Interview TOXIC CARNAGE

Interview with Robson of Thrash Metal Band from Brazil TOXIC CARNAGE

1. Can you tell us about your childhood ? Do you remember when you first came into contact with loud music and what were your first concerts ?

Robson: Something funny, I think until I was about 14 years old, I had no interest in music. I didn’t listen to music and didn’t have a favorite artist. This changed the day I got a Sega Dreamcast in 2002, when I started playing some games that had a lot of good music. That’s how I fell in love with Punk Rock and got to know bands like Bad Religion and NOFX, for example. After that, I met some friends who introduced me to heavy metal, and I fell in love with bands like King Diamond, Exodus, and Annihilator. In the end, it became a point of no return. Regarding concerts, since I’ve lived my entire life in the countryside, I didn’t usually see many big bands; they were mostly original bands from the local scene and some cover bands, which was quite fun.

2. Can you describe the local scene where you grew up, what bands and venues were important to you and can you share some of your greatest memories about these bands/places ?

We live in the countryside of São Paulo, and unfortunately, it was harder to access bands, but we still made many friends. We grew up playing and listening to bands like Vermenoise (Grindcore) and Cerberus Attack (Thrash Metal), with whom we always had a strong connection. Regarding special places, I must mention the Chiqueirão, which was the place that brought bands from everywhere. We met many cool bands there, in addition to the Underground bar, which brought big names of Brazilian metal. Today, we have a very cool place nearby called Casa Ruida, which hosts bands from here and even other countries. I love going there to see my friends and have a beer with them.

3. Did anyone play in any bands before Toxic Carnage ? If so, can you tell us something about them? Were there any releases? Can you share some good memories about those bands ?

At this time, Bruno, our drummer, also plays in a Stoner band called “Bong Doper”, and I play in a solo Punk Rock project called “Too Steps Back”. Bruno’s band is planning to record soon, and in 2022, I was able to release an EP with Too Steps Back, called “Energy”, which is very much in the style of Bad Religion, NOFX, and Pennywise. I recorded all the instruments for this EP, which was a really cool experience. I hope to have time to work on it again.

4. How did you come up with the band name Toxic Carnage , do you describe your musical style ? And can you tell us briefly the history of your band’s creation ?

The band started in 2008, at that time I was learning to play bass and wanted to start a band, but it was very difficult to find people with the same musical interest. One day, I went to a show and met a guy named Renan. We talked, and he expressed his desire to start a thrash metal band. I immediately responded that we could try to do something. Two weeks later, he called me and said he had found a drummer, a guitarist, and another guitarist, and that’s how Toxic Carnage was born. The idea for the name came from me and Renan; he mentioned that the band’s name should relate to something toxic, radioactive, nuclear, because he knew I am a big fan of Nuclear Assault. Since he told me this and knowing he was a fan of Death Metal, I thought of adding “carnage,” so we came up with the name Toxic Carnage. We know it’s a cliché name, but so what? What matters are the fun moments the band brings us, haha.

5. Why did you want to play this genre ? Who or what inspires you to write songs. What bands have inspired you the most ?

When my friends lent me some heavy metal CDs, I listened to various styles and liked them all. Then one day, I got some CDs from Exodus and Annihilator. Right away, I realized that it had a very different energy, and I fell in love instantly. At that time, I was learning to play; that’s when I started trying to play thrash metal, and I think that was when I got the inspiration to play. My biggest influences are from the bands I started listening to, such as Nuclear Assault, Exodus, Kreator, and Sodom, but later I became quite passionate about new bands, like Municipal Waste and Violator, for example.

6. Can you tell me something about your upcoming new album “Praying For Demise” and your new single “The Unholy Book” ?

We are very excited about our new album. We tried to compile all the positive and constructive feedback we received on “Doomed from the Beginning” and work on it. It took about 4 years to develop this album and, in my opinion, it shows a lot of maturity. We tried to incorporate new elements in order to bring more diversity to the listener, making each track unique. We even tried to stray a bit from the typical themes that thrash metal usually addresses in the lyrics. I really hope everyone can listen to and enjoy the album; I am extremely proud of the result. “The Unholy Book” is our latest single, and to me, one of the best tracks on the album. In it, we tried to change the pace and timing a bit, which really worked out, as this song is a bit slower than what we usually do, yet it turned out very aggressive. The theme of the lyrics is very cool, a subtle homage to the movie “Evil Dead.”

7. Which places to play were important to you and why ?

We haven’t been playing live much recently, after the pandemic we focused more on writing music. Sometimes we play here or there, but it’s not like before; we used to play anywhere. But we have very good memories of those times we played live more often. A memorable show was when we played with the thrash band “Damn Youth”; it was packed and the energy was amazing (we sold a lot of merch that night). Another place we really like to play is at Casa Ruida, a place that is full of friends. The atmosphere is friendly, and the feeling of being among friends is very good.

8. What was your Weirdest show you’ve ever played and why ? feel free to mention more than one, and don’t hold back on the details ?

Well… one of our first shows, around 2008, was a disaster. We went to play at a place once and our payment was in drinks. Before playing, everyone (except our drummer Flavia) was very drunk and we could barely stand up. In the middle of the show, a friend of ours decided to sing one of the songs (more drunk than us). In the middle of the song, he fell on the drum kit and just knocked everything over, and the show ended there. That night we argued and the band almost ended. That’s when we started the first lineup change.

9. What is l Toxic Carnage – Show like? What can somebody expect when they go to one of your concerts ?

In our shows, you’ll see a band full of energy and a lot of humor. We really enjoy playing live and interacting with the audience; it brings people closer to us. We also like to play a few songs to avoid making the show tiresome and leave people wanting to see us again. Well, I think that’s it.

10. Are there other types of music you would like to play with a band ?

Yes, I’m a big fan of punk rock, and I would love to compose more songs for Too Steps Back and play live. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find musicians who share the same desire and energy for it.

11. Which Festivals would you still like to play ,and Which festivals do you have the best memories ?

We would love to play in other countries someday. I’m not sure if that would be possible, but we would really like to. We would also love to play at big festivals like Kool Metal Fest here in Brazil or even at Obscene Extreme. We have always played in smaller venues, and we would love to see many people enjoying our show. I remember a show in 2017 in a nearby city, at a bar called Nick’s. The place was packed, and we were surrounded by friends. Everything was so much fun that day, and everything went so well. People really liked us, the sound was great, we were treated very well, and we made some friends. I miss shows like that.

12. How can fans and future fans locate, ,listen to and buy your music & merchandise . Is there anything else you would like your fans to know ?

Here is a list of useful links to find our music and merchandise:

• Praying for Demise CD (Shipping worldwide) on Underrated Underground:

TOXIC CARNAGE – PRAYING FOR DEMISE

PRAYING FOR DEMISE OF T-SHIRT
• Praying for Demise T-Shirt (Shipping worldwide) on Underrated Underground:
underratedunderground.com/shop/toxic-carnage-praying-for-demise-t-shirt/

• Bandcamp (Free Download):

https://toxiccarnage.bandcamp.com/

• Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toxic-Carnage/233843699975111

• Spotify:

• Email: robsonhm666@hotmail.com

• The Unholy Book Official Video on Youtube :

Toxic Carnage:

https://g.co/kgs/coVGVEV

13. What were your best moments in 2023 as a band ? And are your plans for the future ?

The best moments of this year were recording; it was great to bring our four years of work to reality for recording this album. We had great moments in the studio, learned a lot during this time, and were very careful regarding the composition and recording of the songs. 2023 was a year of great excitement and anticipation for the album but also of great pride. Our plans remain the same: continue promoting our music, writing more songs for new EPs and albums, and playing live whenever possible.

14. These were the questions, thank you for taking part in this interview and all the best to you and your band! Something to add yourself ?

I am very grateful for the opportunity to connect with you. We are thrilled that you have provided us with this space to share a bit of our story. We truly hope that you can listen to our new album. Nowadays, music can be something disposable, and sometimes people may not give our music a chance. Please, check out our album if possible, and if you like it, share it with friends and within the local scene. A big hug to everyone, and keep on thrashitrainen