Another day, another package containing new CDs; this time from Poland containing Seeds Of Cruelty from Toxic Bonkers. As I opened the envelope, a promotional flyer fell on the floor. I saw this logo with a shotgun and an album cover with three women being gagged. Then I noticed the genre: toxic fucking grindcore. I frowned, put the little silver disc in my cd-player and pumped up the volume.

After a couple seconds (which is the average length of a grindcore song) I realized this band doesn’t play grindcore. The music is actually definable, but I’m having some problems categorizing this music. There are definitely some clear influences: Bolt Thrower, Sepultura and some mid-period Napalm Death are in my opinion the most recognizable.

The production of this record is very good. The guitars sound very thick; the growling vocals are very brutal and the drums… man, they sound great! The mix between the bass drums and the snare drum is really good. But I noticed I’m not the only reviewer who is a fan of the production.

Despite the fact that this band is kind of a misfit on SelfMadeGod Records, this album kicks some serious ass. So, if you’re into mid-tempo death metal with a groove, Toxic Bonkers is your band and Seeds Of Cruelty is your album. My favorite songs are “Don’t Be Afraid” and “Vision”.