When it comes to classic metal bands (specifically, what fandom calls The Big Four) there’s always an air of apprehension with each new release. How will Slayer sound after the death of Jeff Hanneman? What is Dave Mustaine doing with Megadeth? Is Anthrax still a thing? How bad will the next Metallica album be? These are the most common questions fans ask themselves. But the bands just outside The Big Four, namely Exodus and Testament, are rarely held hostage to such scrutiny. Testament’s Titans of Creation became one of my favorite records of 2020. Now with Persona Non Grata, it’s Exodus’ turn. The return of unabashed thrash,
It’s hard to believe, but as of this writing, the last Exodus record was released 7 years ago. Blood In Blood Out marked the departure of singer Rob Dukes, and the return of Exodus’s prominent singer, Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza. While monumental to the older fandom, Souza continued to the trajectory instead of going backward to appeal to fans of his respective era. Fortunately, that’s also the case for Persona Non Grata as well.
Unlike Metallica or Megadeth, Exodus has never been a band reveling in nostalgia. However, Persona Non Grata doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel.
When a band itches closer to its 40th anniversary, the expected critique would be “well these guys are getting older so they’re getting back to basics.” but even with their 11th album, that’s just not what Exodus is about. The duo of Tom Hunting on drums and Jack Gibson on bass sounds like the Hellbound locomotive. Souza’s whispy snarl vocals sound like Bon Scott possessed by Pazuzu. And it wouldn’t be Exodus without the chainsaw guitar wizardry of Gary Holt, once again accompanied by Lee Atlus. Even with the band laying dormant as Holt joined Slayer until their 2019 retirement, not a single beat is missed.
Just like any good thrash record should, Persona Non Grata is a bleak commentary on the current state of society. Exodus takes on police brutality with the lead single “The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)” with a brutal assault both sonically and lyrically. In the wake of the civil unrest of 2020, the line “Sunny days will dawn at the end of a baton. Turn grey skies black and blue. Remedy the mood with a blood feud” is equal parts poignant and horrifying. The follow-up single “Clickbait” is just as vicious as the band’s opinion on how social media is the match on the fire.
Even with all the blood and vitriol, Exodus takes the time to salute some of our recently fallen musical heroes.
The Tom Hunting penned “The Years of Death and Dying” is anti-ballad told through the eyes of Death as he has taken the likes of Tom Petty, Prince, Eddie Van Halen, and David Bowie among others. It’s savage and unflinching but at the same time heartbreaking and somber. We have lost quite a few thought-to-be immortal music figures recently and it’s that honest take on mortality that really elevates Persona Non Grata for me. Maybe Exodus as a band in general if I’m being honest.
As fans, we put so much pressure on legacy acts. Whether we care to admit it or not, claiming ownership of something we love, isn’t exactly healthy. Fans have torn Metallica apart for years for something as petty as cutting their hair. Mustaine has become a meme and/or the Morriessy of heavy metal. And don’t even get me started on gatekeepers terrorizing anyone wearing an Iron Maiden shirt without naming 3 songs.
But with near-40 years behind them and 11 full-length records, the band still performs as if they have something to prove.
For all the praise Holt gets as a guitar god, he hasn’t gotten lazy like much of his legacy contemporaries. Every riff, note, squeal or divebomb sounds as if he is introducing himself to the genre. The production of Persona Non Grata is massive, tight, and thunderous. Especially in the rhythm section. There’s also a satisfying lack of ego throughout the album. Guitar, bass, drums, and vocals are even across the board and each member gets an opportunity to shine. And just like every Exodus record before it, when all the guys sing at the same time during the hooks, you feel it in your chest just as much as your ears. That’s the signature Exodus sound we all know and love!
Without the mainstream success of The Big Four, Exodus has always stayed in a lane where they’re free to play to their strengths and evolve at their own natural pace. While they may keep them from performing on the Grammy Awards or have their songs covered by Miley Cyrus, thrash metal was never about that. It was about calling out the garbage of our peers, taking a stand against conformity, and having a blast while doing so. Persona Non Grata is a celebration of that with one hell of a soundtrack!
Persona Non Grata will be available at Nuclear Blast Records on November 19th.