by Dan Skiba
— Contributing Writer —
The title Persona Non Grata translates to “an unwanted or unacceptable person”, and over the past few years there’s been plenty of divisiveness and polarized views of what is acceptable that especially citizens of the USA have had to chomp on and deal with seemingly at every turn of life. With their 11th studio album hitting the streets, Exodus basically says they’re tired of the country’s division and even more tired of dishonest journalism forcing their own agendas and stirring the pot to incite unjustified anger and societal contempt. When you think of it, Exodus’ stance pretty much fits perfectly into what Thrash used to always be about … a healthy release of aggression and a “we really don’t give a fuck about what others think” attitude.
And that’s exactly what you get topically and lyrically from start to finish within the grooves of Persona Non Grata. There’s no fluff or overt attempt to conform to musical experimentation or trends. Rather, there’s bone-crushing power chords, ripping guitar riffs, and frenetic solos by the twin-axe attack of Gary Holt and Lee Altus. Couple that with the consistent “gargles with nails” voice of Zetro Souza, the Animal-istic pound of Tom Hunting’s drums, and the thumping fills of Jack Gibson’s bass … all there to remind you that Exodus is still a band not for the faint of heart or casual Metal fan. So take heed of this warning … if you’re going to delve into this new release, you better be ready for your ears to bleed and your heartbeat to reach danger zone levels.
Credit goes out to Andy Sneap (Judas Priest) and Steve Lagudi for their work on mixing and engineering this album, respectfully. They found the true essence of power that Exodus wanted to deliver and they road it like a bucking bronco whose nuts just got pinched by a chain-link rope. As such there are no clunkers at all on this album, and each song individually stands on its own.
The only criticism of this album is spawned from what is also successful. That being many of the songs come across without adequate variation. The riffs building each song are all good on their own, but when strung from one track to another, there is less differentiation than perhaps there should be. The drumbeats … all good, yet a bit too similar. The tempo in each song is electric and energizing … but most songs come across at the same speed. The list goes on … once you have a listen you’ll get the drift.
In sum, this is an album filled with many good songs. As an album, however, Persona Non Grata falls a little short in variety and color. If you’re the type of person who can eat steak and potatoes every day and love it, then this album is going to rock your socks off. But, for everyone else, the songs on this release may be better listened to as part of your overall Thrash mix playlist.
Genre: Thrash
Band:
Gary Holt – Guitar
Tom Hunting – Drums
Steve “Zetro” Souza – Vocals
Jack Gibson – Bass
Lee Altus – Guitar
Tracklisting:
1. Persona Non Grata
2. R.E.M.F
3. Slipping Into Madness
4. Elitist
5. Prescribing Horror
6. The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)
7. The Years Of Death And Dying
8. Clickbait
9. Cosa Del Pantano
10. Lunatic Liar Lord
11. The Fires Of Division
12. Antiseed
Label: Nuclear Blast
Online:
https://exodusattack.com/site/
Hardrock Haven rating: 
(7 / 10)
