Bonded By Blood - Exiled to Earth (2010) [Earache] // Grade: C+

There’s a time in every band’s music career where they have to choose between two paths: a new direction and progression or just the same ol same ol. Sure, your debut might have slaughtered thousands of fans but there’s only so many ADD kids out there who appreciate balls to the wall thrash with little direction and guidance. Take Bonded by Blood’s career. When Feed the Beast came out, people thought “ok, I get it, these guys like old-school Exodus and Maiden”. But when their new album, Exiled to Earth was announced, everyone was kinda hoping for something new from the band. Instead, we get force-fed the same yawning experience. If I wanted to hear Exodus, I’d listen to Exodus. Nah mean?

Not to say that Exiled to Earth isn’t a prime example of California “old school thrash” because it is. Jose “Aladdin” Barrales’ vocals very much fit the bill of an 80′s thrash band. The riffs are there, along with the crowd chants and lead takeoffs fill the 42-minute assault. At a certain point though, it comes across as a hokey-gimmick. I just picture the band practicing in their parent’s garage on a cul-de-sac somewhere in the ‘burbs. That’s the best imagery I can supply because the literal translation of cul-de-sac is “bottom of bag” and that’s just what Exiled to Earth is; an album about robots killing people in the future. What? Really?

Critique aside, I’m sure there’s a long-haired and mustached, sleeveless shirt wearing uncle somewhere who will jam out to this in his 1980′s GMC van with a unicorn airbrushed on the side. Ok, a wizard, not a unicorn. But still. I had high hopes for Bonded By Blood doing something, well new and all we get is the same regurgitated and predictable trash. Oops, I mean thrash. There are some nice moments in the album though. “Prison Planet” and “ Sector 87” are two outstanding performance pieces. The title track “Exiled To Earth” isn’t too bad either and the drumming in “Prototype: Death Machine” is note-worthy. I know that sounds like a good amount of decent tracks but I’m merely pointing out the best on the album.

Sure, this was a harsh review but sometimes an album just hits you where you least expect it to. These expectations really do lead to your like or dislike of a band. While Feed the Beast was a pleasant experience, sometimes too much of a ‘meh’ thing gets toxic. Exiled to Earth isn’t a bad album, just not what I wanted to hear. With all of the futuristic overtones in the album, you’d think the band would do something, I dunno, new?

- Prolly