Blood In, Blood Out | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 14, 2014 [1] | |||
Recorded | March–July 2014 | |||
Studio | Goats 'R Us Ranch & Studios, Briones, Bay Area, California; Studio D, Sausalito, California | |||
Genre | Thrash metal | |||
Length | 62:14 | |||
Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
Producer | Exodus | |||
Exodus chronology | ||||
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Blood In, Blood Out is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. It was released on October 14, 2014 through Nuclear Blast, [1] and is the band's first album with vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza since 2004's Tempo of the Damned . The album also saw a reunion with original guitarist Kirk Hammett, who plays the guitar solo on "Salt the Wound". [2] Blood In, Blood Out received generally favorable critical reviews, and it entered the Billboard 200 at number 38—the band's highest U.S. chart position to date. [3] Exodus promoted the album with its first concert tour with Souza since he left the band in 2004, due to a feud with guitarist Gary Holt. [4] [5] This is also the only studio album the band released whilst Holt did double duties with Exodus and Slayer, the latter of where Holt had filled in for the late Jeff Hanneman until their disbandment in 2019. [6]
Asked in June 2012 if Exodus had plans to record a tenth studio album, bassist Jack Gibson stated that the band was "way overdue to do it." Then he added, "I know that Gary has songs, and Lee has some stuff — they've been coming up with stuff — [but] we just really haven't had the time to sit down and hammer it all out and then record it. That takes a few months together to make that happen, and we just haven't had the time, basically. But there is gonna be another album, for sure." [7] Vocalist Rob Dukes stated that the album was going to be "fast and short", and added, "everybody fucking complained about how long the last one was, we're, like, 'Fuck 'em! We'll give them about a fucking 38-minute record. I don't know. I'm just talking shit. I don't know what we're gonna do. We've got no plan. We're just going with what feels right. If we end up with another 74-minute record, so be it." Dukes was also asked who would end up producing the album, and his response was, "I don't know yet. There are a couple of people on the table. I think Andy [Sneap, producer of Exhibit B: The Human Condition] is taking some time off; I don't know if he's gonna do it with us again." [8]
In an October 2013 interview with The Washington Times , guitarist Gary Holt stated that he would take a break from touring with Slayer until April to focus on finishing the new Exodus album. [9] He also announced that the band would start recording the album in February. [10] [11] Asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for drummer Tom Hunting replied, "It's a pretty old-school process, actually. Gary will put some riffs on a CD, or even a cassette, depending on which vehicle I'm driving. He feeds the riff to me, and then I put a beat to it, and we work it all out, and then we come together as a band and arrange it. Rob is really not in the room for the musical process. We're gonna probably do some more pre-production for this one, 'cause our bass player now knows about Pro Tools and is really computer savvy. None of the rest of us are, really. It's a fun process. I love the process of recording; it's my favorite thing. It's like construction; you're taking raw wood and building something. Gary likes to say he makes moonshine and Lee makes fine wine, 'cause Lee will dissect his own parts and rebuild it here, change something there, add an overdub there, or whatever...But it's a fun process; I love it. You're building something, and it's yours." [12]
Gibson indeed ended up being responsible for engineering the guitar and vocal tracks; he has been working with Pro Tools for other projects and eventually took a course on how to operate the software himself. Come recording time, the busy schedule of Andy Sneap prevented the band from relying on Sneap for tracking, and Gibson stepped up as the engineer. [13]
By March 2014, Exodus had begun recording their tenth album at Goats 'R Us Ranch & Studios in San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. Holt commented that they were "well into drum tracks; everything is going super smooth and Tom is just killing it! Best drum sound this band has ever laid down — sounds just simply pummeling!" He also stated that the band had "only one more song left to lay down and some B-sides to go." [14] Asked about the musical direction of the album, Dukes replied, "This album is very fast and has more of a punk rock feel to it, whereas I think the last few Exodus albums were metal epics, with longer songs. These songs are shorter and a little faster. It has a really different feel to it. It sounds great." [15]
On June 8, 2014, it was announced that Dukes had been fired from the band, and was replaced by his predecessor Steve "Zetro" Souza. [16] [17] [18] On the day after, Holt announced that Souza would start recording vocals on the new album. [19] Souza co-wrote at least one song on the album with bassist Jack Gibson and guitarist Lee Altus, [20] now known as "Body Harvest".
The album features an industrial hip hop tinged intro on the opening track "Black 13" produced by Dan the Automator; Holt explained the intro was done in a short period of time using the casual acquaintance Holt and Dan built up over the years. [21]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [22] |
All About the Rock | 8/10 [23] |
Blabbermouth.net | 9/10 [24] |
Classic Rock | [25] |
Exclaim! | 8/10 [26] |
The Guardian | [27] |
Kerrang! | [28] |
Punknews.org (staff) | [29] |
Blood In, Blood Out has received mostly positive reviews. James Christopher Monger of AllMusic rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, and states, "Band and ex/current/deceased lead singer acrimony aside, the 11- track Blood In, Blood Out mostly crushes it, offering up a pulverizing set of textbook thrash-induced mayhem that somehow manages to sound both classic and vital." [22]
Blood In, Blood Out received another positive review from Ray Van Horn, Jr. of Blabbermouth.net, who gave the album a rating of nine out of ten and states, "As Souza last appeared on Exodus' 2004 Tempo of the Damned album, for most fans, Blood In, Blood Out is going to ring true, no matter how monstrously heavy the band was with Dukes at the helm. For all of the hullabaloos behind Zetro's past tenures in Exodus, he's all over this album in a major way and by attrition, the band throws its own retro, gang-shouting speed metal party, one finding Metallica (and one-time Exodus) guitarist Kirk Hammett on the guest list." [24]
All About The Rock writer Joe Reed scored the album 8 out of 10, and said, "Recorded in the Bay Area, the albums sound blends the attitude and energy of the band's past with their musical growth and development over the years. Listenable, yet not overwhelming, I think it captures the band's early material with their more recent body of work quite well." [23]
At the end of 2014, Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles ranked the album #5 on their 2014 "BravePicks" list. [30]
In terms of chart positions, Blood In, Blood Out was successful, and was Exodus' first album since 1990's Impact Is Imminent to enter the Billboard 200; the album itself peaked at #38 on the Billboard 200, [31] making it Exodus' highest chart position so far, and their first album in 25 years to crack the top 100 since Fabulous Disaster (1989), which peaked at #82 on the Billboard 200. [3] The album sold approximately 8,800 copies in its first week in the U.S. [31]
To support Blood In, Blood Out, Exodus embarked on their first major tour with Souza since 2004. They toured South America in October 2014, and embarked on a U.S. tour with Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies in November and December. [32] In April and May 2015, Exodus (along with Shattered Sun) was a supporting act for Testament on their Dark Roots of Thrash II tour. [33] Following this, the band toured Europe in May and June, including two consecutive nights at the Underworld in London. Prior to the Dark Roots of Thrash II tour, the band played Australia's Soundwave in February and March, and then played three shows in Japan. [34] From October to December 2015, Exodus toured North American with King Diamond. [35] Souza said that Exodus would continue to tour in support of Blood In, Blood Out until the fall of 2016, and then begin work on a new album for a 2017 release; [36] however, Persona Non Grata would not be released until 2021.
All songs written by Gary Holt except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Black 13" (feat. Dan the Automator) | 6:21 | |
2. | "Blood In, Blood Out" | 3:42 | |
3. | "Collateral Damage" | 5:27 | |
4. | "Salt the Wound" (feat. Kirk Hammett) | 4:24 | |
5. | "Body Harvest" | Lee Altus, Jack Gibson, Steve "Zetro" Souza | 6:28 |
6. | "BTK" (feat. Chuck Billy) | 6:56 | |
7. | "Wrapped in the Arms of Rage" | 4:30 | |
8. | "My Last Nerve" | 6:10 | |
9. | "Numb" | 6:13 | |
10. | "Honor Killings" | Altus | 5:42 |
11. | "Food for the Worms" | 6:21 | |
Total length: | 62:14 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
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12. | "Angel of Death" (Angel Witch cover) | Kevin Heybourne | Heybourne | 4:38 |
Total length: | 66:52 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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12. | "Protect Not Dissect" (The Varukers cover) (feat. Anthony 'Rat' Martin) | The Varukers | 3:16 |
Total length: | 65:30 |
Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Exodus
| Additional musicians
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Production
| Recording locations
|
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [37] | 38 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [38] | 130 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [39] | 82 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [40] | 85 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [41] | 30 |
French Albums (SNEP) [42] | 93 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [43] | 29 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [44] | 68 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [45] | 30 |
UK Albums (OCC) [46] | 71 |
US Billboard 200 [47] | 38 |
Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them one of the "big four" bands of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Slayer's current lineup consists of King, Araya, drummer Paul Bostaph and guitarist Gary Holt, who initially joined as a touring member in 2011 before joining the band permanently after Hanneman's death in 2013. Drummer Jon Dette was also a member of the band.
Testament is an American thrash metal band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1983 under the name Legacy, the band's current lineup comprises rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson, lead vocalist Chuck Billy, lead guitarist Alex Skolnick, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and drummer Chris Dovas. Testament has experienced many lineup changes over the years, with Peterson being the only remaining original member, though they have since reunited with Skolnick, who had been out of the band from 1992 to 2005. Billy has been a member of Testament since 1986, when he replaced original singer Steve "Zetro" Souza, who had left to replace Paul Baloff in Exodus. He and Peterson are the only members to appear on all of Testament's studio albums, with the latter being the only constant member overall.
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Their current lineup consists of guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, drummer Tom Hunting, and lead vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza. There are no original members left in Exodus other than Hunting, who has departed from the band twice, in 1989 and 2004, but rejoined in 2007. Exodus is also notable for including a then-unknown Kirk Hammett, who was the band's lead guitarist from its inception to his departure in 1983, when he left to join fellow Bay Area thrash metal band Metallica as Dave Mustaine's replacement. Holt has been most consistent member throughout various lineup changes and breakups, and is the only member to appear on all of Exodus' recordings. Much of the band's career has also been affected by feuds between both band members and record companies, two extended hiatuses, deaths of former band members and drug addictions.
Pavel Nicholas "Paul" Baloff was an American singer, best known as the original lead vocalist of the thrash metal band Exodus. He was fired from Exodus shortly after the release of the band's 1985 debut album Bonded by Blood, and sang with various other bands before rejoining Exodus in 1997. Baloff died of a stroke in 2002.
Charles Billy is an American singer who is best known as the lead vocalist for thrash metal band Testament.
Steve "Zetro" Souza is an American musician, best known for his work as lead vocalist with thrash metal band Exodus from 1986 to 1994, and again from 2002 to 2004. He rejoined Exodus for a third time in 2014. Souza is one of two singers, along with Chuck Billy, for the band Dublin Death Patrol. He also sings for the thrash metal band Tenet and was the lead singer for the thrash metal band Legacy. In 2011, Souza announced his new project, Hatriot. He stepped down as the frontman of the band in 2015, leaving the role of lead vocals to his son, Cody.
Tempo of the Damned is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. Released on February 2, 2004 via Nuclear Blast, Tempo of the Damned was Exodus' first studio release since 1992's Force of Habit. It was the last appearance of longtime vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza until his return for 2014's Blood In, Blood Out as well as the last appearance of founding drummer Tom Hunting until 2007's The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A. The album was also the last studio appearance of guitarist Rick Hunolt until the band's 2021 album Persona Non Grata, where he made a guest appearance.
Fabulous Disaster is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. It was released on January 30, 1989 on the UK label Music for Nations, while the US version was released on Combat/Relativity Records. In 1999, Century Media remastered and reissued the band's first three albums in Europe only.
Gary Wayne Holt is an American musician from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the guitarist, bandleader, and main songwriter for thrash metal band Exodus and also a member of Slayer from 2011 to 2019, replacing Jeff Hanneman as a temporary guitarist due to an illness in 2011, and as a permanent guitarist after Hanneman's death in May 2013, which had reunited in 2024.
Impact Is Imminent is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus, released in 1990. Impact Is Imminent was Exodus' first album on Capitol Records as well as their first album to feature John Tempesta on drums. It was also the last studio album to feature Rob McKillop on bass, though he appeared on their first live album, Good Friendly Violent Fun, which was recorded live in 1989 but not released until 1991. Impact Is Imminent was re-released in 2008 in a limited edition mini-album packaging to resemble the original vinyl release, including the inner sleeve.
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Robert Dukes is an American vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the thrash metal band Exodus and current vocalist for his crossover thrash project Generation Kill.
Thomas Hunting is an American musician. He is the drummer and only remaining original member of the thrash metal band Exodus.
The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A is the eighth studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus, released on October 26, 2007. It is the second album to feature Rob Dukes on vocals and Lee Altus on guitars, and it also marks the second comeback of longtime original Exodus drummer Tom Hunting. Hunting's last appearance was on the 2004 album Tempo of the Damned.
Repentless is the twelfth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on September 11, 2015. This is the band's first album recorded without guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died from liver cirrhosis in 2013 and was replaced by Gary Holt, and the first to feature drummer Paul Bostaph since God Hates Us All (2001). Repentless is also the only album the band released on Nuclear Blast and was produced by Terry Date, replacing Rick Rubin after twenty-nine years and nine studio albums as their producer or executive producer. The six-year gap between World Painted Blood (2009) and Repentless was the longest between two Slayer albums in their career, and it would be the band's last studio album before disbanding in 2019 until their reformation in 2024, following the conclusion of their final world tour.
"The Toxic Waltz" is a song by American thrash metal band Exodus, released from the band's third album Fabulous Disaster (1989). Although the song was never released as a single, it is one of Exodus' best-known songs and has held a regular position on their concert setlist since 1989.
The Final World Tour was the final concert tour by American thrash metal band Slayer, which began on May 10, 2018, and ended on November 30, 2019. The tour, consisting of 147 shows worldwide, served as a conclusion of the band's three-and-a-half-decade-long touring career.
Persona Non Grata is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus, released on November 19, 2021. It is their first studio album since Blood In, Blood Out in 2014, and their second to feature vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza since he returned to the band that same year. This album also features guest appearances from former Exodus guitarist Rick Hunolt and guitarist Lee Altus' bandmate in Heathen, Kragen Lum, who both provide guitar solos on one of the album's tracks, "Lunatic-Liar-Lord". This is the band's final album to be released through Nuclear Blast, with whom the band signed in 2003.