ΝΑΜE: TOXIC PUB
GENRE: THRASH / GROOVE METAL
COUNTRY: GREECE
Toxic Pub is a metal trio from Athens, Greece, formed in 2020. Their music is deeply rooted in thrash with heavy influences from death and groove metal. (Megadeth, Pantera, Death, Sepultura)
Since their foundation they have performed many live shows in local venues across all Greece and headlined the Schoolwave Festival 2023.
In May of 2024 they released their debut album ..To Not Die Blind alongside their first music video for the track Panic Attack.
Toxic Pub defies the typical stereotypes of metal by prioritizing exceptional sound quality. With their expertise as sound engineers, the band independently produced and mixed their album, bringing their vision to life with precision and care over the span of 12 months.
METALWAR: Toxic Pub were born in 2020, during a globally chaotic period. How did that climate affect the band’s sound, themes, and overall aggression?
TOXIC PUB: Honestly, that chaotic period didn’t affect us much, as we were still at the very beginning of the band and experimenting to find our sound. On the contrary, we used that time to write songs and prepare ourselves for when things would return to normal.
METALWAR: Your sound is firmly rooted in thrash but carries strong death and groove elements. How do you balance aggression without losing your identity?
TOXIC PUB: Our sound is an unconscious result of the listening habits of all three of us, combined with what we feel like doing during each period. Thrash is what unites us—we all grew up with it—but beyond that, each of us draws influences from different genres and subgenres.
METALWAR: Megadeth, Pantera, Death, and Sepultura are major influences. Which part of these legends do you feel runs most strongly in Toxic Pub’s blood?
TOXIC PUB: It’s hard to pick just one band that has influenced us more than the others, especially when we’re talking about such massive names. Depending on the track, different influences can be heard—we have riffs that lean toward Slayer on one hand and Tool-like melodies on the other. By now, we’ve found our own identity, and it’s hard to put into words, but we often catch ourselves saying: “this sounds very Toxic Pub.”
METALWAR: You’ve played many stages across Greece and reached a peak by headlining Schoolwave Festival 2023. Which live show has truly left its mark on you?
TOXIC PUB: Every show is a memory on its own, and we try to seize every opportunity to play live. One show that stands out a bit more is definitely the presentation of our debut album, as it was the first live show we organized entirely on our own and headlined. Beyond that, our first tour in Northern Greece is a three-day experience we’ll remember forever. Being on the road, traveling with your close friends, and playing music every day—that’s the dream.
METALWAR: To Not Die Blind is a title with clear social and psychological weight. What does “not dying blind” mean to you in today’s world?
TOXIC PUB: The album title is an idea. For us, it means accepting your mortality but using it to your advantage. Realizing that time is limited and drawing strength from that by making the most of every day. We will all die, but there are so many beautiful things to experience while we’re here.
METALWAR: “Panic Attack” was accompanied by your first videoclip. How personal is this track, and how close is it to the reality we all live in?
TOXIC PUB: The idea for the song definitely came from personal experiences, and we really liked how well the uncontrollable speed and energy of thrash can capture the feeling of anxiety and chaos someone experiences in such a situation. We also feel that “Panic Attack” is the perfect track for someone to get to know us.
METALWAR: As sound engineers, you chose to go fully DIY with production and mixing. How difficult was it to be both a band and the producers of your own album?
TOXIC PUB: This dual identity of musician and sound engineer caught us somewhat unprepared. It was much harder to take a step back and see the big picture, but at the same time it gave us unlimited freedom and control over every aspect of the album. Many things had to be re-recorded two or three times, mainly due to lack of experience, but we all agreed it would take as long as needed to turn out exactly as we had imagined.
METALWAR: Do you believe that a clean and powerful sound can coexist with the rawness of thrash, or is this still misunderstood in the scene?
TOXIC PUB: A good sound can absolutely coexist with thrash. The misunderstanding is understandable, since the genre’s culture calls for a certain amount of dirt. That said, we feel every band is responsible not only for its music but also for its sound, and that this is equally important. That’s exactly what we aimed for with our album: keeping the filth and rawness of the underground, but with solid production.
METALWAR: The Athenian metal scene seems to be boiling in recent years. Where do you see Toxic Pub within this chaos, and what do you think you bring that’s different?
TOXIC PUB: There’s definitely been a rebirth of the scene after the quarantine, with new bands constantly emerging and bringing life to it. From the beginning, we wanted to cultivate our own identity, write new material, and play music. We don’t see it as chaos or competition—on the contrary, there’s a strong sense of solidarity among bands in the scene.
METALWAR: With your debut out and your name gaining momentum, what’s the next step? More speed, more brutality, or more evolution?
TOXIC PUB: Since the release of our debut, we’ve dived headfirst into writing our second album, which is now in its final stages, and we plan to enter the studio again very soon. We can’t wait to get back on the road and share everything we’ve been working on behind the scenes lately. The new album will definitely be faster, more violent, and more Toxic Pub!
