Exodus – "Goliath"
"Unless one counts level good-but-not-great as filler..."
Exodus is one of those bands that I can easily appreciate when hearing them on any occasion, but whose music I don't often actively seek out. Perhaps because their '85 debut and alleged magnum opus "Bonded By Blood" kinda sounds like the microphones are covered by pillows and the drum kit is made of cardboard. In fact, last thing I heard from them was 2005's splendid "Shovel Headed Kill Machine", whose title and album cover seem to have been created only to out-metal everyone else.
Only very recently, long-time vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza left the fold again, and has again been replaced by Rob Dukes who was also with the band for 10-ish years since "… Kill Machine". Kinda like with The Haunted switching between Marco Aro and Peter Dolving. (Might think of other examples; won't, though.) But that's not the most noticeable thing about "Goliath", the band's 13th long-player.
Last year, Exodus' fellow thrashers Dark Angel bellyflopped with "Extinction Level Event", their attempt at a comeback album after 34 years. And while I had zero expectations and sorta liked that album for its qualities, I also acknowledge that it flopped for many a good reason: The vocals were kinda derpy, the production was kinda flat, and a lot of the riffs were kinda generic. And this year, Exodus has caught a bit of flack for "Goliath" as well, with people say it's generic and forgettable and not hard enough.
And just like I've defended aforementioned Dark Angel album a bit, I will defend this one a bit as well here. If you don't mind the conclusion up front, I hereby state that while "Goliath" may be far from the band's pinnacle, it has its merit.
Granted, we're off in thrash country, as should be expected. But only after an ominous, tritone-based intro with slow, doomy drums – as should probably also be expected. While opener "3111" may reveal a bit of a cramped mixing, and while its main riff may be a bit half-assed, nothing here is downright bad. Dukes' vocals are heart-warmingly aggressive.
There's not a lot of actual filler going on here – that is, unless one counts level "good-but-not-great" as filler after a certain amount of minutes of runtime.
While the intro to follow-up "Hostis Humani Generis" might also be a bit half-assed, the riffing is pretty complex, and the vocals are loveably profane. It's also around here that I notice how ultra tight the drums are playing against the rest of the rhythm group. But first and foremost that the bass sound is, quite probably, the crunchiest bass sound I've ever heard on any thrash album – if not any fucking metal album. As in, ever. That's saying something, right there.
The great stand-outs are midway. While I can understand how some may consider the three-chord chorus of "Promise You This" a bit too far on the poppy side after an album like "… Kill Machine", it's still a goddamn banger. That bluesy rockabilly feeling in the verses is a brassy little move that contributes to the whole thing being as effective as it's brassy.
And in contrast, the draggingly slow title track, based on an open bass figure and almost spearheaded by the ride cymbal, is close to bordering on fucking doom metal. Not a banger, but a well-executed idea. And while you may not remember the whole song, you'll remember its distinct atmosphere.
If there's any overarching problem with "Goliath" as an album, it's that it could have been much more solidly composed. Indeed, while it presents several good ideas, no section or song here will enter thrash history. By what I can understand from interviews, this is the band's most collaborative album to date, and perhaps it's a case of too many chefs spoiling the broth, with focus dispersed too much across elements to go in-depth with any of 'em.
The bass sound is, quite probably, the crunchiest bass sound I've ever heard on any thrash album – if not any fucking metal album. As in, ever. That's saying something, right there.
But that doesn't mean "Goliath" isn't enjoyable for what it's worth; it just tends to be in terms of singular atmospheres and passages rather than songs. For example, check out that curious riff and that almost hiphop-like bounce in "Violence Works". No, not as in all that horrid, sterile 21st-century jock core, but simply a bouncy feeling. Check out the Anthrax vibes in "The Changing Me", with those melodic chorus harmonies á la In Flames. No, not like all those generic Nuclear Blast groups, but simply big, succulent harmonic extensions.
Check out how "Summon of the God Unkown" sounds like one of those mid-tempo Slayer tunes. And check out that hammerblow bashing on all fourths in "2 Minutes Hate", sounding like one of the cooler Megadeth songs, but it's even cooler, because the distortion is thicker, the vocals are more aggressive, and the solo runs are at least as legato as Mustaine can play 'em.
This may all not be quite as aggressive as Exodus tends to be, but it's still hard, and dirtier than several great metal albums. Granted, 55 minutes may seem like too long, but considering how much variation there is across tracks, there's not a lot of actual filler going on here – that is, unless one counts level "good-but-not-great" as filler after a certain amount of minutes of runtime.
… Which, I guess, would be a legitimate opinion. At this point in history, however, yours truly is just glad to be listening to something true. And given the boring thrash albums from January, all the much more.
Rating: 4 out of 6
Genre: Thrash metal
Release date: 20/3/2026
Label: Metal Blade
Producer: Mark Lewis + Juan Urteaga + Jesse Fioren
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