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For the record I must say, what a fucking bad idea naming your band after one of the finest thrash metal albums of all time. I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, and they must have been under the influence of some sort of narcotic when naming the band (either that or hideously naïve). Either way bad fucking idea; the Exodus comparisons will never cease for these guys.

And you know what? It's a shame because Bonded by Blood are actually a very good band. Sure their debut was standard retro-thrash fare and admittedly quite Exodus-like in its utilization. However you could tell the energy was there and their hearts were/are quite obviously in it. Fast forward to 2010 and the guys have either grown up ever so slightly or spent their time between Feed the Beast and Exiled to Earth listening to late 80's thrash albums by acts such as Forbidden and Vio-Lence and a healthy dose of some of the more technical European bands.

So, at the turn of the 20th century the Crong had fulfilled their undercover quest for domination... and so on so forth. Exiled to Earth is a concept album set 600 years after the alien race the "Crong" had essentially brought on the apocalypse and a band of rebels decides it's time for the Crong to pay. The story is clichéd beyond belief, but so right for this album. Exiled to Earth full on smokes from the get go, and it's not hard to picture in your head a band of rebels taking on this alien race (much like the admittedly awesome album artwork).

Anyways, Bonded By Blood are on fucking fire here, taking names and kicking ass left right and centre. There has been a particularly nice injection of technicality to the guitar work and it really tears the place apart. Not to mention that the lead guitar work has improved tenfold, I mean seriously, Alex Lee and Juan Juarez spit out furious solos that are fast, technical but most of all memorable, this isn't your average blur of notes. The vocals of Jose "Aladdin" Barrales (sadly departed from the band) were always the make or break for Bonded by Blood, however I really enjoy his Paul Baloff-meets-Sean Killian insanity, and it provides some nice comedic value.

It would be waste to pick out standouts here as the majority of the tracks are of a similar quality, however special mention goes to the awesome "Prototype: Death Machine" which is basically the best song the band have done. 1:38 into the song, if you're not headbanging like a fucking mad man, then check your pulse.

All in all Bonded by Blood have proven themselves a worthy act, and I'm excited to see how they come along in the future. In terms of quality this album takes an Uzi 9mm to the face of just about every retro-thrash metal band doing the rounds today, and can stand proudly as one of the best the current scene has to offer. They definitely have the right idea, and I wouldn't be surprised if they hit us with a truly great album next time around. For now though Exiled to Earth is 42 minutes of headbanging fun. Recommended.