Exodus
Exhibit B: The Human Condition

I understand that there are some people out there who don’t like Rob Dukes-era Exodus, and I get that. But I, for one, love it. The three records that feature Dukes, including this latest effort, have been some of the heaviest and most aggressive in the band’s entire catalog.

If you didn’t like The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A, then Exhibit B will not likely be to your tastes either. In tone, style and heaviness, the two records are quite similar. The songs here are, for the most part, fast, brutally heavy and on the long side. The near 8-minute second track “Beyond the Pale” kind of sets the bar for the record. That said, there are more moments here that fans of the band’s older style will appreciate. They lock into more grooves and offer some more tempo shifts and side trips than they did on Exhibit A.

Third track, “Hammer and Life,” is a perfect example. One of the shorter songs on the album, it checks in at just over three and a half minutes and features a less intense, but still enjoyable, classic thrash guitar riff. Dukes dials back his vocal style a little on the track, doing less screaming, and the result is something that wouldn’t have been out of place on any classic Exodus record. Album opener “The Ballad of Leonard and Charles” almost reminds me of one of those classic Metallica album openers from the 1980s with an acoustic piece that builds slowly into an uptempo thrasher. Once it hits the faster point, though, it’s pure Exodus. “Downfall” opens with some almost proggy guitar riffing and drum runs before settling into another ‘80s-influenced thrash riff.

We get a couple of departures from the break-neck pace (not counting the instrumental interlude “Perpetual State of Indifference”). “Nanking,” a mid-tempo number that goes for a majestic feel, offers up some huge slower riffs, and the exotic-sounding clean guitar licks laid underneath the heavier licks early on is nice. The downside here is that Dukes’ vocals on the verse aren’t very good, and it doesn’t flow well lyrically either. Because of that, it kind of wears out its welcome. More successful at the mid-tempo feel is “Democide,” which opens with some middle-eastern flavored guitar and a nice bass groove. It achieves the majestic feel much better early on, and Dukes’ approach to the vocals is better.

Those who liked Exhibit A also have much to enjoy on Exhibit B. We get blasts of energy and aggressiveness on songs like “Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)” and the raging album closer “Good Riddance.” “March of the Sycophants” is a charging thrasher that has one of the more memorable riffs and choruses – a hardcore-influenced piece complete with gang shouts. Some of the heavier numbers, though, like “Burn, Hollywood, Burn” and “The Sun is My Destroyer,” do seem to repeat themes from the previous record, making them sound a bit generic and not quite as memorable as some of the other pieces.

The musicianship on Exhibit B: The Human Condition is as tight and superb as Exodus fans would expect, and those that dislike Dukes’ vocals should be pleased to hear him experimenting with some slight variations here and there throughout the record. Some work, some don’t, but at least he’s stretching a bit.

It’s another solid effort from one of thrash’s longest-lasting bands with enough new edge to keep things fresh and just enough of the old-school sound to still make it Exodus.

[Visit the band's website]
Written by Fred Phillips
June 18th, 2010

Comments

  1. Commented by: Cynicgods

    – YAWN –

    Wake me up when Exodus finally come to their senses and decide to sack Rob Dukes.


  2. Commented by: ESH

    I’m not a fan of the Dukes era but it just occurred to me that he sounds exactly like Steve Reynolds from Demolition Hammer, and with that in mind, it does help me appreciate it more since those Gods of Metal are no longer with us and some of this sounds like what they would probably sound like now, if they were still together that is (RIP). Overall, not bad, but it’s no Ironbound.

    6.5/10, imho.


  3. Commented by: Staylow

    I love the heavier and more aggressive feel of the Dukes era. This is by far my favorite Exodus album, and my sure shot album of the year. Front to back it just smokes. I’ve listened to it about 50 times or more, and I still keep coming back for more. Nice write up Fred.


  4. Commented by: Blackwater Park

    Cynicgods … A-Fucking-Men!


  5. Commented by: Old Pick Axe

    This album absolutely slaughters. Exodus STILL have it after all these years. Not only is “The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles” one of the best Exodus songs ever written…but the new Slayer WISHES it was as good as the new Exodus.


Leave a Reply

Privacy notice: When you submit a comment, your creditentials, message and IP address will be logged. A cookie will also be created on your browser with your chosen name and email, so that you do not need to type them again to post a new comment. All post and details will also go through an automatic spam check via Akismet's servers and need to be manually approved (so don't wonder about the delay). We purge our logs from your meta-data at frequent intervals.

  • Suidakra - Darkanakrad
  • Chaos Invocation - Wherever We Roam....
  • Ad Vitam Infernal - Le ballet des anges
  • Thy Catafalque - XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek (Twelve: The Beautiful Dreams Are Yet to Come)
  • Aara - Eiger
  • Mammoth Grinder - Undying Spectral Resonance EP
  • Wretched Fate - Incineration of the Pious EP
  • Kaivs - After the Flesh
  • Witnesses - Joy
  • Mythbegotten - Tales from the Unseelie Court
  • Worm Shepherd - Hunger
  • Chained to the Dead - Only Hunger Remains EP
  • Entheos - An End to Everything EP
  • Trollwar - Tales From the Frozen Wastes EP
  • Gigan - Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus