein!!! And in fact the last three songs "symphtom of Withdrawal", "Melting Pot" ansd "Losing My Bet" that are Classic (traditional) Metal, in the style of 80's Priest but more aggressive (similar to Running Wild style, but more in Power field) not please me completely.
But for first 8 songs this album is a pure masterpiece. And I think that you must insert this CD into the CD player and lift up the volume. You can't repent?