Exhorder ‘Mourn The Southern Skies’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Nuclear Blast Records/Thrash/Groove Metal
Well, what can be said about Exhorder that isn’t already known? The New Orleans band created a game-changing album when they released ‘Slaughter In The Vatican’ in 1990 that changed the face of thrash metal forever by adding the groove metal element, it paved the way for the massive success of bands such as Pantera and Machine Head. Unfortunately, Exhorder didn’t reach the multi-platinum status and the band didn’t bother releasing anything after 1992. Finally, this year has Exhorder releasing their third studio album ‘Mourn The Southern Skies’.
Who cares that 27 years have passed since ‘The Law’? When listening to ‘Mourn…’ it is easy to forget that any time has elapsed at all. However, with ‘Mourn…’ this is not some blatant grab at 90’s nostalgia for success; instead, this album is a powerful statement from Exhorder that says: “we are back”. From this, it demonstrates that the band are capable of keeping one foot in the past, but also deliver a modern sounding album which shows Exhorder are still a force to be reckoned with. Tracks such as the raucous ‘My Time’, ‘Beware The Wolf’ and ‘Ripping Flesh’ are tempered by more grooving tracks like ‘All She Wrote’ which have all the resin-stained power of Corrosion of Conformity. However, the only downside to ‘Mourn…’ is the actual title-track, this is a ten-minute slog that unfortunately drags like a seals arse and would not be missed had it been omitted.
The years that have passed have certainly not dulled Exhorder’s steel, ‘Mourn…’ is a fantastic album that could easily be one of the best metal albums released this year. It is good to have Exhorder back. It has been too long.
Rating : 89/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
