Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)

★★☆☆ Much like Overkill, Exodus is in the business of giving you meat-and-potatoes thrash metal. But as much love as I give Exodus (or anyone) for flying the vintage thrash banner, this album feels a bit too retro. A big part of the problem is that, rather than trying to bring the old form into the present day to freshen it up, the album seems stuck somewhere between 1997 and 2003. How else can you explain an intro by Dan The Automata, a guest lead from Kirk Hammett, and vocals by Chuck Billy on a song about the BTK strangler? Been there, done that already. (I get the idea of wanting to keep things in the Bay Area family, but honestly there are plenty of exciting and accomplished choices in San Francisco from this decade.)

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