The south has produced some fantastic and legendary metal bands over the years but when it comes to thrash metal, many sometimes overlook one of the most underrated bands to come out of the Louisiana scene – Exhorder. Not only are they hugely influential, inspiring the modern day groove metal as we know it but they were clearly a few years ahead of their day which may have ultimately pushed the band into an extended hiatus.
The band finally return almost 3 decades later with some of their best work to date – “Mourn The Southern Skies”.
This latest batch of songs may be 27 years after their previous release “The Law” but it’s as if they had never lost a beat. Interestingly enough some of the tracks here are indeed songs that had been laying dormant over that time but the newer stuff that was written fits impeccably well within the core sound of Exhorder. Without delving into the history of each track, you honestly couldn’t tell the difference.
The biggest difference between then and now of course is the production and like many of the veteran thrashers like Exodus and Sacred Reich who returned after many years, it’s what breathes all new life into the band. Never have Exhorder sounded this good and it’s evident immediately once the opening track “My Time” jumps through the speakers and catapults you into the unadulterated thrash world.
When it comes to the fast stuff, Exhorder don’t hold back on this album and there’s plenty of it. From the speeding freighter of “Beware The Wolf”, the flailing double kicks on “All She Wrote” to the ultra sonic “Ripping Flesh”, the now veteran act haven’t lost any of their ability to deliver moshpit inducing thrashers.
But the real highlights are the signature grooves where the band sink right on those mid-tempo hooks. “Hallowed Sound” early on in the album brings more of what they do best and then some making this one for the highlight reel. “Yesterdays Bones” continues in similar fashion but singer Kyle Thomas really sells this song with an on point vocal performance, leading the song into a total switchup halfway into a real melodic section with a soaring guitar solo that is comparable to one of those iconic moments captured in true rock n roll style before finishing up with an acoustic closer.
The icing on the cake, if that all wasn’t enough is the almost 10 minute grandiose title track to round things up at the end. It’s atmospheric vibe crescendoing to a Nola injected sludge filled battle field full of groove and riffs is a testament to the legacy of their sound forged all those years ago. Not a bad way to end an album almost 30 years in the making and one of the many reasons “Mourn The Southern Skies” may ultimately be one of the top metal releases of 2019.
9/10
TRACKLIST
My Time
Asunder
Hallowed Sound
Beware The Wolf
Yesterdays Bones
All She Wrote
Rumination
The Arms Of Man
Ripping Flesh
Mourn The Southern Skies
