Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine

If you like thrash metal, Anthrax, Shadows Fall, and Municipal Waste, you'll love:

Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine

If your Gary Holt in 2005, your wondering just what the hell your going to do. Your the only member left standing in a band that's been around for over 20 years. Your drummer leaves, your lead singer leaves, and now the only member who's been around as long as you, guitarist Rick Hunlot, decides to leave, too. You just finished touring with Megadeth for what is your most successful album in nearly 15 years! It's just you and your bassist. What is a man to do?

What else? KILL EVERYTHING!

Exodus, now spouting Paul Bostaph on drums, Lee Altus on drums, and manning the vocal helm Rob Dukes, immediately demanded that you know one thing; There will still be blood upon the stage, for you WILL bang your head upon the stage!

"Raze" kicks the album off with a devastating attack! "Burn this motherfucker like a roman candle, burn it straight to the ground!", screams Rob Dukes! As Paul Bostaph drums harder than he may have his entire life, Holt brings to a head that classic Exodus sound we all know and love!

The albums contiues to slaughter anything in it's way! With tracks like "I Am Abomination" and "Altered Boy", the hits just keep on coming! In particular, "Altered Boy" has some potent lyrics, namely dealing with the Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal. Then you come to a track like "44 Magnum Opus" that is just hammering!

All in all, there isn't much that I can say about this album. I hated it the first few months I had it, and that was largely due to the fact that, for me, Souza WAS the voice of Exodus. I think a lot of people feel the same way. Losing him, especially for me, didn't bode to well for the future of the band, and the initial resentment I had for Dukes is now, finally, gone. Sometimes, I think it's safe to say we all judge something for what we think it could or should be, and not for what it is.

This album is a hard-hitting album that is warranted to some heavy repeated listening. While not perfect by any means, it is still incredibly heavy and a solid disc. It isn't exactly a "OK, this is just to get us over the hump" album; This IS a full-on metal assault!

BEWARE THE SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE!

7.5 out of 10!