3rd June 2026

Review: “Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s” by Belushi Speed Ball

“We are so excited to drop our strongest album to date! Toxic Waste Was Everywhere in the ‘80s is guaranteed to melt faces into a plutonium level pizza pit. For context: We will have to release a blank greatest hits album prior to this drop. We ain’t had a hit yet, and this entire album will be nothing but banger hits after banger hits. In addition, we are proud to announce Belushi’s newest additions: Bassist, Justin McClure and drummer, Ben Cotton (Rose Funeral, SIDS) will be joining the chaos for their recording debut. Making this LP a must have for any crossover thrash fan.” – Vinny Castellano, vocals

A tenth studio record and fourth album from Louisville, Kentucky Thrash Punks Belushi Speed Ball is quite an impressive feat for a band who have spent thirteen years in the game without compromising for a single second. Creating tunes on themes of cartoons, movies and humour in a similar vein to the likes of Municipal Waste or GWAR while keeping their energy levels high, the band once again turn to Andrei Bouzikov (Höwler, Hazzerd, Municipal Waste) to provide cover artwork for their new album “Toxic Waste Was Everywhere in the ’80s“. Which is actually more of a statement of fact than you might think because Jack Nicholson become the Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 version of Batman by falling into acid and then you’ve got Daredevil, The Toxic Avenger and more…

In a kind of belated response to the Queen of Angst Rock Alanis Morissette and her huge hit “You Oughta Know“, Belushi Speed Ball have created a Thrash Punk classic in “I Ought Not Know” to start their latest burnt offering off right. A sub three minute angry anthem of racing riffs with a blistering solo and barked vocals, it has all the energy of their live performances while being surprisingly slick before flowing into “How Tough Am I?” like a river of lava into obsidian. Maintaining that perpetual forward motion ain’t easy but the band do it in style with verve and swagger, the electrifying leads seriously impressive throughout. Full fat, high caffeine and loaded with nicotine “That’s a Mighty Fine Wayne Gretzky” then roars out of the gate like Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger R/T in The Fast and The Furious, the track the metaphorical equivalent of the wheelie pulling burnout scene in the original movie, nine hundred horse power in full effect.

Vinny Castellano rants and raves like a man possessed during “What’s Funnier Than 24?” the addition of gang chanted vocals giving the track something to get the crowds involved with a bit of call and response when the cut gets played live. The tongue in cheek humour is laced with a certain sense of irony throughout the record the band proving every single time that they can match style with substance. “All Pete’s Exes” has some incredible soloing on it not to mention catchy lyrics and earworm riffs, the band creating a song with a timeless quality to it in that it could have dropped at any point since 1982 and no one would be any the wiser. Equally frenzied, fresh and bizarre “Portrait of Kellaway’s Wife” has riffs for days and leads for weeks, the rhythm section in overdrive as Castellano pulls out another strange tale and the result is something that never gets old.

“D.E.N.N.I.S. System” feels like its got a bit of Judas Priest influence in the guitar work, the leads adding some interesting melodies before “It’s a Green Day (You Know, Still as in Stocks)” flies across the room. It might not have Reprise Records lawyers sharpening their pencils or the FBI wanting to investigate the band for taking weed across the border but the breakneck speed riffs will put enough bodies in the pit the start a tornado. Sure some of the lyrics are a little absurd but that’s all part of the fun and no less weird than Austrian Death Machine. Arguably the heaviest cut of the collection is “I’m Not Your Buddy, Guy” which finds the band calling out keyboard warriors while inspiring circle pits, taking inspiration from early Anthrax in the process. There is so much venom in Castellano’s voice that this one may well be more personal than meets the ear and while it is a verse and chorus longer than most on the record, it’s done particularly well.

We don’t quite reach inception level madness with “Belushi Speed Ball” because this isn’t a self titled album but a song about the band is the most fun you can have without losing a limb, the high energy incendiary madness not letting up for even a fraction of a second. Castellano’s tongue in cheek humour driven lyrics are enough to crack a smile on the face of even the hardest of Metal heads, the jokes about the same two part harmony are such good fun. How about an old school Thrash rager to finish? “Captain Planet Still Can’t Stop Us” is exactly that, the seven piece going back to the early 80’s to find some more adrenalized riffs to soak us with. Another intense, in your face tune that you’re not going to be able to get enough of, this one will have you pushing play on the album once more as soon as it ends. It’s slicker than the The Fonz in Happy Days. [8/10]

Track Listing