Exodus - Bonded By Blood

8.8 | 734 votes |

Release date:	25 April 1985
Style:	Bay Area thrash metal
Owners:	1002 have it 84 want it 1 trades it

01. Bonded By Blood
02. Exodus
03. And Then There Were None
04. A Lesson In Violence
05. Metal Command
06. Piranha
07. No Love
08. Deliver Us To Evil
09. Strike Of The Beast
10. And Then There Were None [Live in London] [Century Media reissues bonus]
11. A Lesson In Violence [Live in London] [Century Media reissues bonus]

Top 20 albums of 1985: 2
Top 200 albums of all time: 110

Review

Lyrics (9)

Additional info
Totally re-recorded in 2008, produced by Gary Holt and released October 28 as 'Let There Be Blood' - Guitarist Holt and drummer Tom Hunting are the only members to appear on both albums

'Bonded by Blood' remastered, limited silver edition also released in 2008 by Century Media with bonus live tracks

The album was originally titled A Lesson in Violence, but had its name changed when an appropriate 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 in the middle of 1984, creating an immense underground buzz prior to the official release of the LP. The release was delayed due to problems with the artwork

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Guest review by
Death To Posers

Rating:
9.5

Bay area legends Exodus's debut release Bonded By Blood is often hailed as one of the most influential thrash albums of all time. It's what you would expect from artists coming from the Richmond, CA area during the 80's crack epidemic, even nowadays Richmond is frequently among the top 10 most dangerous cities in The United States at the end of any given year. Bonded By Blood is a gritty, dirty, violent and highly aggressive work just like the environment and time period that spawned it. What other band can make a song about sadistically killing and raping that people can party and dance to? Not Many. I respect Exodus all the more because they aren't "shock rock." They are still realistic in the sense that they aren't only "doing it for the image" or to get a reaction out of people unlike some other more popular "extreme" bands portray themselves. Bonded by Blood to me is like home cooking. It may not be world-class, critically acclaimed cuisine, but every time I eat at a fancy restaurant, it's good but not satisfying. Sometimes after I eat at a gourmet restaurant, I end up going to a local hole-in-the-wall type spot to get food that is just as good; sometimes even better and will actually satisfy my hunger. I feel the same way about this piece; it may not be refined or "plated artfully," but damn it's good.

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published 03.02.2011 | Comments (4)

Found in 72 lists
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Alex F Slick Dick Rick Posts: 3391 From: USA	27.02.2014 - 05:05 Alex F Slick Dick Rick Posts: 3391 From: USA Written by deadone on 27.02.2014 at 04:54 Always thought this was their crowning achievement. Shame the stuff afterwards failed to top it. It is a shame they never topped this, but then again few thrash albums can for me. This is definitely Exodus' best, and one of my favorite thrash releases, well.... ever ---- Another stupid list get that bag Loading...
Lit. Account deleted	27.02.2014 - 07:47 Lit. Account deleted I'd say Tempo Of The Damned stomps Bonded By Blood quite easily. I can't stand anything about this album, and can't for the life of me figure out why people overrate the fuck out of it. Loading...
raveneffect Posts: 541 From: Portugal	28.04.2014 - 13:00 Rating: 10 raveneffect Posts: 541 From: Portugal Doesnt take two to figure out why this is so well rated, its one of the first forms of pure agression in Metal and an undeniable pillar at its respective time. Its a perfect soundtrack to the 80's whole Thrash scene. Loading...
Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 39999 From: The Netherlands	29.04.2014 - 02:10 Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 39999 From: The Netherlands Written by deadone on 29.04.2014 at 01:55 It's the only Exodus album that really caught my attention. Baloff was a great vocalist - so raw and tortured. This is easily their best by far. All killer no filler. Unlike everything after. Although Tempo does come close quality wise. ---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 Loading...
Erik M. Posts: 3104 From: The Netherlands	30.08.2014 - 23:00 Rating: 8 Erik M. Posts: 3104 From: The Netherlands Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.12.2012 at 10:52 27 years down the line and this album is still the best thrash album ever. To be honest I am pretty sure that this little ditty will remain the best thrash album ever till the end of times. Not counting Fear of God's debut then, I assume? I'm impressed by the amount of praise this album gets and I have only given it one listen so far... of which I can't remember a whole lot. Ordering a big batch of CD's now and came across this one on my wishlist for 6.99 euros, so I'm definitely buying this. Loading...
Mattybu Posts: 2588 From: Canada	30.08.2014 - 23:21 Mattybu Posts: 2588 From: Canada Written by Erik M. on 30.08.2014 at 23:00 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.12.2012 at 10:52 27 years down the line and this album is still the best thrash album ever. To be honest I am pretty sure that this little ditty will remain the best thrash album ever till the end of times. Not counting Fear of God's debut then, I assume? I'm impressed by the amount of praise this album gets and I have only given it one listen so far... of which I can't remember a whole lot. Ordering a big batch of CD's now and came across this one on my wishlist for 6.99 euros, so I'm definitely buying this. He gave Ride The Lightning a 10 also. Which I would say is a much better thrash album than Bonded By Blood. To be honest, I think it's good but even Exodus did better than Bonded By Blood (I think Fabulous Disaster is better) and within the genre, for me there is a massive amount of better albums. Loading...
Erik M. Posts: 3104 From: The Netherlands	30.08.2014 - 23:23 Rating: 8 Erik M. Posts: 3104 From: The Netherlands Written by Mattybu on 30.08.2014 at 23:21 He gave Ride The Lightning a 10 also. Which I would say is a much better thrash album than Bonded By Blood. To be honest, I think it's good but even Exodus did better than Bonded By Blood (I think Fabulous Disaster is better) and within the genre, for me there is a massive amount of better albums. My thrash knowledge is pretty limited so I'm buying "the best of the best" only. Thanks for the info. And yeah, Marcel somehow doesn't consider Ride the Lightning a "real" thrash record... which I don't agree with at all. Loading...
Mattybu Posts: 2588 From: Canada	30.08.2014 - 23:27 Mattybu Posts: 2588 From: Canada Written by Erik M. on 30.08.2014 at 23:23 Written by Mattybu on 30.08.2014 at 23:21 He gave Ride The Lightning a 10 also. Which I would say is a much better thrash album than Bonded By Blood. To be honest, I think it's good but even Exodus did better than Bonded By Blood (I think Fabulous Disaster is better) and within the genre, for me there is a massive amount of better albums. My thrash knowledge is pretty limited so I'm buying "the best of the best" only. Thanks for the info as well. I don't think you could possibly be disappointed with this one if you like thrash, so enjoy your new albums To me the whole album would have to be as good as the title track and Piranha to be considered among the best ever (and even then not even close to being the single best). But in addition to that it never clicked with me in the way a lot of other albums did. Loading...
moonflash Posts: 116 From: Germany	04.09.2014 - 21:06 Rating: 9 moonflash Posts: 116 From: Germany And then there were none...just beyond amazing. Absolutely intense album. ---- [http://atthematinee.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/voyagedans.jpg] Loading...
Guib Thrash Talker Posts: 2371 From: Canada	16.04.2015 - 22:44 Rating: 10 Guib Thrash Talker Posts: 2371 From: Canada Written by musicalkaratekid on 14.09.2011 at 03:16 This album is great,but i think its a little overrated. Im not doubting its one of the most influential thrash albums of all time,but lets not forget 'hell awaits' and 'kill 'em all',eh? I would spin ''Bonded By Blood'' any time before ''Hell Awaits'' and ''Kill 'Em All''. No doubt. And I don't think it's overrated at all, it deserves the praise it receives. But once again, that's just me. ---- - I love my technical, melodic, my thrash, agressive and fast paced, my sludge, well thought, my heavy, heavier and my metal, ever-growing - Loading...
indexqwest Posts: 98 From: Mexico	28.04.2015 - 01:56 Rating: 10 indexqwest Posts: 98 From: Mexico Written by Guib on 16.04.2015 at 22:44 Written by musicalkaratekid on 14.09.2011 at 03:16 This album is great,but i think its a little overrated. Im not doubting its one of the most influential thrash albums of all time,but lets not forget 'hell awaits' and 'kill 'em all',eh? I would spin ''Bonded By Blood'' any time before ''Hell Awaits'' and ''Kill 'Em All''. No doubt. And I don't think it's overrated at all, it deserves the praise it receives. But once again, that's just me. Amen Loading...
VIG Viggg Posts: 2534 From: USA	05.06.2017 - 23:14 VIG Viggg Posts: 2534 From: USA Classic thrash right here! It doesn't get much better than this Loading...
AndreMarcos Posts: 124	31.07.2017 - 14:30 Rating: 9 AndreMarcos Posts: 124 Amazing record. Feels as fresh and aggressive today as it probably did back when it was first released Loading...
DeathMetal Posts: 253 From: Canada	26.10.2018 - 03:55 Rating: 9 DeathMetal Posts: 253 From: Canada Great album. Had a lot of fun listening to this one. Loading...
Maasai Mara Posts: 149 From: Kenya	04.01.2019 - 15:35 Rating: 9 Maasai Mara Posts: 149 From: Kenya Yes Exodus you can kick me in the teeth, rape and murder my wife. Thee vocals are too clean, if they were rougher and meaner then this would belong to the pantheon of unholy thrash. ---- You are not metal enough until you visit Kenya. The cradle of mankind, where man learnt first to work with stones and first enjoyed the sounds produced by banging stones which later influenced metal in all its sounds and genres. Loading...