Exodus
Impact Is Imminent

THE REVIEW

It seems like a curse has struck - and continues to strike in some cases - many thrash bands, which often have to deal with significant defections: artistic differences, personal issues, or simple changes in "lifestyles" have often been the basis of sudden line-up variations, sometimes leading to a "return to the original" after a long time, in shabby reunions whose purpose is easily inferred.

But without unnecessary digressions, specifying only the change of drummer from the previous album (John Tempesta replacing Tom Hunting, who was dealing with heart problems), which nonetheless left many fans disappointed, we go straight to the album: "Impact is Imminent", a tough title once again, but according to critics, it is rather lacking in aggression.
With an excessively commercial flavor, it was labeled by many as a partial misstep by the West Coast boys, others dismissed it without reservations, but there was still a large group of supporters loyal to their idols who looked enchanted at every new work, probably not wrongly, considering that many of the criticisms received by this album were truly unfounded.

The pros and cons? First of all, in my opinion, the energy of Exodus remains unchanged and it is felt; any criticisms would at most be attributed to perhaps not-so-brilliant songwriting as in the past, but after conceiving a monolith called "Fabulous Disaster", expecting another step forward would be difficult; and indeed this progression is not there, the tracks sound less engaging, sometimes a bit repetitive and predictable, their audience, a good portion of whom were infuriated at the time of the 1990 album's release, even criticized it for recycling ideas already excellently expressed, and in an original manner, in previous works (excluding "Pleasures of the Flesh", which also faced considerable dissent).
However, the production seems significantly improved, as does an overall increase in technical quality of each individual component: Souza's vocals are more balanced (and perhaps, as a "side effect", for this reason might seem less direct and less suitable to the sound created around him), the two guitars, in my opinion, carve out a space in more expressive solos than those written for "Fabulous Disaster" -not to take away from that great album, of course-, but McKillop has little opportunity for prominence considering the wall of guitars erected against him, along with the pounding and exhausting drums of the much-maligned John Tempesta, whose style is slightly different from that of his predecessor (and thus, why delve into possibly unfavorable comparisons?).

Trying to dot the "i's", "Impact is Imminent" still remains a work of fine craftsmanship, whatever the critics' exaggerations may say!
The title track seems to follow the thread begun five years earlier, in 1985, with the multi-decorated "Bonded by Blood", along with the thrash anthem "Thrash Under Pressure"; notable are also "Within the Walls of Chaos", "Heads The Win" -the solo is applause-worthy- and "Changing of the Guard", the latter with a curious and fascinating intro.
But, allow me the repetition, I'd like to highlight how the solos of some tracks (also consider "Objection Overruled" in this regard) are endowed with an incredible power, and technicism rarely ends in itself -because, I regret to admit, in some cases there's a bit too much exaggeration-, guitar outbursts with "nervous" and frantic notes that strain the brain cells of those who have to endure, in total helplessness, this ultra-violence of Kubrickian memory.

The verdict goes to those who decide to judge the album without external influences, without considering the period it was written, without taking into account what was composed before and after... in short, in a capsule of impartiality. I defer to the leniency of the readers with the following rating, matured in light of the aforementioned.

Rating: 7.5