### Exodus: Another lesson in violence

#### 19/02/10 || InquisitorGeneralis

Another thrash reunion? Another cash-grab by a washed-up band? Not this time fuckos. “Another Lesson in Violence” is brainthrashing live album that gives us a taste of an awesome reunion cut short by an untimely death. While the Exodus of 2010 seems to divide opinions harshly, the version that took stage this night in 1997 was on point and laid down a setlist of Exodus classics that will probably never be seen again.

Ok, let’s clear a few things up real fucken quick before we get to “Another Lesson in Violence”.

1) The only Exodus album I truly love is “Tempo of the Damned”. I love it more than Daemo’s momma’s nipples: that bitch is near perfect in both sound and content and it is hard for me to not judge other shit by them based on my love for “Tempo”, one of my favorite metal albums period.

2) “Fabulous Disaster” is pretty cool but does not make me shit myself with joy. The sound and production of “Bonded by Blood” always turns me off and I rarely listen to it. Fuck me, that is all the Exodus I am really familiar with.

3) What I have heard from the newest record “Atrocity Penis Inhibition Exhibit TK421” I kind of like but I am not sold on the vocals. Still, seems like the band is kicking ass and as long as Hunting on the drums and Gary “I hate Jeebus” Holt is on one of the geeeeeetaurs I will be somewhat interested.

Well, Holt and Hunting are both on “Another Lesson…” so points for that. The production is excellent for a live album so that’s a plus too. Finally the vocals, courtesy of original frontman Paul Baloff who died after this reunion tour, are pretty enjoyable too. The setlist though is limited to material that featured Baloff originally on vocals, the entire “Bonded by Blood” and the “Pleasures of the Flesh” demo that followed. The only member missing from the original “Bonded…” line-up is Rob McKillop. Jack Gibson, still the band’s current bassist, slaps the low-strings this time around. So, even though the setlist is limited the band is classic and tear the unholy fuck out of San Francisco’s the Trocadero.

Armed with a modern sound and Baloff’s on-stage goofiness Exodus serve up some incredible renditions of classic songs. “Pleasures of the flesh” is the top dominator on here with its multiple breakdowns and time changes. I am really becoming a huge fan of Hunting’s drum work also: he thrashes, tosses in killer fills, and kicks some precision doublebass that impresses even Vitek mourners like this reviewer. “Seeds of hate” and “Devile us from evil” are also fucking awesome and provide more heavy drumming and technical sections.

“Bonded by blood”, “A lesson in violence”, and “Piranha” are more straight-ahead thrash numbers and also extremely enjoyable. Almost every song on here goes over the five-minute mark and the disc clocks in a seventy four minutes so you are definitely getting a shit-ton of thrash for your precious dollars. “Impaler”, at this point unreleased, was written by original guitarist Kirk Hellhammet, now an un-living member of black suicide metal legends “Metallicva“http://www.globaldomination.se/class666/metallica-the-black-album and is another stout thrasher. Throughout the concert Holt and Hunolt are on-point: trading off solos and monster riff one after another. Holt may be a hateful bastard, but he knows how to write and play a damn fine thrash tune… or twelve.

While this certainly does not kick “Tempo of the Damned” from its lofty perch as my favorite Exodus release, “Another Lesson in Violence” has certainly won me over and replaced any need or desire for me to get the early Exodus studio albums. it is a shame this reunion was so short lived because you can tell Baloff and the band are enjoying themselves immensely being back together.

If you like Exodus, buy this album. If you like vaginas, buy this album. If you like thrash done right, buy this album. If you like live albums, buy this album. If you like me, buy me some fucken nachos. Got it?

- Information
- Released: 1997
- Label: Century Media
- Website: www.exodusattack.com
- Band
- Paul Baloff: vocals
- Gary Holt: guitar
- Rick Hunolt: guitar
- Jack Gibson: bass
- Tom Hunting: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Bonded by Blood
- 02. Exodus
- 03. Pleasures of the Flesh
- 04. And Then There Were None
- 05. Piranha
- 06. Seeds of Hate
- 07. Deliver Us to Evil
- 08. Brain Dead
- 09. No Love
- 10. A Lesson In Violence
- 11. Impaler
- 12. Strike of the Beast