Exodus' 'Persona Non Grata' - Album Review

Getting a new release from one of the legends of the thrash genre is always something of a treat. Few of the genre's classic big hitters, at least from the American side of the thrash divide, with the exceptions of Testament and Megadeth (although they have slowed up of late too), regularly release new material these days - which is a real shame as most of the newer releases that have come from classic American thrash acts have been strong. Slayer no longer exist, Metallica do not seem to enjoying writing new songs, and both Anthrax and Megadeth have been working on fabled new albums for so long at this point that it is hard to believe that they actually exist. Testament buck the trend, however, and still release new albums pretty regularly - with last year's excellent Titans of Creation (which I reviewed here) being probably the best thrash album of 2020. The fact that I have reviewed no true thrash albums so far on this blog in 2021 is certainly testament to the above statement regarding the slowness of output from many of the genre's classic bands (as well as my relative inexperience with the genre's newer talent); but my penultimate piece of the year turns the spotlight on Exodus - who released their eleventh studio album, Persona Non Grata, last month. While not as popular as the venerated Big 4, or even Testament, Exodus are one of the most important bands in the history of the thrash genre. They formed back in 1979, which probably makes them the first true thrash band, and they were a big part of developing the Bay Area thrash scene of the early 1980s. All of the bands who formed after them, including Metallica, looked up to Exodus, but sadly this cult-like status never translated to anything like the level of success that many of their peers enjoyed. I do not think it helped that it took Exodus six years to release their debut album, however. By the time Bonded by Blood, which is rightly regarded as a thrash classic and one of the genre's most important albums, was released in 1985 Metallica had already released two albums, as had Slayer. Megadeth also released their debut in 1985, but they were a much newer band than Exodus, and Anthrax were already established and about to release their classic sophomore album Spreading the Disease. If Bonded by Blood had come out in 1983, alongside Kill 'Em All, would things would been different for Exodus? It is hard to know, but they have remained popular throughout the years - even if they have largely remained a club band. The quality of their albums has always been strong, however, and Persona Non Grata is another excellent entry into their canon. It comes seven years after Blood In Blood Out, and it is the band's second album to feature the current line-up. It is very much classic Exodus in style, and it is refreshing to see that the band still sound as fiery and as potent as ever. Exodus rarely disappoint, and Persona Non Grata is an album that plenty will enjoy.

As with most of Exodus' recent albums, Persona Non Grata is quite lengthy. I find it strange that modern thrash albums are often long, but in fairness to Exodus Persona Non Grata rarely drags. The quality is pretty consistent throughout, so its overall length is not a problem for me. The 12-track album opens with the seven-plus minute title track, and wastes no time with pleasantries of any kind. There is no atmospheric build-up, with the first of the album's many riffs crashing in from the off - and the song carries on with a similar ferocity from there. Exodus have always stood apart from their peers due to the riffing style of guitarist Gary Holt. His style is instantly-recognisable, with a tone that is really heavy - yet still easy on the ear. He has always been the band's main songwriter too, and much of Persona Non Grata has come from him. It is fitting, then, that the album's title track is a real tour-de-force of Holt's talents and writing style. Mixing both fast-paced sections and groovy riffing, the song showcases everything that is great about the band from the off. Frontman Steve 'Zetro' Souza, on his seventh album in three stints with the band, sounds as unhinged as ever vocally. His Bon Scott-on-speed vocal style suits Holt's songwriting style perfectly, while the rest of the band provide plenty of hard-hitting gang vocals throughout - with the song's groove-based chorus benefitting particularly from this approach. A lengthy guitar solo section, with melodic leads from both Holt and fellow guitarist Lee Altus, adds some virtuosity to the piece too - with shredded melodies sitting perfectly atop a crawling, mid-paced chug. R.E.M.F is similar, but generally sticks to a faster pace thanks to its shorter runtime. All-out fast-paced tracks are a relative rarity here, but R.E.M.F never really lets up at all - with a choppy Holt riff leading the charge. Souza sounds as demonic as ever here too, but credit must also go to the band's long-standing rhythm section. Drummer Tom Hunting, the band's only remaining founding member, and long-time bassist Jack Gibson really make the song tick. The mix, courtesy of the legendary Andy Sneap, allows everyone in the band to shine, but Gibson perhaps benefits from his talent the most. Gibson's bass sounds great, and there are lots of great basslines throughout R.E.M.F - all of which compliment Hunting's busy drumming perfectly. Slipping into Madness is the only song on the album not to be written (or even co-written) by Holt - as it was composed by Altus, with lyrics from Souza. It does not sound significantly different to the classic Exodus sound, however, and it focuses on the groove-based side of the band's sound - as does much of the album. The chorus chugs along, with some great gang vocals adding depth, while a snaking pre-chorus has a very early-1990s sound to contrast nicely with the faster verses. There are a lot of nice little musical flourishes throughout the piece too, with my particular favourite being the main guitar refrain which is then often repeated by Gibson on the bass. This little melody resurfaces on occasion throughout the song, and it works well as an additional hook.

Elitist is another more mid-paced piece, but it is one of the heaviest songs here - with a real death metal influence rearing its head at times. The early portions of each verse certainly feel more extreme than is typical for Exodus. Souza takes on more of a growling vocal style during these early vocal lines, and gradually transitions back to his typical style as the verses move along. This vocal diversity works well, especially against the heavier backdrop that Holt, Altus, and particularly Gibson provide. Once again, Gibson's bass is very high in the mix - and his playing during the heaviest sections of the song is largely what makes them sound so heavy. A great, fluid Altus solo pulls everything together - and the song is a creepy and heavy effort as a result. Prescribing Horror continues on with the creepy atmosphere of the previous song and builds on it to create a spooky depth, which is something a bit different for the band. The song builds up quite slowly. It starts with some melodic playing from Gibson, before Holt and Altus take over with a slow-burning riff that certainly has some old-school Mercyful Fate vibes. Subtle synths and a tolling bell add depth, and the song continues with this horror-influenced vibe throughout. The pace never really picks up, with lumbering riffing and Souza's barked vocals instead filling the speakers. It is a song that sounds different to Exodus' typical sound, but it works well in my opinion. It is probably the slowest song here, and the horror vibes throughout make it a track that stands out against the crowd. The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves), however, is classic thrash through and through. With many of the songs on the album so far largely being quite groove-based, the sixth song here is just over three minutes long and is relentless pace-wise. When people think of thrash, they think of a song like The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves). The riffing throughout is pummelling, and Hunting's drumming makes use of plenty of fast double bass patterns. Gang vocals once again drive the chorus, and a shredded solo section ups the energy further with some light-fingered playing. The Years of Death and Dying, with lyrics from Hunting, slows the pace again and goes for another strong groove throughout. Gibson's bass is, once again, high in the mix - with the early portions of the verses really shining the spotlight on his playing. Souza sings against his rumbling bassline perfectly, before the guitar riffing starts up again to carry the verses with more overall weight. The highlight of the song for me, however, is its chorus. It has a very old-school sound, that brings the NWOBHM era to mind. There is a big guitar lead that constantly sits behind Souza's voice, which is something that is not typical of Exodus' sound. It gives the song a much more melodic feel than usual, which I for one certainly welcome.

Clickbait ups the pace again, and the piece is another fairly typical slab of old-school thrash. The chorus is pretty anthemic, thanks to the pace slowing down somewhat and some gang vocals, but on the whole the track is one of relentless riffing and Hunting's fast footwork. It is a song, however, that really shines the spotlight on Souza as a vocalist. Some have always been turned off by his voice, but to me he is one of the classic vocalists of the genre. He has a real snarl to his delivery, but he is clearly still influenced by a lot of classic rock singers too. He really does sound a lot like the late Bon Scott, and a song like Clickbait really showcases this - with his throaty snarl driving the old-school thrash song perfectly. Following the short acoustic interlude Cosa Del Pantano, the album's longest song Lunatic-Liar-Lord forces itself into view. The eight-minute long piece is a real epic, and it features some of the album's best guitar work. Both Holt and Altus shred throughout, but they are joined by Rick Hunolt, an alumnus of Exodus' classic 1980s period, as well as Kragen Lum (Psychosis; Prototype; Heathen) - the latter of whom played live with Exodus during the years that Holt was off touring with Slayer. All this guitar talent would be wasted, however, if the song was not up to much - but the track is another winner. It mixes faster-paced sections with groovy riffing perfectly and, like the album's title track, it is another great example of all that Exodus do well. The four-part guitar solo is the highlight of the song, however, with everyone taking a turn. Perhaps it is Hunolt's really melodic display that impresses the most, but the whole instrumental section hangs together well. The Fires of Division is another largely groove-based piece, but there are plenty of influences from both traditional metal and more extreme metal throughout. Souza's somewhat harsh vocals make a return, which gives the song a real heaviness, but there are also some more nods to the NWOBHM. There are lots of little lead guitar flourishes that recall that era, including some excellent twin lead guitar moments that are packed full of melody. Even the song's main solos ape this style, and the mix of extreme and classic influences make the song another strong addition to the album. Antiseed, the album's final song, picks up the pace again - and ends the album on a true thrashing note. It does open somewhat slowly, and builds up with some layered riffing, but once it gets going the track is one of the album's most relentless cuts. With much of the album being crunching and more mid-paced, Antiseed reminds everyone why Exodus are one of the premier thrash bands in the world. A little more of the band's faster side would have probably been a welcome addition to the album, but the more groove-based sound is typical of what Exodus have been doing over the past couple of decades. They can still play old-school thrash as well as anyone, however, and Antiseed demonstrates this perfectly - with Holt unleashing a number of relentless riffs to bring the album to a close. The long wait between Exodus releases certainly made Persona Non Grata a highly-anticipated album, but I do not think that there will be many fans who will be disappointed by it. As mentioned, a couple more faster tracks would have probably been welcome - but Exodus' patented heaviness and groove is packed into every corner of Persona Non Grata, and it is an album befitting of the band's legacy.

The album was released on 19th November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves).