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I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I grabbed a promo from a band called TOAD. That name has Stoner written all over it and when I first cranked up "Taste of the Grave," with its groove-laden Thrash riffs, it seemed as though my fears were confirmed. However, the more I listened to Endless Night, TOAD's second EP, the more I realized that, despite more than a few whiffs of Stoner/Sludge, this is some serious Black Metal. TOAD, which stands for "Take Over and Destroy" (thanks Metal Archives), hail from Phoenix, AZ and have captured something a little different on Endless Night. The riffs are mainly Thrash and there is no tremolo picking. The tempos are mid-paced and blast-beats are entirely absent. How can this be Black Metal, you ask? The vocals are a fairly decipherable and utterly evil rasp, though there are some clean sung parts, and I was often reminded of both Tom G. Warrior and Martin Ain from the mighty Celtic Frost. The lyrics are suitably dark and by the time the intro to the second song, "Cosmophobia," is over, most of the hints of Stoner/Sludge are gone and you just have solid, Thrashy Black Metal. It's slightly different than most of the stuff out there and that makes it a nice departure from the norm but it isn't very catchy either, so even after a few listens, nothing really sticks. Solid, and somewhat unique, Endless Night, is worth a listen, especially if you are tired of the same old Black Metal.