Interview with founding member/guitarist Corix
It’s been a while since we’ve all been together. How’s everything going in Toxemia camp?
Everything’s fine, thanx man!…We had a blast playing live in San Pablo Laguna yesterday sharing stage with our good friends Pathogen again for a long time.
How did Kenneth and Cryster got into the fold? How do they managed to keep up with Toxemia’s way of life?
Kenneth and Cryster both smoke and drink, so it wasn’t hard for them to keep up with toxemia’s crooked edge style…hehe!
You guys are now busy with your family and work; it personally
surprised me when the band returned back. What’s the prompted you to awaken the beast once again?
It’s because our long term goal and dream for Toxemia is to exist long and to release more recordings and demos, Family and work wasn’t the problem why the band is not moving though most of us have our own family now. Erwin and Vic’s distance and availability is one of the reason the band was on hiatus (2008-2010) because we were too far away from each other, we cannot set up a good schedule to practice and to drink.
I was hook on playing Dota and MMORPG, Ron and Patrick were doing their own stuff. When I met Kenneth and Cryster last 2010 that was the time I was inspired again and called up Ron and Patrick…Cavite’s Beast was created.
What’s more surprising was the release of Cavite’s Beast, your first professional studio recording. Can you tell us a bit more about this record?
All of us were excited, because Cavite’s Beast is really the Beastly release for Toxemia in my opinion, because it was premeditated before we run to the studio to record.
What made you choose Noiseworks? How’s like to record with Dondi? How’s the whole studio experience like?
Because we like Noiseworks’ works, like for example the Pathogen recordings, because we want to maintain the rawness of Toxemia like the old way, though it was decent this time but still the raw feeling is still there, neat but not digital…working with Dondi in the studio was like partying, smoke some and drink some, very nice guy.
Compared to the earlier materials, I think Cavite’s Beast is by far your best materials. How has the song-writing process evolved since the early days of Toxemia?
Three trax from Cavite’s Beast EP was written last 2008 when Vic is still our drummer, it was rearrange when Kenneth and Cryster join in and added two new trax, the evolvement is really obvious these days compare to the old ones, because all of us are contributing in every track as a team effort.
How would you describe Toxemia’s music? Where does the band draw their musical and non-musical influences?
Aaargghhh! We draws a lot of musical influences, we are colliding each other’s musical trips, from Punkish Thrash to Grind, from Doom to Death Metal…non musical are Marijuana and Alcohol.
Consciousness Expansion sounds a lot different from your previous materials and by far my personal favourite among your records. Can you tell us more about this song?
Lyrical content of this song tackles about drugs, how drugs expand our consciousness when we are influenced on it…the song is doom and some thrashy parts inspired, there are more slower trax like this in our new materials.
I think the only song that connects the EP from the older materials was Ihaw-Ihaw. Was it a conscious effort to keep the old Toxemia spirit in your newer materials?
Yeah you are right, and also it’s because Ihaw-Ihaw was created from the past line up when Vic is still our drummer.
You have quite a number of songs written in the past and all of them are crudely recorded either at the rehearsal room of live in the studio.
Ever thought of re-recording some of your older materials and if you do which songs do you think deserve a proper studio treatment?
Greed and Toxemia Attack were on the planned list to be re-recorded in our next recording and actually planned to be re-included in our debut full length hopefully.
You recently uploaded a raw rehearsal track and it looks like you guys are once again expanding your horizon. How many new songs have you written so far? In which direction the new songs are heading this time?
We have already 5 new songs but we are on the process of re-arranging and mixing riffs and beats and stuffs, the musical direction varies from fast to slow, but the grindcore elements were minimized unlike the old stuffs but you can still feel the feeling of the old Toxemia way.
You guys are planning to release an album soon. Can you give us a bit more information about it?
Yeah…we are hoping to finish this before the end of the year, for Toxemia’s dream come true! Because some members at the moment has a tight schedule, we are rehearsing once a week only and sometimes we failed it, we really hope all trax will be settled by November or December this year so the debut album will be release early 2013 together with our 10th year anniversary (A decade of existence) as a band…we will release this with label or without label! It will be on Cd’s and Cassette Tape.
Aside from uploading your songs on fakebook, how else do you promote the band?
We are promoting our band by doing local underground gigs, selling and trading our stuffs on gigs, printed flyers, contacting local u.g individuals from bands, zines, labels and distros as our first target, now, we are preparing our packs to foreign u.g creatures, hope our financial aspects permits.
Thanks guys for your time. It’s a pleasure to have you in Tripalium. I’ll see you guys in a few months.
It’s OUR pleasure to be featured in Tripalium zine, man! Thanx a lot for giving us an attention, we really appreciate that much! See you soon, man! Emperador brandy is waiting for you here in the Philippines. Hehe and RURAL CARNAGE 4!!!
Toxemia – Cavite’s Beast EP is still available on Pro Cdr and Cassette Tape, trade is always welcome!
For Toxemia info, write us at:
c/o Corix Baluca
Blk. 14 Lot 11 Villa Apolonia Phase 2
Naic, Cavite 4110
Philippines
http://toxemia.cjb.net
