TONKA

Live at the Quartfestival - july 03
More reviews added; Read on and find out what the underground tfeels 'bout the Tonksters...

Kvestreb
It isn't too common with thrashbands coming out from Norway; usually there are all these cool black outfits. But with Tonka we can see the Norwegians is successful in thrash as well. There are 8 powerful songson this record, all sounding like a mixture between Slayer and Kreator. If you like the 80's thrash scene, Tonka is suitable for you.

Marterpfhal
Tonka is shitting on all trends and less important elements. They just take their axes to hit their own way through the metal-jungle - and that's what I like! This path is full of an own special atmosphere with a mystical voice, that sometimes sounds a little bit psychedlic. The excellent guitar-work is also a part of the mighty puzzle. There are not so many fast parts, but this doesn't matter, cause the whole cd is full of power. This record is like a stream and it's hard to get out of it again. Very fresh, like water in the desert of a poor metal-fan. Metallic greetings to Norway - that's where yngve jacobsen is sitting and waiting for your orders... "

Metal Observer
POWERCAGE is not the only band of drummer Yngve Jacobsen, because with TONKA he has got another one, which consecrates on Thrash Metal combined with traditionally Heavy Metal and some technically guitar riffs and leads. In the guitars, you can recognize the influence of Chuck Schuldiner, while the vocals are very Thrash-unlike. The vocals are rough but they are understandable and endowed with some melodies and this is something you will find very seldom in this genre. The band tries to integrate some diversity in their songs, they don't want only simple thrashing, whereby there aren't much speed attacks, there are more midtempo and dragging songs, the band hasn't any fear to integrate some absolutely Thrash-unlike elements, take "N.N.S.B.T" (whatever that means) for example.
It is possible that you sit there a little estranged by the Thrash-unlike songstructures at the first time, but if you listen to it several times, the songs will get plausible and will show us that TONKA are hopeful newcomers, although the musicians are not the youngest ones ;) (Online September 18, 2002)

Quintessence
Like I mentioned earlier, norway has been giving us some quality Metal bands without the burning of churches and killing off of band members....seems everyone sort of grew up now. Onward the scene has moved to a more truer Metal sense and Tonka is another one of those quality bands...just as tough as the toys that are named the same...all steel for the most part! Tonka has 5 years on them and to sum this release up is to think of France and the UK with the likes of No Return and Holocaust..old school but yet rugged, modern-sounding and kicks you where it hurts if you're a big wimp. These guys will have new stuff out by year's end or early 2003 by the tune of "The Beasts Of Soil and Burden" that will be released by Metal Age Productions. I really got bad contact info for this band, so get ahold of Powercage for more information on this band.

Temple of Metal
Tonka is the second band that my friend Yngve Jacobsen plays drums in (the other one is Powercage). Tonka plays an interesting mixture of USA thrash metal (the one of the old days) and classic heavy metal, from time to time. I really liked Tonka simply because their music was thrash with an attitude and not some pissed of drunk people who think they sound mean, while they only sound crap. There's an undoubted quality in Tonka's music. Even though they prefer a slower speed, the majority of the material is mid tempo. There are many fast and furious outbreaks and even some melodic or if you prefer atmospheric parts. The band's singer sounds good on the "thrasy" material and also on the more classic moments. Cool man!
The production is good, while the artwork reminded me a lot, those old thrash LP's I have, you know the ones with the bands on the front cover. Some really retro stuff. As a conclusion I didn't found anything on this CD that could actually ruin the sum and you know how perfectionist I tent to be at times.

The Vault
Progressive thrash metal; I know this term will sound very unusual to most of you, but I like to use it in the lack of a better one to describe those thrash metal bands who, instead of following the usual pattern and exploiting the formula, chose to use it as a basis for the monument they build upon it. That monument is far more complex than you would normally notice. Want the example? Well, actually, there are lots of bands like that: Swiss duo Celtic Frost and Coroner for one, Canadian total weirdos Voivod, Annihilator, Death, Sabbat (UK Martin Walkyier fronted band), All of these bands did something new and, in some way, unique.
Tonka could certainly be added to this exalted group. They are not your average thrash metal band, but there is enough of strong riffing and fast rhythms to keep it well inside the fence. Usually I don't tend to get to excited about anything, but this band made me stop and think. Are there really bands around which are still able to give some new energy to the conservative thrash metal scene? Obviously so. The other unusual thing is that this band comes from the land of fiords, Norway, that didn't give us quite a taste of thrashing violence in the past years of this genre's existence. What better proof do you need that this country is not only a fertile soil for the immense quantities of good black metal bands (whom, by the way, I don't like too much anyway) than this band?
Many of the previous reviewers tended to compare this band with one of my favorite thrash bands ever, the Swiss trio Coroner. Tonka certainly have the same attitude Coroner once had, but I think they are harder to put straight under the banner of thrash metal, which you can do all times with Coroner. I think, as many others did, that Teo's vocal kept the comparison valid.
There is so much more to Tonka than one metal genre only and you need to listen to it quite some times until you finally get their grip. The rest of the band Bernt (guitar), Bernardo (bass) and Yngve (drums) keep wrapping the music over and over again in their fabulous web of rhythms and sometimes good solos (don't expect too much of those), until you finally get this cake that is not easy to swallow, but I guess this is the art in music. You don't expect you'll always get your metal meal all chewed up for you like you were a baby? If that's the case, good luck with "This Present Darkness" as I doubt that you'd be able to handle it. For the rest of you, for those of you like me who like their brains challenged from time to time, this is a perfect brainteaser you'd love more each time you play it. So, don't hesitate one moment. Get it!

Hard Beyond Driven
Here's Yngve Jacobsen's other project called Tonka.
A much more upbeat band then Powercage, with faster more progressive riffs, which gives quite a sound of its own. Lead vocalist Teo is right on track as he screams with a dark edge on "The Last Abduction" as well as "N.N.S.B.T." . Just being themselves brings out their own unique sound and it shows. Tonka show the importance of staying true to yourself as well as Heavy Metal, by doing so success will come and Tonka have all the tools to be just that. Lets hope they get rewarded for working hard to keep Metal alive... we're all in this together. All hail Tonka and Yngve Jacobsen, true Metal from Norway. Metal Mike......................................8/10

A review by my good friend from Philadelphia; Erik Chrupalyk
Tonka-...This Present Darkness...
Copyright: Very Metal Tonk. Production 2000
This Norweigian band's independant release is an unusual album. I really haven't heard much stuff like this before. The guitarist seems to be influenced by Chuck Schuldiner a bit, with tone and strange melody. I guess this could pass for Death Metal, but the vocals aren't the usual.
They are kind of clear, in the sense that you can understand the lyrics, but they do have a harshness and rasp to them. Some great drumming here; credit goes to Yngve Jacobsen, also of Powercage, whose E.P. I reviewed not long ago. He knows where and when to place his drum rolls, which is rare for most drummers(note: he's a huge fan of the "new wave of british heavy metal"). Now that I am listening to this CD as I review it, I noticed that it has grown upon me more than I realized. The style of Tonka isn't something that you can get into from the start, because it's very atmospheric (and no, there are no synth. brigades here), and other-worldly. "N.N.S.B.T." whatever that means, starts off with a really cool harmony, kind of like "Hollow" by Pantera (like them or not, if you listen to that song, it has an awesome harmony). Then it tends to get a bit evil-sounding. There are two songs on this which were recorded in 1999, on the "One" E.P. which was sent to me over a year ago, in response to my mentioning of the NWOBHM in the 'tallica club 'zine. These two are remastered though. Don't notice any difference, but then again it's been awhile since I've heard that E.P. One of the coolest things about this album is that I'm on the special thanks, which rules! And yes, Yngve, I'll do my best to keep the metal flame alive in Philly!

Tartarean Desire
Sometimes you wonder why great bands don't get the attention they deserve and this is one of those times. Tonka is a Norwegian band consisting of people around the age of 30 who have all grown up with metal and this is also what they love and live. The music of this album is true thrash / heavy metal in the spirit of bands like Kreator and Slayer but while these bands are usually not that vocally strong this is not the case with Tonka. The vocals are not the most beautiful ones ever heard but they fit the music perfectly and they sound great except on a few places where they believe too much in the vocal strength of the singer. The vocals are very unusual and is what makes the difference between Tonka and other bands. The first half of this album is close to perfect but unfortunately the second half doesn't hold quite the same quality. Tonka is a band that keeps the spirit of metal alive and their passion can be heard in their music.

"...TONKA`S PRESENT DARKNESS..." Download two songs from the album by clicking on the image below....MORE REVIEWS ADDED!!!!!! Prepare to be thrashed. Our music has been labeled as a blend of Coroner, Kreator, (please buy the new album....it nearly killed me. I have always loved Kreator and I think this new record stand aside Extreme agression in strenght...)and Tool as well as Slayer. As we all are very cheerful persons I wonder why we play so heavy and sometimes depressive thrash...?...the band is aiming for underground reign and as so many have given me positive feedback over the last year; TONKA is here to stay. New album still not recorded; Ok..ok; I know. We are a bunch of slackheads, but fear not. The upcoming opus will outdo "...this present darkness..." in every way. Darker; more melodies; more craft and aggression; more energy; just you wait and see!
Tonka are four, here with a three!(?) DOWNLOAD TWO SONGS FROM THE ALBUM BY CLICKING ON THE IMAGE ABOVE...."The Murder" and "Pornochild" for you...			TONKA NEWS / UPDATES....JAN/FEB The Infernofestival, maybe the biggest and most successful extreme metalfestvial in Europe, has confirmed Tonka on their menu; see http://www.infernofestival.net/ for details.... The album is musically finished, a monster - didn't I tell you? He-he....I don't know, it may be a May-release.... Older News Only some final touches left until the record will be unleashed upon the metalscene! And I guarantee you a killer album. Stripped of all trends...nothing but cool guitarattacks, strong vocals and even some synth is found.... New record almost done. Teo is doing some vocals and I guess it shouldn't take too long for us to release it. I myself really do believe this one will push Tonka one step towards the stars. No crap-trend-easy forgotten shit; this record and band you need to work with - but when it unleashes itself, you're sold.....No date as of yet, but I do hope we'll see it shelved before christmas. Some titles are: This present darkness - Universal Heaven - Darkeness before justice - ...I'll post some more when I can remember them...he-he... Tonka has just said goodbye to the Metal Age Production team. They, five of them, visitet us here in Norway for some days....we had a great time. Can't wait to see them again.... The new record, "The beasts of soil and burden" is due for a november release and we have the recordings almost finished up...the cover is starting to develop as we speak; Tonka is doing a live gig at the Elements of Metal festival next weekend and after that, the band will stay focused on getting the record released.... 25th of may - Tonka is ready to deliver the goods on this years Quart festival. With several thousand people attending, it is a small chance that Tonka will get to show at least some of the audience how to rock. Attitudewise Tonka stands for anticommerciality and crap-all-trends attacks; so if you want your metal unpolished, raw and hard to digest - be there. Saturday the 5th of luly is the only details you need to know...yeah - and be there early as Tonka will open. (www.quart.no)
Band history Formed back in march of 1997, the band has changed musicstyle pretty drastic. Starting as a three piece and with songwriters into the more updated metalscene two demoes was released. Lineup consisted of myself on drums, Bernt on guitar and a chap naming himself Paul Malachai, also on guitar. Paul backed out in 1998 and the band saw a new recruitment in the form of my brother, Bernardo on bass. In the summer of 2000 Teo the vocalist was secured a week prior to booked studiotime and as the great man he is the vocals was recorded with incredible safety. The ep "1" was a fact and TONKA started to form a new direction. We called it thrash metal played the "Motorhead" way. Following the ep was a self financed album; "...this present darkness..." which was recorded and shopped around as well as heavily spread throughout the underground. This was a succes as the reviews were pretty good. And it ended in a deal with the Metal Age Production label from Slovakia. Tonka has played very few gigs, four to be exact, and this we hope will change as we are getting more secure on ourselves. Metal Age Productions Review by Adnan from Hidden Throne zine TONKA (Norway) CD "This present darkness" Selfreleased 2000 Reviewer: Adnan It is always nice to hear something refreshing like this release is. Heavy metal, with some thrash influences and some kind of angry, screaming vocals, which I can call better part of this release. Superb production makes it sounds so modern, even though the music is something that could be heard ten years ago. At the moments it reminds me on Control Denied, but just for a moments. There are few ballads here, which I can say that are done just to be there, and to gain on CD length. I think that ...this present darkness will pass very well and without them. Anyway, for those who are really into Manowar and stuff, this CD will be something that will look nice in collection.			Live at the Quartfestival - july 03 More reviews added; Read on and find out what the underground tfeels 'bout the Tonksters... Kvestreb It isn't too common with thrashbands coming out from Norway; usually there are all these cool black outfits. But with Tonka we can see the Norwegians is successful in thrash as well. There are 8 powerful songson this record, all sounding like a mixture between Slayer and Kreator. If you like the 80's thrash scene, Tonka is suitable for you. Marterpfhal Tonka is shitting on all trends and less important elements. They just take their axes to hit their own way through the metal-jungle - and that's what I like! This path is full of an own special atmosphere with a mystical voice, that sometimes sounds a little bit psychedlic. The excellent guitar-work is also a part of the mighty puzzle. There are not so many fast parts, but this doesn't matter, cause the whole cd is full of power. This record is like a stream and it's hard to get out of it again. Very fresh, like water in the desert of a poor metal-fan. Metallic greetings to Norway - that's where yngve jacobsen is sitting and waiting for your orders... " Metal Observer POWERCAGE is not the only band of drummer Yngve Jacobsen, because with TONKA he has got another one, which consecrates on Thrash Metal combined with traditionally Heavy Metal and some technically guitar riffs and leads. In the guitars, you can recognize the influence of Chuck Schuldiner, while the vocals are very Thrash-unlike. The vocals are rough but they are understandable and endowed with some melodies and this is something you will find very seldom in this genre. The band tries to integrate some diversity in their songs, they don't want only simple thrashing, whereby there aren't much speed attacks, there are more midtempo and dragging songs, the band hasn't any fear to integrate some absolutely Thrash-unlike elements, take "N.N.S.B.T" (whatever that means) for example. It is possible that you sit there a little estranged by the Thrash-unlike songstructures at the first time, but if you listen to it several times, the songs will get plausible and will show us that TONKA are hopeful newcomers, although the musicians are not the youngest ones ;) (Online September 18, 2002) Quintessence Like I mentioned earlier, norway has been giving us some quality Metal bands without the burning of churches and killing off of band members....seems everyone sort of grew up now. Onward the scene has moved to a more truer Metal sense and Tonka is another one of those quality bands...just as tough as the toys that are named the same...all steel for the most part! Tonka has 5 years on them and to sum this release up is to think of France and the UK with the likes of No Return and Holocaust..old school but yet rugged, modern-sounding and kicks you where it hurts if you're a big wimp. These guys will have new stuff out by year's end or early 2003 by the tune of "The Beasts Of Soil and Burden" that will be released by Metal Age Productions. I really got bad contact info for this band, so get ahold of Powercage for more information on this band. Temple of Metal Tonka is the second band that my friend Yngve Jacobsen plays drums in (the other one is Powercage). Tonka plays an interesting mixture of USA thrash metal (the one of the old days) and classic heavy metal, from time to time. I really liked Tonka simply because their music was thrash with an attitude and not some pissed of drunk people who think they sound mean, while they only sound crap. There's an undoubted quality in Tonka's music. Even though they prefer a slower speed, the majority of the material is mid tempo. There are many fast and furious outbreaks and even some melodic or if you prefer atmospheric parts. The band's singer sounds good on the "thrasy" material and also on the more classic moments. Cool man! The production is good, while the artwork reminded me a lot, those old thrash LP's I have, you know the ones with the bands on the front cover. Some really retro stuff. As a conclusion I didn't found anything on this CD that could actually ruin the sum and you know how perfectionist I tent to be at times. The Vault Progressive thrash metal; I know this term will sound very unusual to most of you, but I like to use it in the lack of a better one to describe those thrash metal bands who, instead of following the usual pattern and exploiting the formula, chose to use it as a basis for the monument they build upon it. That monument is far more complex than you would normally notice. Want the example? Well, actually, there are lots of bands like that: Swiss duo Celtic Frost and Coroner for one, Canadian total weirdos Voivod, Annihilator, Death, Sabbat (UK Martin Walkyier fronted band), All of these bands did something new and, in some way, unique. Tonka could certainly be added to this exalted group. They are not your average thrash metal band, but there is enough of strong riffing and fast rhythms to keep it well inside the fence. Usually I don't tend to get to excited about anything, but this band made me stop and think. Are there really bands around which are still able to give some new energy to the conservative thrash metal scene? Obviously so. The other unusual thing is that this band comes from the land of fiords, Norway, that didn't give us quite a taste of thrashing violence in the past years of this genre's existence. What better proof do you need that this country is not only a fertile soil for the immense quantities of good black metal bands (whom, by the way, I don't like too much anyway) than this band? Many of the previous reviewers tended to compare this band with one of my favorite thrash bands ever, the Swiss trio Coroner. Tonka certainly have the same attitude Coroner once had, but I think they are harder to put straight under the banner of thrash metal, which you can do all times with Coroner. I think, as many others did, that Teo's vocal kept the comparison valid. There is so much more to Tonka than one metal genre only and you need to listen to it quite some times until you finally get their grip. The rest of the band Bernt (guitar), Bernardo (bass) and Yngve (drums) keep wrapping the music over and over again in their fabulous web of rhythms and sometimes good solos (don't expect too much of those), until you finally get this cake that is not easy to swallow, but I guess this is the art in music. You don't expect you'll always get your metal meal all chewed up for you like you were a baby? If that's the case, good luck with "This Present Darkness" as I doubt that you'd be able to handle it. For the rest of you, for those of you like me who like their brains challenged from time to time, this is a perfect brainteaser you'd love more each time you play it. So, don't hesitate one moment. Get it! Hard Beyond Driven Here's Yngve Jacobsen's other project called Tonka. A much more upbeat band then Powercage, with faster more progressive riffs, which gives quite a sound of its own. Lead vocalist Teo is right on track as he screams with a dark edge on "The Last Abduction" as well as "N.N.S.B.T." . Just being themselves brings out their own unique sound and it shows. Tonka show the importance of staying true to yourself as well as Heavy Metal, by doing so success will come and Tonka have all the tools to be just that. Lets hope they get rewarded for working hard to keep Metal alive... we're all in this together. All hail Tonka and Yngve Jacobsen, true Metal from Norway. Metal Mike......................................8/10 A review by my good friend from Philadelphia; Erik Chrupalyk Tonka-...This Present Darkness... Copyright: Very Metal Tonk. Production 2000 This Norweigian band's independant release is an unusual album. I really haven't heard much stuff like this before. The guitarist seems to be influenced by Chuck Schuldiner a bit, with tone and strange melody. I guess this could pass for Death Metal, but the vocals aren't the usual. They are kind of clear, in the sense that you can understand the lyrics, but they do have a harshness and rasp to them. Some great drumming here; credit goes to Yngve Jacobsen, also of Powercage, whose E.P. I reviewed not long ago. He knows where and when to place his drum rolls, which is rare for most drummers(note: he's a huge fan of the "new wave of british heavy metal"). Now that I am listening to this CD as I review it, I noticed that it has grown upon me more than I realized. The style of Tonka isn't something that you can get into from the start, because it's very atmospheric (and no, there are no synth. brigades here), and other-worldly. "N.N.S.B.T." whatever that means, starts off with a really cool harmony, kind of like "Hollow" by Pantera (like them or not, if you listen to that song, it has an awesome harmony). Then it tends to get a bit evil-sounding. There are two songs on this which were recorded in 1999, on the "One" E.P. which was sent to me over a year ago, in response to my mentioning of the NWOBHM in the 'tallica club 'zine. These two are remastered though. Don't notice any difference, but then again it's been awhile since I've heard that E.P. One of the coolest things about this album is that I'm on the special thanks, which rules! And yes, Yngve, I'll do my best to keep the metal flame alive in Philly! Tartarean Desire Sometimes you wonder why great bands don't get the attention they deserve and this is one of those times. Tonka is a Norwegian band consisting of people around the age of 30 who have all grown up with metal and this is also what they love and live. The music of this album is true thrash / heavy metal in the spirit of bands like Kreator and Slayer but while these bands are usually not that vocally strong this is not the case with Tonka. The vocals are not the most beautiful ones ever heard but they fit the music perfectly and they sound great except on a few places where they believe too much in the vocal strength of the singer. The vocals are very unusual and is what makes the difference between Tonka and other bands. The first half of this album is close to perfect but unfortunately the second half doesn't hold quite the same quality. Tonka is a band that keeps the spirit of metal alive and their passion can be heard in their music.

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