Legendary cult prog-thrashers TOXIK have announced their reactivation. After an aborted attempt at a reunion in 2007, founding member Josh Christian has revealed TOXIK is once again active and ready for live action as well as preparing to work on a new full-length album. Christiancomments: “I’ve been writing this crazy heavy stuff for the last year. In 2007 when we got together, the absence of new material made the reunion feel more like jam sessions. This time around its based like it was originally on a collection of songs with a vibe. The plan is record and perform”
Vocalist Mike Sanders and bassist Brian Bonini have also committed to taking part in the TOXIK reunion. However, the band is on the hunt for a drummer, as original drummer Tad Leger will not be joining the proggy armada in their resurrection. Christian had this to say about Leger‘s absence: “Tad is on the verge of something killer with his doom project/band LUCERTOLA. It’s his baby as he writes the material and plays guitar essentially leading the band. We had planned on finishing theLUCERTOLA disc together and then beginning work on a TOXIK disc — at least that was discussed — but the reality is he can’t walk away from his art, and I totally respect that decision, we all do. I’m still hoping Tadshows up on at least one track but either way best of luck to my brotherTad Leger and LUCERTOLA.”
Hailing from New York’s Hudson Valley area, TOXIK released a pair of classic thinking-man’s thrash metal albums in the late ’80s. An upstart record label named Roadrunner Records (later home to SLIPKNOT andNICKELBACK) released the band’s two astounding masterworks, 1988’s“World Circus” and 1989’s “Think This”. Both releases saw TOXIK take the aggression and brutality of speed metal and mix it with the technicality and proficiency of progressive hard rock.
TOXIK left the Hudson Valley region and toured the United States and the world, playing shows with the likes of PANTERA, SEPULTURA, EXODUS,KING DIAMOND and others in their quest for metal ascendancy before their premature implosion in 1992.
TOXIK released a DVD, “Think Again”, in August 2010. The set contained both vintage and brand new never-before-seen footage. The main feature was a 1989 headlining set from the Paramount Theater in TOXIK‘s hometown of Peekskill, New York. This performance came shortly after the release of “World Circus” and the energy level of the band wa truly at its peak for TOXIK‘s first headlining show. The DVD contains all the tracks from “World Circus” and an early version of “Spontaneous” that later appeared on “Think This”.
Source: www.blabbermouth.net