Exodus
The British Disaster
Battle of '89
Nuclear Blast Records
Released: 5/31/2024
11/10
A new Exodus Live album, well new in release terms at least is good news, especially since Good Friendly Violent Fun was ok, but believe me it doesn't even get close to this live album. Apparently rediscovered in a vault and upon being listened too it was decided to release this upon the world and I for one am a very happy person.
This live album is made even more special to me as I was at this actual show at the now gone and much missed London Astoria. I tried to hear myself on this album but my voice is lost in the crowd LOL. This album is absolutely ferocious right from the off and finds the band in top form. Driven by the awesome Tom Hunting, gelled by the low end of Rob McKillop executed by the razor sharp precision riffing of the double edged H team Holt and Hunholt) and delivered by the inimitable Zetro this album will leave you dazed and confused by the sheer levels of energy, aggression and speed in which the 15 songs are bludgeoned into the crowd. From the spoken recorded intro it's straight into "THE LAST ACT OF DEFIANCE" which smashed straight into the enthusiastic audiences faces (pitting from the off if my aging memory recalls correctly) With an opener this ferocious the band laid down their statement of intent to destroy the crowd and venue (which Mr Holt declares later in the set).
"FABULOUS DISASTER" is up next and offers no respite from the blistering pace the band have set. This is clearly a band that are road tight and fuelled by adrenaline as you can feel the energy throughout this album. "TIL DEATH DO US PART" and a song about corruption in politics (some things never change) "CORRUPTION" bore their way into your skull. Zetro and Holt share mic duties whilst engaging with the eager crowd and announce "THE TOXIC WALTZ" as not the dance your parents did. It's back to the classroom for blistering version of "A LESSON IN VIOLENCE" before a speech about the dumping of toxic waste brings "CHEMI-KILL" in. "This song ain't about no goldfish" "It ain't no fuckin' Trout either" introduces the awesome "PIRANHA" and again if memory serves me correct this provokes a furious pit that a hungry shoal of PIRANHAS would do well to survive.
"LIKE FATHER LIKE SON" and "DELIVER US TO EVIL" keep up the pace which never relents throughout - "I know you motherfuckers aren't tired yet". "There's so much fuckin'energy in here" as Holt says before Zetro pipes in - "It just makes us go into a fuckin' frenzy" before he introduces "PARASITE". Exodus are truly on fire on this album and the whole band are tighter than a precision engineered German motor vehicle; you couldn't get a cigarette paper between the band so tight are they. Up next is probably my favourite Exodus song "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE". "This is the last song of the night, so Maybe "VERBAL RAZORS" and a high energy "BRAIN DEAD" with Mr McKILLOP pulverizing the crowd with its intro bass riff followed up before "STRIKE OF
THE BEAST" ensures the crowd are completely destroyed and after this I'm pretty sure the foundations of the ASTORIA must have suffered some damage.
This album is sure to go down as one of the great live albums of its time (albeit it seeing release some 35 years after it's recording). It really does capture what a great thrash gig is about, great riffs played with precision, aggression and by a band with such a great repertoire as Exodus have it's in my opinion a classic live album which should have a place in every thrash metal fans collection. Hell even if you don't like thrash metal but love a live performance get this album. Well guys I'll be at your London show in Inslington, August, 12th and I know you guys still have a great energetic live show after seeing you on the BATTLE OF THE BAY tour just before the pandemic.
Meathook Mike, HMS