OVERDUE VISIT

This is easily the best Genesis cover band I've heard so far! ...oh... what's that? Toxic Smile is not actually a Genesis cover band?!? Did you say that the play Progressive Metal? Wow Doc, that's heavy....

I was introduced to Toxic Smile though their 2009 four track EP Overdue Visit and it instantly struck a cord with me. The weird thing is that I first couldn't understand why this music sounded so appealing to me. All it consisted of was long guitar solos, quirky lyrics, prominent piano work, emotionally charged ballads and a vocalist sounding like a crossover between Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel... wait, this does sound familiar!

Solitudes Sphere kicks the music into high gear with the band's heaviest and easily the edgiest piece of music featured here. You'll be literally diving into one familiar arrangement and then swiftly moving into something completely different, a great roller-coaster ride indeed! Insights sounds almost like a ballad taken off A Trick Of The Tail and I'm talking about an almost 99% rendition of that style, minus a keyboard interlude that temporary moves things into Neo Prog territory. Still, it manages to outmatch most other Genesis clones by actually sounding fresh and exciting at the same time as it offers something very nostalgic. Peak Of Delight moves the music closer to Neo-Prog territory while still retaining those classic Genesis arrangements. This is also the track where the vocalist starts to sound more like Phil Collins than Peter Gabriel, luckily his style shifts almost completely to that of Gabriel on the concluding ballad Freezing Rain!

This EP is a real treat for fans of classic Symphonic Prog of the '70s while still maintaining a fresh quality to it all throughout its Metal arrangement and superior sound production, although the latter is by no means a criticism of the original masters. Grab it like cupcakes out of the oven and scream like a baby of all the nostalgia (or the burning sensation) embedded into this wonderful EP!

***** star songs: Solitudes Sphere (7:19)

**** star songs: Insights (5:09) Peak Of Delight (6:20) Freezing Rain (4:12)

Some five years after their last studio release, Toxic Smile finally returned in 2009 with a four-track EP. This saw the first studio appearance of drummer Antonius Gruetzner, who has already become known to fans due to his part in the 'In Classic Extension' EP. Although this only contains four songs, and is a fraction under 23 minutes in length, this is definitely one of my very favourite releases by the band. It is almost as if they decided to distil and funnel everything they were known for into a small number of songs, so instead of getting a release by Toxic Smile, it was Toxic Smile Concentrated. Although Antonius was new, he had already been in the band for a few years so knew what was expected, and sits at the back creating rhythms for the others to play against or with as the need arises. Robert Brenner is one of my favourites bassists, seamlessly moving between playing a support or lead role, thumping in the backbone, or keeping up with the guitar, or adding nuances and dynamics all his own. Then we have guitarist Uwe Reinholz, a master of his instrument who provides plucked acoustic, or heavy riffs, or can shred like an absolute bastard when he needs to. This of course leads us to keyboard player Marek, who uses piano more than probably any other keyboard player in the prog metal field, with all the delicacy and emotion that entails. Finally at the front of all of this, and rising above, is singer Larry B., who can be Roger Chapman, Matthew Parmenter, Peter Gabriel, Michael Sadler and so many more, often at the same time.

Just four songs, two of which are rocky, with two that are far more balladic, but for the me the highlight is not the one that many other reviewers seem to concentrate on (which is opener 'Solitudes Sphere' if you must know, an absolute belter), but 'Freezing Rain'. Marek provides beautiful piano, while Larry's vocals are full of emotion. I can play this song on repeat, all day, and not get tired of it. There is a majesty and passion within this that is far more than any written words can ever convey. If there was any justice in the world this would have been a hit single and known by millions, but as it is, us lucky few who have come across this can relish in knowing that we have been privileged to have heard a song that is perfect in every way, and that is an incredibly rare thing indeed. Uwe, Robert and Antonius play their parts incredibly well, knowing that there are times when the right thing to do is not be involved at all, and Marek and Larry are left alone to create a masterpiece.