Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ‘80s - Belushi Speed Ball
With how much music is coming out this week alone, I figured I’d say, “fuck it” and drop another Quick Bite review this week! At the last minute, I had Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ‘80s by Belushi Speed Ball dropped into my inbox, and I gotta say… I was very thrown off after I saw the album title, band name, and the artwork. This album and band are the exact reason you do not judge a book by its cover! After listening to the record and getting in on the “joke”, I realized the genius that was before me. Toxic Waste (and the band in general) is a blistering, furious, Thrashy wall of sound, dripping with nostalgia and laughs. The songs move at a breakneck speed and are filled with piss and vinegar, but all in a playful way that makes you grin the entire time. The song titles are mostly references to music, movies, or shows, and the music floats between Thrash Metal and old school Punk, which is always a treat for my ears. Speaking of treats for the ears - the production value of this record is exactly what I want from this genre of Metal. It sounds like it was recorded in someone’s garage or basement, pizza boxes stacked tall, Coors Light cans arranged like a house of cards, the bassist asleep on an old leather couch, and the smell of stale cigarettes lining your nostrils. It’s enough to bring a tear to my inner DIY Punk teen-self. These are the types of guys I want to get a drink with for sure!
I will make it clear though that this record is not for everyone. If you don’t like humor in your music (think GWAR, Austrian Death Machine, Dethklok), raw production value, and even rawer vocals, then this one is not for you. For me though, it’s a perfect blend of batshit that I somehow don’t come across nearly as much as I’d like. Hell, Belushi Speed Ball has been around since 2013, and I’m just now learning of their existence! If you’re down for a good time, want to turn your brain off, headbang until your neck gets sore, and rock out with your cock out (contemplated for a second if I should make that joke, but considering this album’s content, fuck it!), give this one a listen!