Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine   

Thrashtastic from start to finish

If there was ever an injustice in the history of metal, it was Exodus' exclusion from what was called “The Big Four Of Thrash” in the early 80s - Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. Although Exodus may not have gone on to enjoy the same level of longevity and success, there's no doubt that they were as significant to the genre as the aforementioned thrashers and it should have been “The Big Five”. Complaints aside, 2004's Tempo Of The Damned was the first studio album from Exodus in a dozen years (excluding 1997's Paul Baloff fronted live album A Lesson In Violence) when vocalist Steve “Zetro” Sousa, guitarists Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt, bassist Jack Gibson and drummer Tom Hunting made their triumphant return to the metal scene.

During the later part of 2004 whilst touring on the Tempo album, Zetro quit and he was temporarily replaced by Steev Esquivel (Skinlab, Re:Ignition, ex-Defiance) for the remainder of the tour. After Zetro was officially replaced by their guitar tech Rob Dukes, it wasn't long into the recording process that long time drummer Tom Hunting was taken ill, and soon after, Rick Hunolt, an important half of the infamous guitar duo known as The H-Team, left the band to take care of his family. But it takes more than that to keep Holt down. Enter Paul Bostaph (ex-Slayer, ex-Forbidden) on drums and the more than capable Lee Atlus (Heathen) on guitar and the result is as brutal as the title suggests - Shovel Headed Kill Machine.

From the moment Raze kicks in, the riffs and guitar tones reek of Exodus. Dukes immediately asserts himself as the new vocalist with a performance that is a little deeper sounding over all but still retains the razor edge that Zetro had and the bite of Baloff's early work. The fury continues with the vicious Deathamphetamine which showcases a true barrage of thrash riffage and blistering lead work in this eight minute adventure. There's little doubt that Karma's Messenger also sounds like traditional Exodus especially with Dukes' excellent Zetro-like performance throughout the chorus in a song that would fit perfectly around the Pleasures Of The Flesh and Fabulous Disaster eras. Shudder To Think may ease off on the throttle for a few minutes but the venomous tones of Holt and Co. shine through although maybe not to the same degree as the opening cuts, but that is soon restored with the Bostaph's double kick attack on I Am Abomination.

Altered Boy continues the venomous lyrics, this time on the topic of the numerous claims of paedophilia within the Catholic Church before the thrashometer starts to redline with Going Going Gone. Whilst there isn't a real stinker on this album (unlike Tempo's Throwing Down which technically is a Wardance tune more so than an Exodus number), Now Thy Death Day Come just isn't quite as strong as the rest of the album as it tends to sag in the middle a little. Dukes' vocals parallel Slayer's Tom Araya during parts of the crushing 44 Magnum Opus and the closing title track is sure to become an Exodus classic with gang vocals shouting out “Shovel headed!”

Whilst Tempo Of The Damned was a triumphant return to the metal world, Shovel Headed Kill Machine is all that plus it is more focussed and consistent overall. Any doubts that Holt and Co. would deliver after the line-up setbacks that have plagued them over the last 12 months can be safely laid to rest. Exodus hasn't missed a step with the all out metal attack that is Shovel Headed Kill Machine.

(Nuclear Blast Records/Riot! Distribution)

Added: October 11th 2005
Reviewer: Simon Milburn
Score:
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