Exodus
Fabulous Disaster

THE REVIEW

Exodus love violence!
. . . and obviously, I'm not talking about physical violence.

It would be impossible to finish listening to an album like "Bonded by Blood" without feeling terribly exhausted and shattered, with the sensation of having been hit by an unnatural force far beyond our endurance capabilities: the lesson in violence sends the listener home with their tail between their legs, aware of their weaknesses. But that's a whole other story, even though it must be emphasized that, proverbially, a leopard cannot change its spots.

Speaking of the "Fabulous Disaster" under review here, it must be remembered that the wild, raw, and arrogant singer Paul Baloff - who sadly passed away a few years ago - was no longer part of the team, having left Exodus after the release of their first studio effort, later replaced by Steve Souza, the same Souza who was in The Legacy (I'm referring to the pre-Chuck Billy Testament). The lineup underwent some shake-ups: aside from the departure of Kirk Hammett which happened much earlier (in 1983 he decided to join the rise of Metallica), the first bassist Geoff Andrews and indeed Baloff also took different paths during the recording of "Pleasures of the Flesh", probably due to issues related to drugs. Brief summary? The Exodus of 1988, who recorded the album reviewed here, consisted of Souza, Gary Holt, and Rick Hunolt on guitars, Rob McKillop on bass, and Tom Hunting on drums.

And violence it is!

Holt and Hunolt (is it just a coincidence that their last names sound similar?) excel, once again showing themselves as one of the most cohesive thrash guitarist duos, two frantic and razor-sharp projectiles racing one after the other in acrobatic solos and unbearably heavy and wicked riffs, under the direction of a well-paced rhythm section in the very few moments of anxious pause and relentless when forced into feral and wild bursts. Finally, a note of merit for the manly (it's fitting to say) vocal performance of "Zetro", undoubtedly a strength of this band: although I don't feel like comparing him to Baloff - but I want to specify, it's a very personal opinion - his voice, so atypical yet passionate, impetuous and assertive, helps to pound the listener with the most unheard-of vehemence.
Probably the image that might best convey the album's momentum is that of a terrifying tornado that strikes everything and spares nothing, leaving scorched earth in its wake: but this is the style of Exodus, and there's no match!

The title-track, after the opening of "The Last Act of Defiance" - the last act of defiance (!)-, is a metallic conglomerate of brutality: poisonous riffs and solos, just as venomous are the lyrics spat out with swagger and nonchalance by Souza... we are in the midst of the Fabulous Disaster! The assault continues without respite, and already one is stunned by the unbelievable power unleashed by the Californian combo. One could argue at length about the beauty of "The Toxic Waltz", the 8 minutes of the splendid "Like Father, Like Son", the starry solo of "Verbal Razors", or, again, the memorable rendition of "Overdose" - an AC/DC song from the time of Bon Scott's "Let There Be Rock" (1977) - but it would be a futile weighing of impeccably crafted tracks - excuse the boldness -, among which one might stand out more than another purely for subjective reasons.

If you are newcomers and love musical violence, the real kind, which is not only expressed with double kick drums at 200bpm, approach - with due caution - this album or more generally, the music of Exodus. No frills, no weight on appearances, only substance! If, on the other hand, you are already seasoned, nothing to say, you know what you're getting into...