Year Of Metal #059: Exodus - Bonded By Blood
Another slice of first wave thrash here, back to where it all began, 1984, with Exodus’ debut LP. I think these sit in the very next tier down from the Big Four, and indeed featured future Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett in their line up until he split for the big time the year before this record dropped. As always, I’m a little on edge when it comes to all things thrash, but this has a lot going for it even if it’s most likely not a record I’m going to come back to a great deal.
Most importantly for my tastes, Bonded By Blood is much more punk than a lot of the big thrash acts. On songs like “Exodus” especially, the aggressive performance strikes me as far more snotty and bratty than the machismo you’ll often get with heavy metal. On the flipside, the playing is incredibly tight and precise. None of it’s fucked off or ironic, and the guitarists tear into a solo that would be anathema to the dogmatic dudes in the ‘80s hardcore scene. Even here, though, it’s not a moment of pure wank; rather, it’s a rare burst of melody for a tune that’s predicated on punch and snarl.
Key to all of this getting over are the vocal stylings of Paul Baloff. He’s not got the most prominent voice in all of metal, and he uses that to his advantage, desperately snarling and yelping to be heard over the walls of guitar and drums. I actually like it quite a lot. It’s not a big deal that you can’t make out what he’s saying a lot of the time; his shrill caterwauling provides a nice top line over controlled chug of the instruments. My big complaint with thrash is usually that it all gets a bit samey, and the unique approach of Baloff mixes things up. He just sounds nice and weird, totally unforced because it’s not a singing style you’d necessarily go for if it wasn’t all you had in your tank.
Baloff died in 2002 (having been in and out of the band a few times), and Exodus for some reason decided to re-record this LP with their then-current singer Rob Dukes. It’s quite hard to find, but it’s up on YouTube. I’ve listened to a bit of it and they’ve refreshed the metal palette to good effect. Dukes has obvious quality and real force to his voice, but I do think you’re losing a lot without this strange goblin chuntering away across the record. “And Then There Were None” is probably the stand out, partially because it’s got a great, fairly normal chorus, but verses filled with this shrill, bestial, charismatic performance.
Around the halfway point, I do start to lose a bit of interest for the usual reasons. Thrash is as thrash does, and the same tricks are repeated as they are in most of these albums. But Exodus are smart enough to keep the record pretty short and snappy, and they mix it up as best they can within the rather tight confines of the subgenre. Songs like “No Love” and “Deliver Us To Evil” are strange and restless enough to keep my attention, and I do appreciate the sheer ragged all-out energy of closer “Strike Of The Beast”, which is pedal to the metal, maximum impact stuff.
Even if it does all eventually merge together a little, there’s a lot to be said for Bonded By Blood. The punk vibes are winning, and the fact that the group never reached Metallica or Slayer heights (though they’ve done plenty well for themselves and seem to gain good notices for almost everything they release) affords them a scrappy underdog spirit.
