Mayhemic – Toba Review

Cover art by Bastian Velasquez.

At a glance, the title of Mayhemic’s first full-length album could refer to one of several things. Perhaps its a reference to the indigenous Toba–also known as Qom–from central Argentina that violently opposed Spanish conquest with a particular disdain for Christianity. It’d be fitting, given the rabid-thrashing satanic eras of Sodom and Sepultura that the band evokes at its core. Even more so, perhaps, that Mayhemic hail from just west of the home of the Qom in central Chile, in the ever-potent Santiago metal scene.

Another possibility for the album’s title (and, given the album’s overarching theme of prehistoric apocalypse, the most likely usage the band had in mind) references the Toba supereruption in Indonesia, which I’m told is one of the most mind-bogglingly huge eruptions in the history of this big dumb rock we live on. Perhaps Vulcano would be a better touchpoint than the aforementioned Sodom and Sepultura! Regardless, this interpretation fits as well; there is certainly a magma-esque flow to the songwriting here, a bit more finesse in the playing than the band’s prior handful of EPs and splits while retaining the raw violence of a volcanic event.

It is, of course, just as possible that the band meant to name their album Tuba. From the very first note, this thing is about as abjectly rude as a tuba uninvitingly blowing open the doors of a funeral home and belting out “The Liberty Bell March.”

Equal parts rabidly bludgeoning and fervently scathing, Mayhemic walk the fine line between barbarism and skill. Sure, the opener of “Kollarbone Crushed Neanderthal” swings clubs first and asks questions later, its rapid-fire riffing and chaotic solos borne of something that feels more like instinct than calculated intent. “Extinction & Mystery” turns up the heat even more, showcasing some seriously blistering chops with a savage thrash attack. The tricks are nothing new for the books, but the passion and delivery behind them already make Toba an easy sell to diehard thrash soldiers. Mayhemic have the conviction to deliver the goods!

Things get a little more interesting with “Valley Of The Thundra.” While the tempo lays back into an upper mid-paced stomper, it evokes a sense of tension that keeps the intensity of the record high-strung while cutting the potential monotony of a front-to-back blaster. After all, not all volcanic events instantly obliterate, sometimes the lava’s unstoppable entropy moves at a deceivingly slower (yet no less destructing) pace. The brief but surprisingly inclusion of an organ accompaniment billows like toxic carbon in the air. While “Valley” may be one of the slower less speedy numbers on the album, it’s one of the more catastrophic sounding peaks to grace Toba‘s thirty-seven minute runtime.

The blasting returns with the visceral “Triumph Portrait,” which serves as a bit of a showcase of Mayhemic’s thrashing versatility. The lead work shines right from the initial eruption, sowing pockets of magma that will come to full eruption as the song progresses. Meanwhile, drummer/vocalist Noctumbra’s vocals go full Animal – it’s not difficult to picture the strain of punishing the drums that hard releasing itself through his throat in anguish.

“Eschatological Symphony” pulls one of those tricks where, in the context of the album, you don’t even realize that it’s an instrumental. Seriously, that element was lost on me for several listens before I realized it had no vocals. The frantic pacing and lead riffs take such a strong hold of the melody that the vocals aren’t even missed. Mayhemic never lose sight of their namesake, injecting everything they do with savage wrath, that skill element delivers a surgical strike. Simply put, it’s like giving a tactical twelve gauge and a riot shield to a barbarian and airdropping him into a shopping mall at nine in the morning. It’s not just rude, it’s deadly – especially for those with a weakened cardiovascular system.

While “Valley” and “Eschatological” are key highlights in what is already an overall strong album, the greatest eruption on the album comes in the form of “Olduvai’s Lullaby.” While not differing much from the stylistic context of the record, it brings it all home. Melodic twin riffing over smoldering blast beats, peppered with burning vocals and searing leads just brings the whole point home while managing to up the already high stakes of intensity that the album has set along the way. While the title track serves as a more apt closer in terms of feel, the real damage is done before it even caps things off. But that’s part of what makes Toba such a great listen. It’s paced exactly as it should be, never losing that tension and intensity even when it’s working between its peaks. While the three aforementioned tracks make for some serious highlight touchstones, the whole journey makes for a more than worthy front-to-back play every time. However it’s meaning is interpreted, Mayhemic’s first proper full length is a blisteringly fun listen, reminding those Valparáiso boys that Santiago can thrash with the best of ’em.