Exodus Tempo Of The Damned
Nuclear Blast NB1218-2 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
Talk about one of the most anticipated albums of 2004! Tempo of the Damned is the first Exodus studio album since 1992s Force of Habit, and the ferocious thrash attack that characterized the band in the 80s and early 90s is back for the new millennium. Much like The Antichrist for Destruction and Violent Revolution for Kreator, Tempo of the Damned is this bands comeback album and it just goes to show you that if you want some excellent thrash, once again, we can count on a classic band.
Exodus sound like they havent missed a beat for 12 years. The crushing riffs, relenting drumming and the biting vocals of Steve Souza are all present. Exodus sounds like a band that have something to prove, and that they have a chip on their shoulder. Tempo of the Damned is an angry, aggressive and emotional album and the band is led by the excellent delivery of Steves enraged singing. His vocal delivery is truly one of the most unique in metal right now, and he truly shines in this album, in such spots as in the chorus of Blacklist, his screams in Shroud of Urine (which features an amazing twin guitar melody line) and when he is spewing virulent attacks in Scar Spangled Banner and Culling the Herd. One has to love the line, When will everyone realize that people should be sterilized, the tubes are only fit to be tied..
But this is not just the Steve Souza show, because this album would not be perfect without the massive amount of riffs that Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt throw our way. Besides the aforementioned songs, other standout tracks that feature excellent guitar work are War is my Sheppard and Forward March. The former is a more straightforward thrash song and the latter is a more ambitious and longer track, where the band explores quite a few musical paths, and there are leads and solos aplenty to satisfy the air guitarists. Tying everything up beautifully is the great drumming of Tom Hunting and the similarly excellent bass of Jack Gibson, although I did wish the mix was able to bring up his sound a little better.
Exodus delivers the goods, and in the old-school style of the thrash heydays of the 80s. Tempo of the Damned is not just for fans of that era but also for newer fans who want to hear a band play thrash the way it was meant to be. Count me in as one of the damned!!
9/10
Exodus Official Website
Nuclear Blast Official Website
Nuclear Blast NB1218-2 - 2004
By Rodrigo Escandon
Talk about one of the most anticipated albums of 2004! Tempo of the Damned is the first Exodus studio album since 1992s Force of Habit, and the ferocious thrash attack that characterized the band in the 80s and early 90s is back for the new millennium. Much like The Antichrist for Destruction and Violent Revolution for Kreator, Tempo of the Damned is this bands comeback album and it just goes to show you that if you want some excellent thrash, once again, we can count on a classic band.
Exodus sound like they havent missed a beat for 12 years. The crushing riffs, relenting drumming and the biting vocals of Steve Souza are all present. Exodus sounds like a band that have something to prove, and that they have a chip on their shoulder. Tempo of the Damned is an angry, aggressive and emotional album and the band is led by the excellent delivery of Steves enraged singing. His vocal delivery is truly one of the most unique in metal right now, and he truly shines in this album, in such spots as in the chorus of Blacklist, his screams in Shroud of Urine (which features an amazing twin guitar melody line) and when he is spewing virulent attacks in Scar Spangled Banner and Culling the Herd. One has to love the line, When will everyone realize that people should be sterilized, the tubes are only fit to be tied..
But this is not just the Steve Souza show, because this album would not be perfect without the massive amount of riffs that Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt throw our way. Besides the aforementioned songs, other standout tracks that feature excellent guitar work are War is my Sheppard and Forward March. The former is a more straightforward thrash song and the latter is a more ambitious and longer track, where the band explores quite a few musical paths, and there are leads and solos aplenty to satisfy the air guitarists. Tying everything up beautifully is the great drumming of Tom Hunting and the similarly excellent bass of Jack Gibson, although I did wish the mix was able to bring up his sound a little better.
Exodus delivers the goods, and in the old-school style of the thrash heydays of the 80s. Tempo of the Damned is not just for fans of that era but also for newer fans who want to hear a band play thrash the way it was meant to be. Count me in as one of the damned!!
9/10
Exodus Official Website
Nuclear Blast Official Website
