• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Many long-running Thrash bands have enjoyed the genre's revival over the past several years and contributed some fine albums such as Anthrax's Worship Music, Testament's Dark Roots of Earth and Overkill's White Devil Armory. Few though can hold a candle to Exodus' 2014 album Blood In, Blood Out, at least in terms of recapturing the sound and feel that made these bands so popular back in the 80s. Singer Steve "Zetro" Souza is back in the fold for a third go-round and, as anyone who has heard either of his Hatriot albums knows, the man has lost none of the power or presence he brought to such classic Exodus albums as Pleasures of the Flesh and Fabulous Disaster. Founding drummer Tom Hunting and classic-era guitarist Gary Holt are joined by relative newcomers Jack Gibson (bass) and Lee Altus (guitar) to round out the current Exodus lineup.

What this incarnation of the band has remembered is Thrash is not just about playing fast, aggressive music. There's the component of songwriting that is often overlooked by the current generation of young Thrash bands trying to rekindle the sound of the 80s. People forget that all those old Thrash "hits" were insanely fast (for the time) and bludgeoning but they were also more than a little melodic and had some of the catchiest choruses you'll ever hear. Blood In, Blood Out takes both sides of the coin to heart making songs like "Body Harvest" and "My Last Nerve" "instant" classics. The sound is vintage but with a modern production that turns what would have been a 50-pound bag of rocks hitting you over the head into a 75-pound bag of rocks. Even Metallica guitarist (and Exodus founding member) Kirk Hammett shows all those rock albums his current band has been putting out haven't completely bled the "metal" from his veins as he contributes a Kill 'Em All-worthy solo to the track "Salt the Wound." Best of all, there's no fucking "groove" anywhere in the vicinity of Blood In, Blood Out.

Fantastic comeback for a band that never actually went away. Exodus just needed to find the right mix of personnel and songwriting and it is 1986 all over again. Blood In, Blood Out is recommended for any fan of Heavy Metal and will knock the socks off those into Bay Area Thrash.