Holland’s God Dethroned has been around the block a few times, blending in among the European death metal scene as a band with substance. However, previous releases never set off a fireworks display, although their competency was never in question. And so, expectations for The Toxic Touch remained somewhere in the range of adequacy.
Surprisingly, The Toxic Touch shows God Dethroned branching out into more melodic territory. The vocals are still deathly brutal and the subject matter is as dark as ever if not moreso. But the song structures benefit greatly from an approach incorporating more sonic variety; “Falling Down” starts out sounding standard, but switches patterns smoothly and almost becomes catchy. It’s the opening track that stands out above the rest, though. “Hating Life” sports lyrical content which is rather predictable given the title, but God Dethroned did an excellent job meeting mood with composition. The mood may be hatred, but it succeeds in snagging an element of art as opposed to pure angst. Is the album innovative? Not in the slightest, but The Toxic Touch floats nicely above par.
God Dethroned might have been lost in a sea of death metal in years past, but those who take a chance on The Toxic Touch will be pleasantly met with something a little less predictable. Did they start hanging out with a bunch of Swedes? Who knows and who cares if God Dethroned continues down this path.
Website: God Dethroned
