Following the reinstatement of vocalist Rob Dukes, Exodus unveil their latest thrash genesis, Goliath.
It seems with the retirement, or at least semi retirement, of Slayer, Gary Holt has had ample time to conceptualise more riffs beyond human comprehension. After over four decades in the game, they show absolutely no sign of slowing down. During this 12th addition to their vast discography, we’re reminded that the earth shattering snares from Tom Hunting’s kit and ultra fast riffs from Holt and Lee Altus will spin circle-pits for decades to come. If by some unfortunate miracle you have not yet been versed in the unholy sermons of Exodus, Goliath will baptise you in thrash.
Like a nefarious re-entrance for Dukes, ‘3111’ builds the tension before striking you with that classic skank beat, setting the atmosphere for what’s to come. The next two tracks ‘Hostis Humani Generis’ and ‘The Changing Me (feat. Peter Tägtrgren)’ bare this forward, with the latter changing-up somewhat. It seems to kick the skank beats for a backbeat, emulsifying with punchy chords to concoct the ultimate head-banger’s dream. As we get into the real meat of this record ‘Promise You This’ sets up with a sky opening solo, sandwiched between runs from Holt and Altus that guitar fanatics will be spending weeks analysing.
As we step into the heart chamber of Goliath, we are greeted with a disgustingly low bass line from Jack Gibson. As the re-introduction to Dukes has now been completed, we are acquainted with the savage on the album cover. The entire track is such a change in pace that it captivates your full attention and leads you into the depths of its sinister atmosphere. A really nice touch to the record. As we begin to descend into the final half of the record, ‘Beyond The Event Horizon’, ‘2 Minutes Hate’ and ‘Violence Works’ offer much more of the same in terms of Sank beats and iconic riffs to sink your teeth into. A standout track, before the album closes, is ‘Summon Of The God Unknown’. It presents itself as an amalgamation of different parts of the album, opening with the slow and gloomy build up of ‘Goliath (feat. Katie Jacob)’, the verse beat of ‘2 Minutes Hate’ and the solo power of ‘Promise You This’. Goliath ends with ‘The Dirtiest Of The Dozen’, bringing the record to a chaotic close in true Exodus fashion.
Goliath is a well placed name for this addition to the extensive collection Exodus have amassed over the years. It truly is a masterclass in thrash metal, and for many fans who have had to say farewell to bands like Slayer (it can’t help but be mentioned in the same space as the legend Gary Holt), this could very much be the methadone to the diminishing supply of old-school thrash.