Customer Reviews

Bonded by Blood

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When talking about the Great Thrash Movement of the 80's, this disc arguably, is the 2nd most influential thrash record ever made (right next to "Reign In Blood" by Slayer). A seriously punishing slab of thrash, "Bonded By Blood" was released in late '85 and immediately set the underground ablaze. The dual guitar team of Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt rips the listener to shreds with a barrage of lethal, adrenaline fueled riffs. While the riff style is similar to that of early "Kill 'em All" Metallica, (Kirk Hammett was Exodus' guitarist before joining Metallica), the songs themselves are overloaded with riff after riff of pure anger. Paul Bailoff, the lead singer, also lays down a torrid wave of vocal hatred that is utterly intense. He sounds like a certifiable maniac who's having the time of his life torturing his victims (which happens to be the listener!). All you have to do is listen to "A Lesson In Violence". More than 10 years after its' release, "Bonded..." production is still fresh sounding and up-to-date. The guitars are IN YOUR FACE and the vocals are audible and clear. It's a shame that all the problems they had with their record label (Torrid Records) and the repeated failures of living up to this classic thrash debut, made Exodus an also ran in thrash metal. "Bonded"... is one of the 10 Best Thrash records ever made, so if you don't own this, you have no business liking thrash/death metal. BUY OR DIE!

There are very few albums out there that can match the intensity of this album. Exodus are legends in the THRASH genre and this is where it all started. If you are new to EXODUS or just discovered them due to "Tempo of The Damned (2004)" or "Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)" then this is the next album you need to pick up. If you are just looking on where to introduce yourself to EXODUS, then you need to start here! Bonded By Blood was recorded in 1984 and took nearly a year to release due to red tape. I believe if this had been released in 1984 as intended, EXODUS would have gained much more respect from the metal community. Now to the music.

Bonded By Blood starts off with the title track. The riffs are crazy and heavy and very memorable. Paul Baloff (original vocalist) sounds more pissed off and violent than anything that came before this album with the exception of Slayer's "Show No Mercy." The riffs are full and chunky which will want to make you snap your neck banging! While I won't spoil the album for you by describing every track, I will say that the following are the stand out tracks: "And Then There Were None" which is a mid-paced song with vocals that are all over the place. This song is probably the most memorable and catchiest on the album. Then there is "Lesson in Violence" which is a song that is full of piss and vinegar and is still an Exodus "classic" to this day. This was also the original album title prior to using "Bonded By Blood." Any finally you have "Strike of the Beast" which EXODUS usually closes their set with to this day. A great song with heavy kick drums and fast riffs.

This album is so underrated by the overall metal community that it is criminal. This album clearly holds its own up against the debuts of SLAYER, METALLICA, ANTHRAX & MEGADETH but for whatever reason failed to garner the same success as these bands. I have over 2000 CDs and this one still makes it into my player at least one a week. A great album by a great band! Definitely one that I highly recommend!!

In my own little world this may be the single best album ever released, and it bothers me that so many reviewers feel the need to qualify their 5 stars with the THRASH label. Just as todays bands are jammed into little boxes marked "Grindcore" "Melo-Death" "Doom" etc, metal in the 80s was broken into ever fracturing sub genres. So Exodus was Thrash? So was D.R.I. and the two bands aren't exactly identical. Metallica was Thrash? What was Slayer? Was Dark Angel Death Metal? And can someone please get out the Brother P-Touch for DEATH Angel?

When describing any of these bands in the historical context of heavy music, labels are pointless.

Exodus was the best at what they did. For one monster of an album they had no equal. If there were no Exodus then . . . . make up you own dismal 311 or Audioslave populated future here. The California bands were so intertwined in the early 80s that one without the other could have meant the existence of none. And without them Gothenburg would still be a picturesque city where people eat meatballs and listen to nothing but Abba and Ace of Bass.

Bonded by Blood is one of the 5 most important heavy records ever made. You pick the other four.

This is easily the best Exodus album and one of the best thrash albums ever.The riffs are awesome,the songs are catchy,and the drumming is awesome!Here is a track by track review:
1.Bonded By Blood-5/5-Awesome song.Great riff,cool lyrics,great album opener.
2.Exodus-5/5-Awesome song.Great follow up to Bonded By Blood.Has some really violent lyrics,so I wouldn't listen if this stuff offends you.
3.And Then There Were None-4/5-Slower than the first two songs,but still pretty good.
4.A Lesson In Violence-5/5-My favorite song on the album.Awesome riffs and the best guitar solos on the album.
5.Metal Command-2/5-My least favorite song on the album.Nothing special.
6.Piranha-5/5-My second favorite song on the album.Awesome intro,and just an awesome song.
7-No Love-3/5-An OK song.Has a cool acoustic intro and some cool riffs,but too slow and has some disgusting lyrics.
8.Deliver Us To Evil-4/5-A pretty good song,but too long and has too many different riffs,and really evil lyrics.
9-Strike Of The Beast-5/5-My third favorite song on the album.The fastest song here,and has some AWESOME drumming courtesy of Tom Hunting.Exodus usually closes wih this in concert.
10-And Then There Were None-5/5-This reissue has 2 bonus live tracks.I like this version better because it has Steve Souza on lead vocals instead of Paul Baloff.
11-A Lesson In Violence-5/5-Awesome live version.
If you don't have any Exodus,I'd definitely start with this album.

Every musician on this CD knew his business and boy is the business good. I love this CD, it was the best released by any band of that time, no question. Anything by the big guys we all know around this time was amateur compared with this.

Exodus, in my opinion, do not get the credit that they deserve. They tend to get overlooked when talking about thrash metal bands, probably because they weren't as well-known as the more influential groups like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, or Anthrax. However, I like to credit Exodus as being a TRUE thrash metal band through and through. For instance, Metallica changed when the 90s hit. The image, the attitude, the music; they all were altered drastically due to probably fame and popularity. Anthrax and Megadeth as well changed their purposes for rocking, the former mixing rap and metal (yuck) and the latter wanting that #1 spot ever so bad (with Countdown to Extinction) and also making a commercialized pop-metal album called Risk. They were losing their edge, conforming if you will, to the demands of popularity, success, and commercial status.

But not Exodus. No, these guys were pure metal dirtbags from their rotted black teeth to their fungus-infected toenails. Never did they falter, never did they conform to the wishes of the media. Exodus' front man for this album, Paul Bailoff, in fact, was probably thee biggest metalhead of thrash, maybe surpassed only by Cliff Burton. His voice, if you've never heard him, is very unique for a thrash singer. He reminds me of Tom Araya from Slayer in the menacing way he presents the vocals and he's also similar to James Hetfield a little, cause he uses that screechy, high-pitched vocal style straight from the throat. The guy would go up to people wearing glam metal shirts, tear `em up, and wear them around his arm like trophies for God's sake; how metal is that? Anyway, this underrated band can not be tossed away like some ratty hair metal t-shirt (whoops). Bonded by Blood is easily a top-10 necessity if you wanna get into thrash metal and will be remembered by thrashers for years to come.

Many people deem Exodus' guitar riffs generic and ordinary (most likely for the sole reason of raw production), but truthfully Exodus' riffs have a great deal of substance to them and pack heavy punches. How can any metalhead NOT headbang to the main riff of "And Then There Were None"? I mean, the first few measures of the riff draw you in tight, but then the pounding drums come in and then you really can't stand still. And of course you got Paul reaching into the bowels of Hell and expressing some real malignant images as well, so really the whole bit's just unadulterated thrash. Oh, and if want catchy riffs just get an earful of the title track, "Exodus", or a little dose of "Piranha", which has a brief but driving drum intro, one of my favorite verse riffs that has sort of a Jon Schaffer (from Iced Earth) touch going, and some wicked-a$$ solos which ice the cake.

"Bonded by Blood" not only contains a catchy riff, but the chorus is insanely memorable and a great shout-along, on which Bailoff really delivers. "A Lesson in Violence" and "Metal Command" are fast-paced metal blasts with menacing vocals from Paul and driving, in-your-face thrash riffs; both add a great deal to the album. The solo on "Metal Command" is quite noodly and soaring as well, and the chorus on "Lesson in Violence" is definitely a highlight. "No Love" opens with an acoustic passage showcasing Exodus' classical side, but in no time, another infectious riff creeps up and we have another amazing song on our hands. "Deliver Us to Evil" is somewhat epic (7:10 long) and is one of the best off the album. Paul's vocals are awesome on this track and the chorus is something special too. Last but never least, the closer, "Strike of the Beast" ends the album off on an incredible note. This number has great gang vocals at the chorus and some more evil vocals from Paul.

So Bonded By Blood, while not THEE most influential thrash record, can not be taken lightly nor can it be disregarded. Yes Triple B might not be as good as more "classic" thrash albums (Master of Puppets, Peace Sells, Reign in Blood) but ask almost any diehard thrash fan, and they'll tell you, Bonded By Blood is a must have and essential for any metalheads collection.

Words just can't describe how great Exodus's debut album "Bonded by Blood" really is. I mean this is without a doubt one of the greatest thrash metal albums of the 80's. Whenever I listen to this album, I always get a serious kick of adrenaline rush. I mean this album is just heavy, fast, crazy, take no BS, in your face, headbanging old school thrash from start to finish. "Bonded by Blood" of course would be the first and only Exodus album with Paul Baloff on vocals. His vocals on here are just angry and all out pissed off throughout. Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt are very awesome guitarists. These guys rip right through your skin with wild thrashing riffs, and crazy fast dualing solos like a race car driver going 100 miles per hour. Rob McKillop's bass is pretty good, and Tom Hunting's drumming is just fast and all out merciless. Every song on here is just full of fast, crazy, thrashing heaviness, and very mosh pit worthy as well, including "Bonded by Blood", "Exodus", "Piranha", "Metal Command", "And Then There Were None", "Strike of the Beast", and of course "A Lesson in Violence" which is wihtout question one of Exodus's best songs ever and a true I DON'T GIVE A CRAP attitude like anthem as well. There's also some bonus live versions of "And Then There Were None", and "A Lesson in Violence" too. Bottom Line is this, if you're looking for some old school 80's thrash metal to just bang your head like freakin crazy, then by all means, you must own this album. LONG LIVE EXODUS!! R.I.P. PAUL BALOFF!!
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. Bonded by Blood - 5/5
2. Exodus - 5/5
3. And Then There Were None - 5/5
4. A Lesson in Violence - 5/5
5. Metal Command - 5/5
6. Piranha - 5/5
7. No Love - 5/5
8. Deliver us to Evil - 5/5
9. Strike of the Beast - 5/5
10. And Then There Were None (Live Bonus Track) - 5/5
11. A Lesson in Violence (Live Bonus Track) - 5/5

Around 1984, thrash metal was born as the b*stard child of Motorhead (Overkill, 1979), the Dead Kennedys (Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, 1980), Venom (Welcome to Hell, 1981) and Metallica (Kill em All, 1983). Three albums can be seen as defining this genre: Exodus' "Bonded by Blood" (recorded in 1984), Destruction's "Infernal Overkill" (1985) and Slayer's "Reign in Blood" (1986).

Going beyond the more 'civilised' speed/thrash metal of NWOBHM-influenced US bands like Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth, 'real' thrash metal was characterized by a very straightforward, aggressive and more black metal & hardcore punk influenced style. You might say that Exodus contributed the basic song blueprints and overall brutality to thrash metal; Destruction provided a unique combination of intelligent, intricate songwriting and sheer intensity (the US market, mostly ignorant of the European scene, had to wait for Death Angel to deliver this kind of combo); and with Slayer everything culminated into the Reign in Blood landmark that is still the major achievement of the genre.

"Bonded by Blood" is basically one adrenalin rush from start to finish. Most songs are great, and often even quite memorable if you listen to them one by one ("And then there were none", "Lesson in Violence", "Metal Command, "Strike of the Beast", ..) but on the album they blend into such a rollercoaster of excitement and aggression, that after the album is over it's hard to remember any particular highlights.

With this head start, Exodus was predicted a rosy future among the very greats of metal. Alas, the over-the-top-but-in-a-stupid-kind-of-way lyrics already testified of the not-too-sane state of mind of singer Paul Bailoff, and in effect he was kicked out soon after making this first album. After this, Exodus reverted to a more normal but also a more boring approach, making "Bonded By Blood" the only must-have album in their discography until today.

I haven't reviewed anything in awhile so I figured I should get off my lazy [edit] and do one. So now I shall put my 2 cents in on this underrated classic. Perhaps it wouldn't be so underrated if it came out when it was supposed to (summer of '84) instead of a year later, then this would've made an even bigger impact on the thrash scene instead of being 'just another thrash album'. It stinks huh?

Anyway, the album itself is a gem. It's got everything a metalhead could want, dual thrashing guitars, pretty damn good solos, really pissed off vocals, violent lyrics, and furious drumming. Unfortunately you can barely make out the bass or maybe that's just me. There's so many moshing craziness and pure thrashing fury when it comes to this album, especially on the title track (BANG YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE STAGE!), the 'self titled' song (WE'LL RAPE AND MURDER YOUR WIFE!), and of course A Lesson In Violence which is a friggin' classic Exodus tune. I mean it totally beats out even Pantera's 'Walk' as a "DONT F*CK WITH ME" anthem. This guys also have those shout-out back up vocals that I think totally rock. I love it when Anthrax does it and love it when Exodus does to.

If you're just getting into Exodus this is just as good of a start as any so GET IT ALREADY! I'm just warning you, however, that Eric Baloff's vocals get some time to get used to, in fact at first I thought he totally sucked. This is the only album he's on though, which you may think is good or bad depending on what you like. The album just has so much energy and it's motto is certainly "I DON'T GIVE A F*CK!" Well something like that. So I see no reason not to pick this album up along with the next 2 Exodus albums as well. Later folks.

BONDED BY BLOOD has to be one of Thrash Metal's most shining moments Following the footsteps of fellow peers METALLICA, EXODUS' debut album solidified the legendary "Bay Area Sound", with its galloping riffing, fast drumming and more-evil-than-satan lyrics. EXOUDS was also among the very first thrash bands (along with METALLICA) to incorporate "neo classical" elements into their lead guitar work. Guitarist Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt were THE thrash metal Guitar team of the decade, much like thrash's equivalent of a K.K.Dowining and Glenn Tipton. Both played with such a knack for melody and precision that it became one of their trademarks. Paul Baloff's voice set a new standard in vocal violence. He is truly missed (he died a couple of years ago). The drum work of Tom Hunting far and excelled that of a famous dane in another metal band! Tom was truly great on this album. And the songs? They are fast, a bit silly lyric-wise, but most important: MEMORABLE. The songs, no matter how violent the performance, always remained catchy. "Bonded By Blood" starts this CD off with what sounds like an airplane about to hit the ground and then explodes into thrash metal mayhem with a very crunchy rhythm. "Lesson In Violence" never lets the pace down and even pushes the band further into thrash glory. "Piranha" is also a great number. This song became one of their live staples and was popular due to the "Ultimae Revenge" video (with SLAYER and VENOM) which included an outstanding performance by the band.
"Strike Of The Beast" closes the album with a blast and gives SLAYER a run for their money. Easily one of the most technically proficient bands of the era. It's sad they never got the success they richly deserve and over the course of the years they refused to branch out of their "only thrash" mould which cost them dearly.

Now, I can't give this particular edidtion of BONDED BY BLOOD a 5 star rating simply because the cover and artwork is beyond atrotious. I am positively sure the band HATES this edition and I truly hope they plan to release this album with THE original cover and artwork. Shame on Combat records for doing this fly-by-night edition to make a quick buck on hungry fans. Even the 2 live extra songs are out of context since it's NOT Paul Baloff singing but Zetro Sauza, the bands' current singer. I suggest other fans to look elsewhere for this thrash classic. If you're into newer bands like SHADOWS FALL and THE HAUNTED then you will DEFINITELY eat this album up. Just don't buy this truly horrendous edition!