 |
Speaking of bringing back ’80s speed metal, Caroline Records reissued Exodus’ Impact Is Imminent and Force of Habit earlier this year. I had no clue about this until I stumbled across the reissues today in a store. Exodus’ first three records have gotten the reissue treatment, but until March ‘08, their two albums on Capitol Records were long out-of-print. That’s unfortunate but unsurprising. III and FoH are good, not great, and there’s no way Capitol, which has no metal on its current roster, would resuscitate them.
Thankfully, Caroline picked up the ball. I got Impact Is Imminent back in the day, was unimpressed, and sold it. This reissue has me reconsidering somewhat. It reaffirms my main impression of Exodus: awesome riffs, iffy songs. (Bonded by Blood trumped songwriting with sheer intensity.) This record is one big riff salad, with a few actual songs. As with much of Exodus’ catalogue, the longer ones test the patience. (It’s odd that Exodus’ latest record, The Atrocity Exhibition…Exhibit A, consisted almost entirely of long songs.) Still, Steve “Zetro” Souza’s yelp is reassuringly consistent, and the relentless riffing becomes almost hypnotic after a while.
The once-thin sound has undergone remastering, which sounds sturdy but a little stiff. Instead of a jewel case, the reissue comes in a cardboard sleeve, which is supposed to mimic vinyl packaging. In theory, it’s cool, but in practice, it’s underwhelming: disc plus sleeve plus lyrics compressed into a tiny size on the back. The package feels like a promo. Still, something is better than nothing. For years, I wanted to reacquire this record, but was repulsed by exorbitant Amazon/eBay prices. Now it’s priced exactly what it’s worth. Even an off-day for Exodus is a good day for thrash.
DUDE. Pure and total insanity. “Impact is Imminent” is, has always been, and always will be Exodus’ best record. BY FAR. No doubt about it. “Force of Habit” was always very 50/50 (being half pretty good, half utter crap), but “Impact is Imminent” is straight gold. It was criminal that it was out of print for so long. So many amazing songs on that thing…
Andrew, you’re the first person *ever* I’ve heard to claim “Impact Is Imminent” is Exodus’ best record. 99.9% of people usually cite one of the first three records. I’m not sure where I stand myself, as Exodus’ records all have different pros and cons. I agree, though, on “Force of Habit”: half awesome, half awful.
“Fabulous Disaster” comes in second for me, easy.
Everyone always says “Bonded by Blood”, but that’s because first albums are always oh-so-popular to call “favorites”. Good album, but if you’re not in your late-30’s or older and you say you prefer it, you’re lying. Simple fact. The recording was definitely iffy.
However, “Pleasures of the Flesh” sounds like pure shit. I can barely listen to it to this day. I don’t even have it on my iPod. I should force myself to revisit it now just to see if the production values sound any less obnoxious these days, but… I dunno.
I can’t be alone in thinking “Impact is Imminent” is king. There’s no way!
IO,
Impact is Imminent is indeed one of Exodus’s BEST albums! Besides having many wonderfully, brutally crushing riffs, the songs are great.
What makes the songs on this album stand out is that most of them have some sort of political content/message, like the best hardcore songs, but with a metal bent. A special favorite is, “Within the Walls of Chaos.”
I think also that the song structures and arrangements are more complex/interesting than earlier albums. I’m glad to hear that it go the reissue treatment. (BBB is still a CLASSIC transh album, though.)
Keep up the good work.