Old Metal Mag III

Here's a double Thrash Attack from Rip Magazine 1988...

Writer Steffan Chirazi does his best to make both bands look their best, but who are we kidding here?

Megadeth's 'So Far, So Good...So What?' is essentially a shit album. Sure it has it's moments, "Set The World Afire" and "Liar" remain killer, but overall it falls short. Third albums for a lot of bands, especially those of the thrash persuasion, seemed to be their pinnacle release. "Master of Puppets", "Reign In Blood", "Among The Living" are all third album releases and what does MegaDave deliver?

"Anarchy In The U.K." was such a fucking dud, I still cringe whenever I'm in the vicinity of this song being played or the video shown. "502", "Mary Jane" and the anti-PMRC inspired "Hook In Mouth" are all pretty horrible. Worse is when you A-B these tracks to any songs off the above mentioned landmarks.


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In the same issue Steffan corners Gary Holt and bits from Rick Hunolt of Exodus upon the release of their own so-so release 1987's 'Pleasures Of The Flesh'.


I say "so-so" because no matter what, Exodus are destined to be a band of the truly doomed. Not musically of course, but from a decision making, career standpoint...doomed. I'm guessing the members of Exodus never wore watches because they were always at the wrong place at the wrong time!

'Pleasures...' finally released after what seemed like an eternity couldn't hold a candle to their debut, 'Bonded By Blood'. Complicating matters was the sacking of Paul Baloff after demos for what was to become 'POTF' had begun. True Paul couldn't carry a tune in a brand new Samsonite luggage collection, but that was hardly the point. Exodus to a lot of people was Paul Baloff and vice versa.

'Pleasures of the Flesh' has some great stuff on it, but why is it every time I listen to it the "should have beens" resonate louder than the grooves in the vinyl? Missing is some of the frantic urgency we heard on 'BBB', the chaotic and violent fury whip somehow controlled enough to end one song and start the next.

While not a total loss, "Brain Dead", "Parasite", "Seeds Of Hate" and the title track are all pure Exodus. However if you want the "real" recording of some these tracks, look no further than the 1997 release of 'Another Lesson in Violence', the Baloff fronted live album. Current day Exodus is another story, loving the Dukes/Altus/Holt/Hunting/Gibson line up and albums. Consistently solid and hopefully many more albums from this line up to come.


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(kinda looks like Scott Ian and Adrian Vandenburg, huh?)