Review by chrisc7249 on May 3, 2022.

Cytotoxin has made quite a name for themselves over the last few years. They put themselves on the map with their sophomore album Radiophobia in 2012, then they doubled down 5 years later with their follow up Gammageddon. In that time, they've risen through the ranks and find themselves among the top of modern technical death metal bands. In 2020, we received their highly anticipated fourth album, Nuklearth, which sees the band toying with some new ideas while still staying true to their roots. Though it's up in the air whether or not this is the best Cytotoxin album yet, it's a no brainer that this is still an amazing fucking album that solidifies their status as one of the best tech death bands in recent memory.

For those of you who aren't aware of Cytotoxin's core sound, imagine if Origin actually wrote interesting music all of the time instead of just half of the time. This is fast, brutal technical death metal that includes lots of sweeping guitars, gravity blasts and vicious vocals that sound like the gurgling of a thousand tortured souls choking on their own vomit in the pits of hell. Though, on this record, Cytotoxin does break from their shackles a little bit and try some new stuff. For one, the slam riffs are a lot more prevalent and better than before. Their penchant for making ultra groovy riffs that make you want to flail around like a madman have increased, and their ability to create such riffs in good fashion have tripled. The riffs on this album are fucking menacing. Slam bands with 20 years under their belt are kicking themselves after hearing this album and wondering why they couldn't even come up with riffs as good as these ones. Another change is the increase in melodicism, particularly in the solos. No more solos that are just walls of noise (though, there are quite a few on here), these have some more creativity and thought put into them and they really do stick out and shine well.

Speaking of solos, the guitar playing on this album is pure insanity. The sweeps are mind boggling, the tech riffs are played at Mach 1 speed and the tapping skills are on point. There's nothing these guys can't do with the axe. The bass player has some neat parts and he's mixed into the sound very well, and anybody able to follow the guitars on bass deserves praise in my book. Just don't expect any crazy bass solos like you would hear on an Archspire record. The drummer is also a fucking psycho. Dude has the tightest fills ever, and the use of two snares really elevates the music that extra notch. I wish more bands, especially ones in this style, did the same thing. He makes it sound really good. And, who could forget the vocals? Grimo is an absolute beast with the mic, always has been. His range seems to have gotten a little smaller than when we last heard him, but this guy still sure knows how to belch and growl with the best of them. You do not fuck with this guy, he sounds like a pissed off radioactive swamp monster, and it fits the theme of the band perfectly.

Nuklearth is filled with great songs. Besides an interlude and a shrug worthy outro, the other 9 songs we are presented with all fucking slap. There really isn't a weak point to the album and it's just one of those records where every song seems to be memorable. I see this album in thirds if we take out the 2 non-tech death songs. The second third of the album (songs 4-6) are great songs, but the weakest third of the bunch. The first three songs are even better, with highlights like 'Atomb' and 'Uran Breath' guaranteed to make you headbang like a motherfucker. The final three are the cream of the crop though, kicking off with the brilliant 'Coast Of Lies' followed by the equally genius 'Quarantine Fortress', but my friends, that is all nothing compared to the last real track, 'Nuklearth'.

This is a fairly new album but I'm willing to say that 'Nuklearth', the track, is perhaps one of the greatest tech death closing songs ever and a top 50 tech death song period. That song goes so fucking hard it's ridiculous. The riffs are at their absolute fucking best here and the solo to end the track is such a great way to end the album. Talk about a proper send off for an already amazing album. If only more bands took their closing song more seriously, we'd have more gems like this one.

Cytotoxin changes directions a bit here, but there's no misstep to be found. This feels like a logical next evolution in their sound and everything worked out about as well as it could. The songs are heavy, catchy and technical, and those are pretty much the three main boxes you want to check when making music of this style. Everything from the production to the vocals is tough to beat and the band has certainly done a good job of solidifying their status as legends of the genre. Nuclear.

FFO: Origin, Viraemia, Archspire

Favorite song: 'Nuklearth'

Rating: 9 out of 10