Exodus "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (Nuclear Blast)
By Eric Chon
Friday. Sep 30, 12:04 AM
An aural onslaught of the highest caliber.

2004’s Tempo of the Damned was an unexpected all-out assault by a supposedly dead and forgotten band. With Baloff’s unfortunate passing, Souza and company more than honored their fallen friend with one of the most incendiary and aggressive albums of their illustrious career, turning heads of fans old and new alike. This match made in hell was short lived, however, as Souza and Exodus butted heads once again and he left the band in the middle of their supporting tour. And, as cool as he was to be available, fill-in singer Steev Esquivel (Skinlab) just couldn’t cut it. But Gary Holt and company soldiered on still with a new guitarist and a new singer.

So, how are the results? Well, new throat-mangler Rob Dukes and new axe-man Lee Altus (Heathen, ex-Die Krupps) seem more than up to the task, as Shovel Headed Kill Machine is a bombastic explosion of thrash energy. Tracks like “Deathamphetamine” and “Magnum Opus” are so ‘80s Bay Area, you might think you hit a time-warp if it weren’t for the excellent production and an updated aggression that even Tempo… sometimes lacked!

Song lengths often stretch, with a few breaking the six-minute barrier (one even goes on for an epic eight and-a-half minutes), yet rarely do they overstay their welcome. There are metric ass-loads of blistering riffs that weave in and out of songs, cementing why Exodus are considered one of the “Big Four” of thrash metal. Tracks like “I Am Abomination” balance out the frenzied emotions with pure technical overkill.

Dukes, clearly the person on most people’s mind, barks and screeches like he was born for the part. While not quite as dynamic as either Zetro or Baloff, Dukes still manages to tag the album as his own with a unique delivery and a voice that clearly screams “Exodus” at ear-shattering volumes. I foresee that time and experience will only hone and develop his attack and win over any doubters.

If there are any complaints, it’s only that as good as Shovel… is, it’s still no Tempo… It’s missing that something that elevates it from excellent to legendary. But that’s like scoring a 95 after you’ve just gotten 100%: no real concern. That being said, Shovel Headed Kill Machine is an aural onslaught of the highest caliber. You have been warned.
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Eric Chon

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