Tempo of the Damned

Exodus

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 2004)
• Original Release Date: March 9, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nuclear Blast Americ
• ASIN: B00014AQ3G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,723 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Album of the year!!!, April 5, 2004

By	J.B. (New York) - See all my reviews

By the time EXODUS split up in the early '90s, they had all but lost their steam, their latter-day recorded output serving as little more than a painful reminder of the fact that the band would never recapture the magic that had made their first couple of efforts such classics in the thrash metal genre. The group's last studio album, 1992's "Force of Habit", was a decent enough effort that died a quick death at the hands of Capitol Records, who had effectively given up on the band after their failure to capitalize on their early sales potential.

Although it would be another five years before EXODUS would reunite with original singer Paul Baloff to record the now-classic live album "Another Lesson In Violence" (one of the greatest "live" albums ever made, in this writer's humble opinion), the band's legend never faded away, with many extreme metal acts citing the group's precision-like delivery and riff-laden approach as a major influence (just ask the likes of KREATOR, AT THE GATES or any of the current purveyors of the ever-popular Swedish "Gothenburg" sound).

Seven years later, EXODUS - still mourning the loss of Baloff, who passed away in February 2002 after suffering a massive stroke - have been rejoined by Baloff's replacement, Steve "Zetro" Souza, and have delivered an inspired and impressive comeback album that stays true to the band's pioneering sound while sounding fresh enough to avoid coming across like a mere rehash.

Aided in no small part by the crystal-clear, flawless production of British metal producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap, "Tempo of the Damned" opens with several tracks that can only be described as "typical EXODUS". "Scar Spangled Banner" is all dizzying riffs and pounding drums, with Zetro's distinctive delivery and "gang" backing vocals sounding like they could have come straight off one of the band's late '80s releases. "War Is My Shepherd" follows in the same aggressive, up-tempo fashion, while "Blacklist" is a classic EXODUS mid-tempo cruncher that possesses an infectious groove and an equally hooky chorus. "Shroud of Urine", like many of the other cuts on the album, showcases Zetro's much-improved vocal range, with a higher-pitched, scratchier-sounding edge adding to the song's intensity and making it one of the album's highlights.

The high standard is maintained for the next couple of cuts, with "Forward March" featuring more classic riffing from the Gary Holt/Rick Hunolt guitar team and vocals that range from "typical Zetro" to something that can only be described as borderline "rapping" (and no, we're not talking LIMP BIZKIT-style ebonics here). "Culling the Herd", while not a personal favorite, represents a slight change of pace, with Souza sounding, for once, like he's not gargling glass and proving that he can carry a melody when necessary.

Much has been made of EXODUS' decision to go back to the vaults for material to include on this CD, and for a good reason: "Sealed With A Fist" and "Throwing Down" are both reworked versions of songs originally written for and demoed by WARDANCE, the ill-fated mid-'90s act formed by Holt and drummer Tom Hunting, and unsurprisingly, neither fully justifies its presence on here (especially the latter, which at times sounds like second-rate PANTERA). "Impaler", on the other hand, is an early '80s EXODUS classic that was never before properly captured in a recording studio, and one that comes across as far too NWOBHM-inspired to fit comfortably alongside the much more aggressive nature of the rest of the material.

These minor grievances aside, "Tempo of the Damned" is as good an album as one could have hoped for from EXODUS after such a lengthy absence from the recording studio. Arguably the group's finest effort since 1989's "Fabulous Disaster", this is the work of a band who still hold a respectable spot in the metal scene and who still have a lot of good days left ahead of them.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ferocious CD from underrated thrash pioneers, March 25, 2005

By	Scott Hedegard "Scott" (Fayetteville, AR USA) - See all my reviews

Unlike their counterparts Anthrax, Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer, Exodus never quite made it to the status of the "big four" in the thrash era of the mid to late 1980's. It's a shame because at least in the case of Anthrax and Megadeth, Exodus is a far superior band.
Anthrax has suffered from terrible productions, with the exception of "Sound of White Noise". Megadeth gets boring quickly with its overkill guitar noodling and Mustaine's grating vocals.
"Tempo Of The Damned" gives us a band that has slowed their breakneck tempos somewhat in favor of monster riffing, and it's a good trade-off. Keeping up that punishing pace would kill Holt's and Hunolt's wrists after a while. It's catchy, especially on "Blacklist" and "Culling The Herd". It's hilarious ("Sealed With A Fist" - take that, wife beaters!) and musically first rate, with great soloes and vocals one can easily understand. Credit Steve Sousa, he of the Yosemite Sam on crack/Bon Scott hybrid. It's a unique voice/rap that gave Exodus a real trademark vocal. It's too bad he's out of the band.
I'm 44 and I still love a good thrash CD to get the blood flowing. I was of the generation that embraced Their Heaviness Metallica and Iron Maiden when they were young pups. I like to think I know the difference between a fake and a band that genuinely loves its craft. Exodus is the real deal.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Jesus, My prayers are finally answered, February 5, 2005

By	Joe Donovan "JO-D" (NYC) - See all my reviews

After buying several new albums from bands such as megadeth (Which really isn't megadeth anymore, I don't give a crap what anyone says) I was ready to give up on looking for some decent thrash in anything coming out now. THANK GOD I GAVE IT ONE MORE SHOT AND BOUGHT THIS ALBUM!
It's fast, furious and everything else I could possibly want and more! There are slayer fast solos, complex note for note guitar work like that of marty friedman, harmonies that have an iron maiden feel to them, and drums that are just downright devestating. Someone wrote a review saying this album isnt anything out of the ordinary. I have to disagree. In a world where you have a better chance of getting hit by lightning then finding good, heart-felt thrash nowadays, this album is a godsend.
Song for song, each is more brutal then the next, and some of the lyrics are just plain hilarious! [...] I can see how excessive listening may result in beating the everliving crap out of someone, especially anyone who owns St. Anger by Metbuttllica... [...] Thank god for bands like exodus who come out with the real deal. These guys aren't playing for money like crap bands such as the one previously mentioned. They're playing to keep thrash alive. THEY'RE PLAYING 'CAUSE THEY LOVE TO!