"The tempos might have slowed, but they make up for it in sheer bloody-minded forcefulness": Exodus break the habit of a lifetime on Force Of Habit

The kings of the Bay Area thrash scene while Metallica were still smearing on the Clearasil, Exodus promised much but pissed it all away due to a mix of bad career decisions and worse drug habits.

Released in 1990, Exodus's fourth album Impact Is Imminent was the sound of great band giving up the ghost. Their malicious intent was blunted by indifference, while the barrage of riffs was so thin as to be see-through. It was seemingly the last rites for both Exodus and the terminally flatlining thrash movement.

Astonishingly, the patient wasn’t quite dead. Two years later, Force Of Habit found them sitting bolt upright on the mortuary slab. The tempos might have been slowed down, but what they lacked in speed, they made up for in sheer bloody-minded forcefulness.

A woeful cover of the Rolling Stones’ Bitch aside, this was as good as post-Black Album thrash metal got. Typically, it all fell apart shortly afterwards, but this stood as a fine epitaph.

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Other albums released in August 1992

• Summer in Paradise - The Beach Boys
• Welcome to Wherever You Are - INXS
• New Miserable Experience - Gin Blossoms
• Don't Tread - Damn Yankees
• Fontanelle - Babes in Toyland
• Hit to Death in the Future Head - The Flaming Lips
• Jackyl - Jackyl
• Unplugged - Eric Clapton
• Dog Eat Dog - Warrant
• Sweet Old World - Lucinda Williams
• The Wallflowers - The Wallflowers
• Tubular Bells II - Mike Oldfield
• Tapping the Vein - Sodom
• Powderfinger - Powderfinger

What they said...

"For Force Of Habit, Exodus slows the pace a notch, drops the guitars a register, and gives the thrash a little room to breathe. Still, the approach does allow for some melody, and the inclusion of a pair of uncharacteristic cover versions in The Rolling Stones' Bitch and Elvis Costello's Pump It Up. Force Of Habit also features some interesting lyrical content. (AllMusic)

"Steve Souza at times sounds tired and bored, as if his heart's no longer in it, and the same can be said for the rest of the band, as if they were just phoning their performances in. However, even though there's a shortage of killer riffs here, Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt do manage to fire off plenty of sizzling guitar solos, an aspect that propels average cuts like Climb Before The Fall and Thorn In My Side just above the mediocre line." (Sea Of Tranquility)

"Like Anthrax’s Sound Of White Noise, Testament’s Low, Forbidden’s Distortion and so many other Thrash bands' albums between 1992-1999, the album is not the all-out speed and violence fans had come to expect. There were new ideas, slower tempos and alternative lyrical themes to the usual blood, war, slaughter and glory of metal." (Metal Nerd)

What you said...

Mike Canoe: All the signs were there on Force Of Habit before ever listening to the music: 1) Gone was the familiar Exodus logo, replaced by one that fit into the rest of the album cover art. 2) Said cover art was by the renowned if disturbing artist Ralph Steadman. 3) The band portrait as the gatefold in the CD booklet was extra artsy.

Yep, ground zero thrash band Exodus was shooting for big time crossover success on the level of Metallica's Black Album.

I have a thirty-plus-year history with Force Of Habit and I think it's pretty great. Based on what Gary Holt wrote about it in his recent memoir Fabulous Disaster, there's a chance I like it even more than he does. Of course, I wasn't the one whose band almost got destroyed in the aftermath of its release. Holt writes that the album cost a quarter million to make yet it received a standing ovation from the suits at Capitol Records. Ultimately, the album flopped, the band got dropped, and - for almost a decade - new music from Exodus stopped.

Force Of Habit may have been a classic case of unstoppable force meeting immovable object, and to paraphrase the band's previous album, impact was imminent. The unstoppable force was the sonic tsunami from Seattle that, as my heavy metal life coach Eddie Trunk has pointed out, not only killed hair metal but all metal. The immovable object was the band's hardcore fanbase that was probably still salty about original vocalist Paul Baloff's dismissal after the first album. Covers of Elvis Costello's Pump It Up and the Rolling Stones' Bitch - with the Tower of Power horns no less - may have been a bridge too far for the diehards and didn't win over enough new fans.

I was one of the few who thought they hit the bullseye. They may have slowed down but ace metal producer Chris Tsangarides still had them sounding plenty heavy. The lyrics also explored a wide range of social issues instead of sticking to the main themes of thrashing and/or smashing sh*t up.

My favourite songs are the title track, a bruising ode to kleptomania; the Gulf War diatribe Fuel For The Fire, with lyrics that, depending on your politics, make the frenzied riffs and excellent vocals better or worse; and the 11-minute epic about the Marquis De Sade, Architect Of Pain, complete with spoken word narration. Then there's the original album closer Feeding Time At The Zoo with its hilarious opening and Exodus returning to their meat-and-potatoes mission, whipping their fans into a frenzy – and making that what the song was about.

However, while I was giving myself a refresher listen today, I realised I really like most of the songs, even those goofy cover versions. I never really paid attention to the bonus tracks but could probably be talked into bumping off Me, Myself And I to include Telepathetic.

Force Of Habit may not have succeeded in being the Exodus album for everyone but it's definitely the one for me.

Martin Roberts: I am not a thrash fan, so I am not going to rate the album that high. Saying that I found it listenable, I did like When It Rains It Pours, a good blues variation. I found Pump It Up had less energy than the Elvis Costello original. I am giving it a 5, mainly for some good solos and one good track.

Alexander Taylor: I really like Force Of Nature, but unfortunately, it spelled the end of the first run of the band. Essentially, they binned the early out-of-control thrash mayhem of the first couple of albums and "refined" the assault.

If you read Gary Holt's superb book, they were massively influenced by Metallica's success and were pitching for the same arena. The artwork and production was "not thrash" and the songs, although mostly excellent, have somehow lost the excitement of the earlier albums. Meth addiction and personal problems also didn't help! Having said that, check out the videos for Thorn In My Side and Good Day To Die, both brilliant tracks.

Gary himself said that landing the support slot on Sabbath's Dehumanizer tour more than made up for the album's lack of success.

Brian Carr: I didn’t read Gary Holt’s memoir, but what did happen earlier this summer was my annual visit to see my brother. Another high school friend was along on the trip and one night we watched Murder In The Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story. That documentary is excellent and features Exodus throughout, considering their influence at that place and time.

Growing up, I usually preferred somewhat less heavy rock, but I definitely had a respect for thrash, especially due to the often stellar musicianship. Also, in the late 80s/early 90s, a lot of my friends were into heavier metal and Rockford, IL had some solid metal bands, so thrash was in my orbit. I was aware of Exodus and even remember Force of Habit’s release during my Musicland days. But I don’t believe I ever listened to it before this evening.

So with all of that backstory in mind, I carved out the time to give Force Of Habit at least one listen. What really caught my ear was the spectacular guitar riffage throughout (surprise, surprise). The songs are well crafted, and although Steve Souza’s vocal stylings aren’t my general preference, his voice isn’t one that would stop me from listening again. Very nice album choice.

Gary Claydon: In the great big thrash race, Exodus might have suffered a bit of a false start when the release of their debut album was delayed, but once the starter's gun went, they came blasting out of the blocks with real purpose. Two of their first three albums are pretty much thrash essentials.

By the time they hit the back straight, though, they were trailing the 'big four' by a distance, reduced to also-rans. Which seems a bit unfair for a band that had such an influence on early thrash metal. Then again, they were always a bit of a 'one step forward, two steps back' kinda band. A lack of consistency in their recorded output, plus ongoing internal strife, undoubtedly held them back.

Force Of Habit isn't a bad album, just a bit uneven. It was certainly an improvement over the disappointing Impact Is Imminent. The thing is, by its release, the metal masses were busy trying (and failing) to repel the metal-corroding waves of grunge, while Metallica set about moving the goalposts with their phenomenally successful 'Black' album.

Exodus's own move to groove didn't entirely work. The epic Architect Of Pain is a real highlight, but overall, there isn't quite enough here that kicks you in the gut and I find the two covers pretty pointless. 6/10.

Philip Qvist: I can't say I am familiar with Exodus. I have heard of them and their guitarist and main songwriter Gary Holt but that it where my knowledge of Exodus starts and ends. Upon further investigation, I see this band has gone through numerous band members, including three vocalists.

Thorn In My Side is a decent start to the album, there is an okay cover of Bitch and a couple of other songs that piqued my interest. Other than that, the songs all started sounding the same, with Steve Souza's voice being good, without being great.

It's always nice to hear albums from bands that were on the very edge of my music radar, and Force Of Habit is one such album, but I doubt I will be rushing out to buy it. It's okay without being special - expect an average mark this week.

Chris Downie: Seasoned Metal fans are all familiar with "The Big Four" who took the world of thrash metal by storm in the mid-80's. Endless debates have raged over the years about the best of the rest and who, if anyone, could have stepped up and made it a 'Big Five'. In terms of longevity and consistency, Testament are probably the best candidate, but their issue was one of timing; their debut landed in 1987, when most of the above had released three albums and (arguably) hit their peak, meaning Chuck Billy and co. were always playing catch-up. On the other hand, Exodus were there pretty much from the inception of Thrash (lending a certain Kirk Hammett to Metallica) and seemed destined for the top.

Putting aside the classic Bonded By Blood debut and subsequent change of front man, from the acquired taste of Paul Baloff to the Bon Scott-esque Steve Sousa, the sophomore Pleasures Of The Flesh album didn't kick them on a level and while this was followed in style by the Fabulous Disaster classic, inconsistencies plagued their subsequent efforts, until the initial split.

In the post-Black Album climate, there was a push among metal bands to evolve (read: slow down to groove pace) and there were uneven results; Testament released the excellent The Ritual, while Overkill delivered the curiously underrated I Hear Black. In the case of Exodus, we got a mixed bag in Force of Habit. Overlong and cursed by the 'CD bloat' that was all too common of the time, with spirited but unnecessary cover versions, there are some gems there, not least the ode to the Marquis de Sade Architect of Pain.

In what was a difficult time for metal, Exodus are to be commended for their attempts to modernise, but the inconsistencies that plagued their initial run are laid bare here and it's no coincidence Force Of Habit has been largely forgotten since their post-millennium comeback was launched with the stunning Tempo Of The Damned. 6/10.

John Davidson: Other than a bit of Megadeth and Metallica I'm not a big fan of thrash as a subgenre. It has its moments, but the double kick drum 'skank beat' just doesn't do it for me at all and I prefer my vocalists to sing rather than grunt and shout.

Exodus's Force Of Habit is then something of a revelation. Steve Souza sings, albeit like a deep-throated coffee grinder and his phrasing (yes, phrasing!) reminds me of Angry Anderson/Bon Scott if they sang a register lower and twice as fast. The riffs are powerful and the solos are impressive, while the drum and bass keep the tempo thundering along.

After three songs, I felt like I'd probably had enough, but then in a total plot twist, they slipped in a cover of the Rolling Stones' song Bitch, complete with horns. Architect Of Pain, too, offers a different side of the band, slower and more intricate than their thrash standard norms.

Another cover – this time of Elvis Costello's Pump It Up – feels a bit throwaway and would have been better served as a B-side rather than as album filler.

Feeding Time At The Zoo is a perfect example of everything I dislike about thrash, but the intro is amusing and the solo is great.

I'm assuming this was supposed to be their 'Black Album' - more accessible metal than the pure thrash they were famous for, but there's no Sandman and no Nothing Else Matters to trigger a crossover, and while Chris Tsangarides does a great job on production he doesn't have Bob Rock's ability to mould a band into something new.

It's always a risk when an established genre band tries to evolve and achieve greater fame/popularity. A little background reading reveals that the album failed to interest existing fans, but didn't manage to find many new ones either.

Far from providing a breakthrough, it nearly broke the band. Which is a pity, as there is much to love here. Maybe if it had landed a year earlier, but we all know what happened in 1991/92 when the musical compass moved north from LA to Seattle.

Having never heard this album before (and to be honest, not explored much Exodus at all) I found it pretty consistent and enjoyable. It's a shame it didn't find an audience at the time. A solid 7, maybe even an 8.

Greg Schwepe: Besides some random early Metallica and Megadeth, I would not consider myself much of a thrash metal listener. Those two bands are about as deep as I go in the genre. And when I saw this week’s selection, I almost bailed. But thought better about it, as I’ve got a heck of a review streak going here! Plus, isn’t that why we joined this group, to check out bands and albums we haven’t heard of before? Sure, that’s it!

And yes, I listened to the entire one hour and 17 minutes Force Of Habit by Exodus in a single sitting. And yes, I was engaged the entire time. And yes, three of the tracks surprised me. And yes, I’m sure people sitting near me at work were wondering what I was listening to while bobbing my head with headphones on.

I liken this album a little to my guitar noodling. Sometimes I dial up a gnarly distortion setting, figure out some metal-y riff that’s a blast to play. And then play the same riff ad nauseam for an hour; much to the chagrin of others in the house. Force Of Habit is kind of the same thing. Chunky, buzzsaw guitar that you can listen to for an hour… or longer, and your mind will not wander.

Did I really pay attention to the lyrics? Hmm… not really. But I could understand them. Had these been "Cookie Monster” vocals I would’ve been done after the first 30 seconds of the opening track.

Now, the three surprises, two of which were the cover songs. Generally I don’t think I’ve heard a cover version of a song that I didn’t like if it was faster, harder, and louder than the original. First, we get Bitch by The Rolling Stones. Probably my favourite Stones riff, this time with much more distortion and a few horns. The other surprise was the remake of Elvis Costello’s Pump It Pump, this time minus the keyboards. I approve of both!

The last surprise was Architect Of Pain. Having seen earlier song titles flip by on my music app, I wondered why this one stuck around; “11 minutes? For a thrash metal song? Doesn’t that go against the grain?” Well, kind of. But surprisingly, it comes across like “prog thrash.” Surprised, but a nice surprise.

So once again I find a band and album that I would never have sought out. And man, it helped me grind through my workout when I got home and listened again. 8 out of 10 on this one for me. Riff. Repeat.

Final score: 6.60 (35 votes cast, total score 231)

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