MAYHEMIC - Toba (Review)

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Like I always say, discovering a blackened thrash band from South America is a fast way to grab my ear by the lobe, being an easy sell. Yet, some do just a little (or a lot) more than others, and Mayhemic is a fantastic example. Having formed in 2018, last year saw the Chileans’ first full-length hit the ground, entitled Toba. Considering this is named after a massive volcano in Indonesia, the music couldn’t be more fitting.

At first glance, one could lump Mayhemic into the endless sea of bands that go for this exact same style. It’s a swift blow around the thirty-five minute mark, making speed and aggression its main aims, coated in a finish that’s just the tiniest bit clear without ruining the dirty foundation. Yet the delivery alone goes the extra mile, crushing up some of the meanest outbursts into tiny, dense, riff-sandwiches that hold the weight of an anvil. Pairing with that is a vocal snarl sounding like Millie Petrozza, but perhaps even nastier, to complete the general feeling of being trapped under smoldering hot magma.

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This isn’t even the sole reason Toba stands out, however. While it certainly helps, the genius lies in the intricate song layouts and sharp rhythm sequences. For a genre that’s typically meat and potatoes in terms of writing, we’re served far more. The closing title track is a longer tune raking in heavy layers to create an explosive closing, which is beautiful on its own, being the rule and not an exception. Meanwhile, “Extinction & Mystery” lays down faster and more chaotic chops as the tune progresses, giving the heaviness of a doom/death track with the pacing of speed metal.
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Working within these boundaries allows so much room to flourish considering the short runtime. For all of the speed and thick chaos, there’s no shortage of catchy rhythms as well. “Valley Of The Thundra” has to be one of my favorites because of its steady drive, maintaining the same ferocious edge because of the vocals. Opener “Kollarbone Crushed Neanderthal” bounces around with tight transitions, and even the instrumental “Eschatological Symphony” crams all of this into one swift slice. Managing so much with so little time is always impressive, as long as it isn’t delivered awkwardly.

Toba is as explosive as its title suggests, as aggressive as its album art looks, and is more intricate than one should expect. The general ancient Earth feel and over-the-top aggression make what’s already great even better, and I can’t recommend this enough to extreme metal fans all across the spectrum. 

Mayhemic - Toba was released July 26th, 2024 via Sepulchral Voice Records. Find it here!

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Mayhemic can be found on Bandcamp
Artwork by Bastian Velasquez.