EXODUS – Exhibit B: The Human Condition

Violence is all around us and while the fact remains that it is negative, we are still letting it into our lives to obliterate and destroy what we built and build. In the music industry, in the majority of the non-reality Pop/R&B and even Rap, everything is about money, relationships, love, sex all bunched into a pink outlook of “Everything will be alright, everything is gonna be ok, baby”, and other stupefied notions of crap. Metal, as a sideline genre of music was one of those to step in and tell the ugly truth. The truth is that society is corrupted, they lack values, brother will kill brother over things such as religion, substances, liquid and even such petty things as a parking space. The truth is that violence is one of our strongest ways to get what we want like personal longings, territory and such.

Exodus weren’t the first group to look at violence in the face and had a chat with it. Many bands, not necessarily Metal, talked about the same stuff, yet, Metal was always first on the scene. However, Exodus were one of few to go to extremities with their writing in order to shock, really hard, what society has become with violence as their murdering friend.

Their new album and second part of their exhibit show, Exhibit B: The Human Condition, is a hard message to comprehend, yet, understandable because of society’s nature. Gary Holt, the band’s lead guitarist, said it’s going to be sick, and yes he was right. To the levels of fighting brutal wars and sending young, obeying soldiers to do the heartless dirty work of others to the executing student at a school, this is only the truth talking. It’s rather looking through the abyss of a sick reality than on a pink fantasy. This is not about mere pessimism it is a wake-up call for something to be done.

Handled by the excellent producer, Andy Sneap, the overbearing rage of Exodus continues with a high-powered attack. Guitars and bass are the might of the whole release as the drums kick from the back while the oblivious vocals of Rob Dukes maintain the frenzy of chaos. Sneap, a well known icon in the Metal world of hefty productions, made another amazing job on Exodus, as they became stronger than ever before. Although there were hints of the previous release, this new number is the strongest and it fits well with the deadly theme it holds.

Behind the killing old school Thrash Metal excitement, Exodus haven’t even come close to failing. Although Holt has that knack of suffocating his heavy riffs and tight leads to death, and it can be a bit aggravating, his writing never tires as those unmercifully punch the ear like a ten ton hammer. Whoever likes to mosh and break some bones, this is violence folks. However, try to keep it friendly because the message here tells the opposite.

With the serious issue they present on Exhibit B: The Human Condition, Exodus, through twelve songs, showed forms of violence and how low-deep our situation is. Great and important songs such as “Good Riddance”, “Hammer And Life”, “Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)”, “Nanking”, “The Sun Is My Destroyer”, “Burn Hollywood Burn” can only be categorized as flames. Those are the flames of violence. Their music sticks well to them like super glue. From this end, the strongest songs with the tough messages are “Class Dismissed” and “The Sun Is My Destroyer”. Those are great examples of how we are molesting ourselves and creating a demonic upcoming for the future of mankind. The other tunes are also good and create the maximization of the aura of what we do not want, yet, sadly and unintentionally, welcome it with open bloodied arms.

The message on this release is by far an extreme one, yet, it’s the right way to show it all. Beware of being too naïve because the “alright” reality is not always a crimson dream.