948. Exodus / Shovel Headed Kill Machine. 2005. 3.5/5

Exodus' previous album Tempo of the Damned had a lot of good things going for it, and had instilled in me a belief that perhaps there was life still left in the old thrash body. Despite this it still had gaps that I hoped would be filled by the new album. The changes that came forth in personnel before this - something that hasn't been unusual in the history of Exodus - probably left more questions unanswered than fulfilled.

The departure of Steve Souza for a second time after that album's release had brought Rob Dukes into the fold. Guitarist Rick Hunolt had also moved on to be replaced by Lee Altus. Finally, drummer Tom Hunting also took leave of the band, and his replacement was the well credentialed Paul Bostaph. With an almost completely revamped line up, it could be argued that it is difficult to say that this was in fact an Exodus album. Of course, songwriter and guitarist Gary Holt was still in charge, and given this position as the holder of the Exodus flame the general theme of the music holds its authenticity.
Everything holds together here apart from the fragility of the band members. Rob Dukes puts in a pretty fair first up effort, channelling the intensity of the music and driving forth with his punishing vocals. Gary Holt's guitaring is as superb as always, especially his soloing which is as instantly recognisable as always. Bostaph's drumming again, as in his other gigs with thrash bands, brings everything together whether it is in the slower intermediate places, or blitzing along with the lead breaks from Holt and Altus.
The danger from thrash albums is that they can get a little bit samey, and then it just depends on the quality of the songs as to whether you can get past that. Personally I think it probably does tend to blend together a bit towards the back half of the album, but the opening carnage of "Raze", "Deathamphetamine" and "Karma's Messenger" is a super way to start the album. "Shudder to Think" has a riff that sounds a little to close to a few Megadeth songs to be comfortable (think "Angry Again" and "Sweating Bullets"). "I Am Abomination" and "Going Going Gone" are the best of the rest.

I still have no qualms putting this album on and giving it a whirl, but I do think that this may be the last of the Exodus albums that I think like that about. From this point on not only is there a decline in the writing, but also the amount of time Gary Holt has with the band, due to becoming #1 fill in at Slayer. This is still worth a shot.

Rating:   "The world spins out of control, all amped up, nowhere to go".  3.5/5