This is Exodus how you want it to sound. When it was announced that Rob Dukes was out and former long time front man Steve “Zetro” Souza was back in the band the new was met with mixed reactions. Long time fans were rejoicing as the man they felt was the true voice of Exodus since Paul Baloffs passing had returned, while many fans of the Rob Dukes era were worried that they would lose that harder more viscous edge that the band had had since Dukes joined.
Luckily for everyone with this album “Blood In Blood Out” they’ve managed to combined the best of both worlds. Through the guidance of main song writer and lead guitarist Gary Holt hes managed to combined the pure aggression of the Dukes era with the classic Bay Area thrash sensibilities like the return of gang vocals and Zetros raspy voice spiting venom with every word out his mouth
The album is essential a blue print for what thrash metal should sound like in 2014. Not necessarily complete throw back to the styles of the 80s like a lot of the neo/retro thrash bands do these days but using those hall marks that they helped define back in the day combining it with a more stream lined no nonsense approach that is unrelenting from start to finish.
The songs are exactly what you’d expect from Exodus, they’re fast, they’re extremely riff heavy and they’re lyrically very intense. One of the main thing that a lot of people had issue with during Zetros run with the band originally after replacing original frontman Paul Baloff that the sounds become almost a little more goofy lyrically and there was also usually a goofy cover or two on the albums. There is none of that here.
Songs like the title track, “Salt the wound”, “Body Harvest”, “My Last Nerve” and the closing track “Food For Worms” really show that the band are in top form and are ready to take their place at the top of the thrash heap where they belong. They are as thrashy and as aggressive as the band has ever been with Zetro singing. This album is way more heavy than 2004s “Tempo Of The Damned”
The album also features a few cameo appearances. Metallica lead guitarist and original founding Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett supplies a guest solo on the track “Salt The Wound”. In case your wondering which solo is Kirks the wah effect is a dead give away. Testament front man Chuck Billy supplies guttural guest vocals on the song “BTK” which to me seem kind of out of place on the album. That section with Billy just slows down to this chugging pace that doesn’t really seem to fit with anything else on the album. And of all people hip hop producer Dan The Automator supplies some beats and loops on the intro of the opening track which sounds a lot more crazier than it really is. It actually works quite well as the intro to kick off the whole album
One other thing worth noting is the guitar outros on the closing track “Food For Worms” really sounds like something of an early Slayer album. All that time filling in as Jeff Hannemans replacement has really rubbed off on Gary Holts playing
From start to finish this album is a pure thrash masterpiece. All metal fans are gonna need this. Mandatory Listening. Its the perfect blend of old school thrash metal and new. I’m putting this album so far as my number 2 album of the year, just narrowly missing out to Triptykon’s “Melana Chasmata” but only just
“Blood In Blood Out” is available now
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