Exodus
Pleasures Of The Flesh

is probably one of Exodus's most underrated, underappreciated album.

Classics of the genre and the magnificent second album of Bay area pioneers thrash. Century media edition with the original cover. Must have!

A classic work that has become one of the associations of American Thrash Metal. No time to talk ... ...time to slam and headbang!!!

Unfortunately, Californians Exodus failed to repeat the success of their grand debut album "Bonded By Blood" from the very first time. And it would have been difficult to create an equally great job in the face of serious problems with the record company, and even looking at the ever-drunk Paul Ballof. It is because of these difficulties that the second Exodus album "Pleasures Of The Flesh" was born only in 1987, and already on the new label, and, more importantly, with a new vocalist. Steve "Zetro" Souza, a very colorful personality in every sense of the word, became the frontman of the living legends of the American thrash for many years. However, specifically on this disc, fans will not feel any special joy from the arrival of a new vocalist. There is only one reason, but a very good reason. This time the studio and the final mix did the music very strongly. The overall sound quality is just below any criticism. The drums in the foreground and the annoying hum of the bass simply kill all the pleasure of listening to the album in the bud! And if with such a “wonderful” sound, high-speed solos from Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt can somehow be clearly disassembled, then the rhythm of the party, that is, practically the foundation and stronghold of all thrash compositions, is pushed into such a deep mix that style of burn and drive do not have to wait. But this is not the worst - the newcomer Steve was most unlucky. Either by this time he had not quite put his voice (which I personally strongly doubt), or he was just worried, and, most likely, the ruthless mixing console made such cold-blooded violence on vocal parts that it’s fit to draw up a protocol. I can understand the people who, after the release of this album, begged to bring back the bully Ballof - “Zetro” here simply not to know if you can hear HOW he knows how to sing for real. A little discernible screaming and wheezing somewhere far in the background is what a vocal on "Pleasures Of The Flesh" is. And, nevertheless, in spite of the tubs of the trash that I poured on those studio personnel, there are practically no complaints about the musicians themselves. Well, they could not write again the album, one hundred percent consisting of hits, not to blame them for it! Good and even great songs are still there. And, interestingly, the most successful were pretty non-standard songs for Exodus. This is absolutely AC / DC's two-chord frenzy in "Brain Dead", almost Iron Maiden melody in the pacifist (!) Hymn "Seeds Of Hate", and a very progressive anti-political thing "Chemi-Kill". Well, from the more primitive (but by no means bad) things worth mentioning is the hurricane thrash horror "Parasite" about the invasion of malicious insects and the bloody cowboyish epic "Faster Than You Ever Live To Be". As a result, I can’t put this disc in less than eight points, even with all the flaws in the recording - it couldn’t spoil the good songs that are the majority here. In two years, Exodus will still show everyone its real strength!

Of course there is no comparison with the debut,not even with the fabulous disaster album but you must give it a chance.Whatever it is,it's Exodus after all!!!