Crossover/Hardcore
Belgium

Released 3rd of April, 2026

The Belgium boys bring a bevy of bullish bruisers and ballistics to batter the brain.

Crossover is one of those sub-genres that one can’t not love.
With the petulant anger of old school hardcore bands like Minor Threat and T.S.O.L, combined with the raw attitude of early Exodus and Metallica, an emerging collection of bands saw the benefits of both worlds.
D.R.I, Suicidal Tendencies, etc… ushered in punk protest with thrash velocity.

Nowadays, crossover is an umbrella moniker that covers a lot of bases, but some retain its basic ethic.

One such band is TOXIC SHOCK. These five basket cases from Antwerp have been doing it the hard way since 2010 and now have their third full LP for our devilish delight.
Titled FUTURE IS CALLING, to a casual ear it sounds nostalgic or even primitive, but we are made of better things and can tell that something special is ready to boil over.
Tracks like REBORN, QUICK TO FORGET and THROUGH THE POISON are utter hardcore haymakers. No bluster, just bolstered belligerence.

Elsewhere, 1239, LIFELONG SENTENCE and PROCTASTINATION FRUSTRATION offer a thrash style so raw, it’s still bleeding.
It all fits between some nasty punk anger, especially on HQ and CREEPY REAPER.
The finishing move is a cover of The Gun Club’s 1981 track SEX BEAT, albeit done with bare knuckle crunch.

FUTURE IS CALLING has all the right ingredients you need, vocals with punk sneer and thrash bark, guitars have granite level gain with inciting groove, and a backline of solid d-beat and blast partnered with pulsing, punchy bass.
TOXIC SHOCK is a maddening merry menace. The real shock would be to pass this release up.

FUTURE IS CALLING is out now, via This Charming Man Records. Available on major streaming sites.

Also available in digital and physical formats on the TOXIC SHOCK Bandcamp.