Review Summary: All anyone really needs is good solos and riffs.
Exhibition’s debut record,
The Last Laugh, mixes the high octane riffage and intensity of thrash metal and hardcore with the more melodic lead guitar playing that comes with heavy metal in a way that may not be completely original, but it is hard to deny its outright blast of energy. This is made immediately clear through the opener,
Exhibition, which demonstrates exactly how the rest of the album is going to sound with its engaging riffs and melodic solo, and this record’s drive never diminishes in its short 23 minute runtime. However, the album's best moments are saved for later.
Crucified is a straight up excellent thrash song with an insanely catchy hook and main riff.
On the Run perfectly displays the band's knack for solid solos, where the song crescendos in its final 30 seconds with intense leads.
The album's vocals are another strong element, as they provide harsh barks that make the thrash riffs feel even more powerful and aggressive. This is made even more clear through the particularly heavy
Your Way Back where the vocals and riffs perfectly complement each other.
The Last Laugh's easy highlight has got to be
Bottom Feeder. The first half of the track is a simple, yet extremely effective solo that serves for melodic moments while still maintaining the pure intensity of the previous tracks. This is helped by the solid riffing that is accompanying the solo. Eventually, the solo gives way to the rest of the track for even more fierce and energetic crossover thrash metal goodness.
The Last Laugh certainly is not the most original album out there. Nothing on this album reinvents the wheel, and some tracks here kind of enter one ear and come out the other. However, I don’t think Exhibition is trying to do something different with this release. Instead, they focus on making an energetic, riff filled 23 minutes that does exactly what it needs to without wasting any time. It is short, it is unsurprising, and yet its energy is simply infectious. For any fan of crossover thrash metal, this is definitely something you should give a chance for both its familiarity and its strong sound.
