| Toxic Holocaust | |
| Image Upright: | 1.2 |
| Origin: | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Genre: | Thrash metal |
| Years Active: | 1999–present |
| Label: | Relapse, eOne |
| Current Members: | Joel Grind Tyler Becker Robert Gray |
| Past Members: | Al Positions Phil Zeller Nick Bellmore |
Toxic Holocaust is an American thrash metal band from Portland, Oregon.
Joel Grind founded Toxic Holocaust in 1999. He originally wrote and recorded all of the band's music himself, and after a couple of demo releases (Radiation Sickness, 1999; Critical Mass, 2002), he made his official album debut as Toxic Holocaust with Evil Never Dies (2003).
Two years later, after some touring with a hired backing band, Grind released the second Toxic Holocaust album, Hell on Earth (2005), which once again he wrote and recorded by himself. The album notably features cover art by Ed Repka, known for having created iconic covers for albums by Megadeth, Death and others. Extensive touring followed, along with a recording contract with Relapse Records.
In addition to releasing the third Toxic Holocaust album, An Overdose of Death... (2008), Relapse reissued Evil Never Dies and Hell on Earth. Toxic Holocaust also recorded and released a number of other recordings: Gravelord (2009, EP), Conjure and Command (2011), and Chemistry of Consciousness (2013).
In 2019 Joel Grind signed to Entertainment One, and released Primal Future: 2019 later that year.[1] Tours were planned but halted due to the spread of COVID-19.
Toxic Holocaust plays thrash metal thats heavily influenced by punk, and has been compared to bands such as Venom, Discharge, Motörhead, D.R.I., The Exploited and Slayer.[2] [3] They also take influences from first-wave black metal.[4]
Joel Grind is the frontman and main songwriter of Toxic Holocaust.[5] He now lives in Oregon. Grind began his musical career at a young age,[6] first playing drums. His musical influences included bands such as Metallica, Bathory, Venom, and Sodom. As a teen, he ran a home recording and mixing business for local bands. In 1999, he started Toxic Holocaust. Around this time, he picked up guitar.
Grind now works as a music producer, and has been involved in side projects other than Toxic Holocaust. He has released synth tracks, as well as metal albums for his solo projects War Ripper and the Yellowgoat Sessions. Grind is known for being social with his fans and can often be seen at the merchandise table before a Toxic Holocaust show.
See main article: List of Toxic Holocaust demos.