Detoxed first formed in Montpellier, France in 2009. The band’s first release was their EP ‘It Was Written In Blood’ which released in 2011. Detoxed has a thrash sound with elements of melodic speed metal also in the mix. You can hear a lot of influence from In Flames in their music. ‘It Was Written In Blood’ really established the band’s style and sound. The band was off to a great start. The EP, from a listener’s perspective, was a complete hit. All they had to do now was continue to make music in their already successful style. Then the unthinkable happened. The band’s lineup was forced to change as singer Laurent “Styx” Py exits the band. Most people can attest that more often than not the hardest member of a band to replace is the singer. There are guitarists, drummers and bassists that massively contribute to complete a band’s sound, but no two singers can be identical. Regardless who stepped up to the mic Detoxed and their music would be forced to change in some way. Fortunately the band didn’t have to look very far. Guitarist David Fantoni is now pulling double duty playing both guitar as well as singing. Detoxed recently released the album ‘Modern Slavery’ on October 16th via Send The Wood Music (Distributed by Seasons Of The Mist) which showcases David Fantoni as the new voice of the band. All the other parts of the band remain intact and now the only question is if the band will rise or fall with their new voice. Those questions and more are now answered after consuming every second of their new album ‘Modern Slavery’.
I can tell you from the very start of ‘Modern Slavery’ that the band hasn’t missed a step. The opening track “Shape Shifter” not only catapults the album into heaviness, but the title is the perfect symbolism for the album as a whole. Like a shape shifter Detoxed is able to morph their sound to the exact specifications they want. Even with the change in singer the band’s sound still has that instant gratification to my ears. I’ll admit that with David at the helm the songs take on a much more thrash style and some of the melodic elements aren’t as prevalent. The sound may come off as thrash but it also has their own individualizing spin on it. ‘Unveiled Insanity’ encases some of the most ferocious drumming within the song. The speed and precision by drummer Camille Lecup helps take this song to another level. “Fear Of Terror” begins with these killer chugging guitar riffs that have sort of an industrial thrash sound. The vocal arrangements are scratchy and aggressive but they still have a clean element to them. For some moments during the song vocalist David Fantoni lowers the volume of his vocals some and it brings this great new dimension to the track. The speed picks up in “The Butchers”. The speed of Lecup’s drumming and cymbal crashes is a major asset to the band. Also on this song we hear Fantoni unleash his deep gut wrenching growl. In addition to his vocals we also get a full dose of his intricate guitar playing as well. The chorus of the song has a rhythm that is impossible not to head bang along to. Detoxed is able to play with incredible speed and precision throughout this record. ‘Modern Slavery’ is a fast paced thrash record that will immediately raise the bar for other thrash bands around the world. Losing a singer is never an easy thing for a band to overcome, but in this instance the band’s sound has progressed in a positive way with Fantoni taking over the reigns at the microphone. Their name really rings true with this record, because you will become addicted to their style, and detoxing from this album will not be easy. This is a must have for anyone that loves speed and thrash.
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