Review Summary: Arguably the heaviest album of all-time and incredibly intense as well. Thrash Metal bordering on Death Metal. Shouting vocals that sort of sing. Sort of similar how Tom Araya (Slayer) 'half-sings' (Not that this guys voice sounds anything like Tom Ara
INTRO
One of the heaviest albums of all-time. As a metal cd collector, i am yet to here anything that can fairly be dubbed 'heavier'. This is thrash so heavy that even death metal fans will be likely to enjoy it. The intensity of this cd also deserves an honorable mention. Few albums can blow you away to the extent that this one can.
GUITAR
Guitar solo's don't feel like an imporant feature and are average yet played quite fast. Not a very diverse album. From memory, there is not a single high pitched melodic riff. It is all virtually chords played very quickly. The wammy bar/trembolo is used a little which is only a good thing as diversity on this disc is almost non-existant. Virtually all the heavy riffs have a groovy sound which create a good melody. People often mistake melody for just being higher pitched notes played together and perhaps in some styles of music that is even true, but here melody is created in the structure of the heavy riffing, not high pitched riffing. Many will refer to this 'Groove-thrash'.
DRUMS
i'm not a drummer. But i have heard countless numbers of thrash/death albums to know more than your average joe, thats for sure. Double bass drumming (Naturally). The drums help generate the truly intense and relentless feel of this album immensly. I have no idea how talented the guy is as i don't play, but he definetly does his job here. There are a few moments where he appears to be inaccurate and miss the timing. Luckily, this doesn't hamper things too much and will probably take a lot of listens before you notice anyway.
VOCALS
Thrash style shouting vocals that sort of sing. To some he will probably sound silly from time to time. I personally don't love or hate the vocals. They just sort of do the job. He has a boasting style of shouting which is perhaps what makes it sound like sometimes he's singing.
SUMMARY
Although this album is by no means perfect, it's the incredible intense/heavy sound that gives this album it's place. It will take many spins to grow familiar with most of these tracks making it something worth holding on too. All fans of heavy music be it thrash or death should hear this. Find me a heavier disc, i bet you can't!
FAVOURITE TRACKS
all of them are good. I have alot more 'favourite moments' than favourite tracks. I guess the intro track has a slight edge of the others due to the creepy intro which i really like. One of my favourite haunting intro's. (No match for Slayers 'Hell Awaits' of course!)
PROGRESSION
Exhorders second and final album 'The Law' is somewhat satisfactory. You can buy the two together. Some may say that it is actually over-produced. Intensity is lost here a bit and things have gotten a bit experimental. Although i would have thought this could only be good following an album with almost no diversity at all, it doesn't hold a candle to this one and may even appeal to a slightly different audience.
SUGGESTIONS
For greater intensity/speed of the suggested reviews, seek 'Incubus'. Their debut is also impressive though more death metal. The guitar solo's are sooo fast that It wouldn't suprise me if the guys fingers suddenly dropped off oneday. Devastations 'Idolatry' is very similar, though less intense. The production being nicer & clearer for all the instruments and one of my all-time favourite albums. That album is crazily heavy too. Dark Angel's 'Darkness Descends' is a classic thrash album and very similar though less groove orientated. Demolition Hammers 'Epidemic of Violence' is new to my collection though it is definetly in a similar vein to Exhorder. The guitar solo's appear more impressive on this one. Although too early to fairly say, i think this one might be the closest album to Exhorder's that i've yet heard.
