Another Lesson In Violence

Recorded during a one-off 1997 reunion show, this vibrant live album featured the near original lineup of thrash metal pioneers Exodus; the only absent parties are original bassist Geoff Andrews and guitarist Kirk Hammet, who was probably tied up at his day job Metallica. Though it was almost certainly tweaked in the studio at a later date, the performance captured on Another Lesson in Violence sounds amazingly live and raw, containing furious renditions of the band's many early classics, screw-ups and all. The band wisely concentrates on material from their landmark debut Bonded By Blood, the only to feature terminally cheesy vocalist Paul Baloff, who incidentally, appears to have matured little in the intermittent 15 years. And in keeping with the spirit of the festivities, the only three tracks culled from their disappointing sophomore album Pleasures of the Flesh were also co-written by Baloff before his dismissal. As an added bonus, the band even resurrects a never recorded early track co-written by Hammet called "Impaler," and surely only a guest appearance from the man himself could have made this timely release more memorable. Probably of little interest to non-fans, Another Lesson in Violence will certainly leave first-generation thrashers giddy with memories past. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia