Exhorder
The Law

Following up a surprising debut is a daunting task for any band. Debuts, in most cases, contain ideas developed and refined over various demos for months, probably years, that finally reach the coveted milestone of recording, sometimes not without significant sacrifices. After that, in many cases, like Annihilator, Xentrix, Body Count, and numerous others, the cupboard inevitably runs dry. A brilliant first work is followed by a weaker sequel, and a veil of frustration grips the fans.

Regardless of what one might think, this is not the case with Exhorder. Some thrashers have always preferred "The Law" to "Slaughter In The Vatican" with commendable reason: the unbridled and brazen aggressiveness at 360° of the former is tempered with tangible moderation, crafting a product I love to call "Organized Agitation." To get an idea, consider the guitar sound: the characteristic and raw chainsaw riffing is practically gone here in favor of extensive use of high-gain distortions from the amplifiers, creating a sharper and more impenetrable effect. Moreover, Kyle Thomas's voice seems a bit less derivative, often seeking more sophisticated melodies (the title track fully conveys this), Chris Nail's drumming is assertive and admirable with its exquisite jazz flavor, while Franky Sparcello's bass, in the only track recorded by him, "Un-Born Again" (the others were played in the studio by guitarists Vinnie Labella and Jay Ceravolo), certainly doesn't go unnoticed thanks to a wild funk school slapping, and the "thick" and successful production doesn't leave one indifferent either.

"The Law" is -in any case- an album of nasty Thrash as demonstrated by the bloody "I Am The Cross," "Soul Search Me" (the instrumental ending is delightful), and the aforementioned "Un-Born Again," but at the same time, it's one of the purest and brightest examples of Groove from the '90s thanks to songs like "Unforgiven," the dark and oppressive "(Cadence Of)The Dirge," or -again- the instrumental "Incontinence." Special mention for the Sabbath cover "Into The Void," exceptionally executed, well-integrated into the platter's context and, if possible, even more doomy than the original version.

Lost in the deadly deluge of Floridian Death and crushed by the fashionable explosion of Seattle's Grunge, Exhorder got stuck with this album due to a disgraceful lack of recognition (ask Phil Anselmo for clarifications), which undermined their musical ego, and they disbanded shortly after (though it's worth mentioning their reunion dated 2008, still ongoing). Nonetheless, beyond being inventors of a genre, they remain among the very few bands that haven't tarnished their image of stylistic consistency and reputation; perhaps this is precisely why critics and fans came to late, well-deserved reconsideration of them. Personally, I would have preferred to hear a third and then a fourth Exhorder album in those years; works that would have further incorporated their sound with Jazz, Funk, Stoner, maybe even Doom, just to see what would have happened. Just to know what could have changed.