Released April 25, 1985 Length 40:49 Release date 25 April 1985 Label Torrid Records | Recorded July 1984 Artist Exodus Producer Mark Whitaker Genres Thrash metal, Speed metal | |
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Studio Prairie Sun Studios, Cotati, California
(see Studios) Bonded by Blood
(1985) Pleasures of the Flesh
(1987) Similar Exodus albums, Thrash metal albums | ||
Bonded by Blood is the debut studio album by the San Francisco thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with Exodus and their record label. It is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time. It is also the only full-length studio album of Exodus to feature Paul Baloff on vocals, though he was also on their 1982 Demo. Baloff was back in Exodus for five years (from 1997 to his death in 2002), and appeared on their 1997 live album Another Lesson in Violence.
Contents
In 2008, Exodus re-recorded Bonded by Blood and re-released it as Let There Be Blood, featuring a new line-up of members aside from drummer Tom Hunting and guitarist Gary Holt who played on the original.
Album information
Bonded by Blood was originally titled A Lesson in Violence, but had its name changed when a suitable cover idea could not be found. An advance cassette copy of the album (with the original title) was widely distributed through the tape-trading network upon the record's completion late in the summer of 1984, creating an immense underground buzz prior to the official release of the LP. The release was delayed, however, due to problems with the artwork.
The song "Impaler" was originally to be featured on Bonded by Blood, but it was abandoned when Kirk Hammett took the main riff with him to Metallica (it was used on "Trapped Under Ice").
Album cover
The original album cover art was an illustration of good and evil conjoined twin infants. For the 1989 reissue this cover was replaced with the band logo on a red and black image of a crowd. The album was remastered and re-issued by Century Media in 1999 in Europe only, with two live tracks from its Combat re-release in 1989, featuring Steve Souza on vocals. This reissue from Century Media restored the original twin cover artwork.
Reception
Bonded by Blood received a positive review from Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic, who states: "Had it been released immediately after it was recorded in 1984, Exodus' Bonded by Blood might be regarded today alongside Metallica's Kill 'Em All as one of the landmark albums responsible for launching the thrash metal wave" and adds that "Exodus were left to wonder what kind of impact they may have had without these setbacks." Rivadavia also described Bonded by Blood as "an album whose influence far exceeds its actual notoriety, and it remains a crucial piece of the thrash metal puzzle – essential." Bernard Doe of Metal Forces in 1985 defined it "a classic album in the thrash metal sense which is sure to be sneered at by the unconverted and mainstream media."
In 2013, Bonded by Blood was ranked #8 on Whatculture!'s "10 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums of All Time", and was ranked #80 on Metalrules.com's 'Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums'. In August 2014, Revolver placed the album on its "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own" list. The album was also ranked at number two on Loudwire's top ten list of "Thrash Albums NOT Released by the Big 4".
Re-issue bonus tracks
Both the 1989 Combat Records release and 1999 Century Media release feature the following bonus tracks with Steve "Zetro" Souza on vocals. They were recorded live at the Astoria in London, on March 8, 1989.
- "And Then There Were None (Live)" – 4:52
- "A Lesson in Violence (Live)" – 3:26
Credits
Writing, performance and production credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Personnel
Exodus
Production
Artwork and design
Studios
Songs
1Bonded by Blood3:47
2Exodus4:08
3And Then There Were None4:41