TOXPACK from Berlin have released their best album to date, in my opinion, with their album “Epidemie“. Mature, profound, and with a production that does justice to the streetcore, the self-proclaimed style of the band.
Now the band follows up with “Bastarde von Morgen“. With the bar already set high, it is very exciting to see if the band can surpass themselves once again or if it was indeed too great a challenge.
The cover of “Bastarde von Morgen“ is at least more provocative and darker than the cover of the predecessor album. A fat sewer rat feeds five children with its milk. A symbol for the band? Is that disgusting? Perverse? Repulsive? Yes, it might be all of that, but one can also see the image in relation to the title and then ask, who will survive alongside the cockroach and the woodlice? Exactly, the rat! An extremely adaptable and intelligent animal.
The underground nourishes the bastards of tomorrow.
Let’s take a step further and take the CD out of the nicely designed digipack. You are looked at by ten eyes, namely those of the band members. It is noticeable that the guys have aged. Maybe they didn’t sleep much before the photo shoot, but fresh looks different.
After a small intro reminiscent of the last two Broilers albums, “Zehn“ kicks off properly. It is a song about the last ten years in which the five have been causing a stir. A song that many bands have already written. Decent, solid, not surprising but okay. A song that meets the quality expected from the band. Only the last line of the chorus is a bit, well… a bit pathetic.
It goes on. “Zehn“ was just to warm up.
The second song “An all die Dämonen“ can be understood in many ways, making this song demanding and one with depth. This song should also give strength to every listener time and again when they are in doubt.
One of the best songs on the album comes next with “Bastarde von Morgen“. The video for it has been released for a few days now. The video, with very good camera and editing work, fits perfectly with the melodic, catchy song, and the song has everything that TOXPACK stands for. Lines like…
…for instead of norms and boundaries, we can see freedom.
We would never lecture you, we are not like you.
…show that the band is different and stands firmly on the ground to not be swept away by the masses. Having a mind of one’s own has never been a disadvantage.
Here again, the deeply probing lyrics culminate in “Das Problem sind wir selbst“. A song I wouldn’t have expected from TOXPACK. Very critical of humanity and the system. A song I would have expected from some supposedly political punk bands, but not necessarily from the streetcore band TOXPACK. I have to take my hat off and say, that’s great, guys!
Of course, the band’s critics will find enough on this album to push the band into the gray area. Naturally, this record also has the old Onkelz attitude that attracts many listeners. It’s this “No one understands me. I am alone against the evil world out there,” but TOXPACK is now more than that. They have more firm positions and can explain themselves better.
What was already touched upon in “Epidemie“ is consistently continued here by the five. Critical, thoughtful lyrics in hard rock music, packaged in streetcore. If Broilers are too shallow and cerebral for you, you should check out TOXPACK (if you haven’t already).
“Bastarde von Morgen“ might be the best album by TOXPACK!
