TOXIC SHOCK
"Future is Calling"
(This Charming Man Records; 2026)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
As "Future is Calling" begins, you're start to ask yourself, is the whole album gonna sound like this? A wall of fast-tempoed, rough-edged music with shouted vocals? By track four, you have the answer to that question, and the answer is "Yes!" and you'll be okay with that.
As long as you are a fan of thrash/punk crossover, that is.
Because that's exactly what will be found on this Toxic Shock outing. The band plays at a furious speed, the guitars racing along, drums and bass stomping the accelerator to the floor. Each song here is designed to start a mosh pit, you can feel it seep into your skin and start to boil your blood. The vocals and lyrics are aggressive and raw, hammering the point home even harder. I've used this warning before and it applies here, too: Probably not a good idea to listen to this album when you're driving. It's road rage baked into a plastic disc.
My favorite tracks were "HQ," with its finger-knotting bass tumble; the pure punk rock sound of "Sex Beat," and the furious "1239" (from which the title of the album is part of the lyrics).
For more information, check out https://toxicshock.bandcamp.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
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Copyright © 2026 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
