EXODUS — Fabulous Disaster (review)

EXODUS — Fabulous Disaster album cover Album · 1988 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Fabulous Disaster" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US, California based thrash metal act Exodus. The album was released in Europe through Music for Nations in November 1988, just little over a year after the release of "Pleasures of the Flesh (1987)". The album was released in the US through Combat/Relativity Records, but not until January 1989. "Fabulous Disaster" is the band´s most successful release, although it failed to provide them with as much commercial success as some of the releases by some of the most successful contemporary thrash metal artists. But in that respect they shared the fate of many other commercially semi-successful artists from that era. "Fabulous Disaster" is the last Exodus album to feature drummer and founding member Tom Hunting in the lineup, although he would return to the band in the late 90s.

"Bonded by Blood (1985)" for many stands as one of the seminal releases in thrash metal, but the poor production job on the sophomore studio album "Pleasures of the Flesh (1987)", probably meant that Exodus weren´t able to fully capitalize on the impact of the debut album. With "Fabulous Disaster" they did receive both praise and some commercial success, and it´s deserved, as it´s arguably an improvement over "Pleasures of the Flesh (1987)".

Stylistically it´s a hard edged and sharp thrash metal release with both serious lyrics about society and a couple of tracks featuring less serious lyrics ("The Toxic Waltz" is for example a song about moshpit culture). Steve "Zetro" Souza has a distinct sounding voice and a raw delivery, which suits the instrumental part of the music perfectly (the many riot gang backing vocals are also quite charming).

Highlights include the three opening tracks "The Last Act of Defiance", "Fabulous Disaster", and "The Toxic Waltz", and while the remaining tracks on the album don´t quite reach the excellence of the opening tracks, the rest of the album´s tracks are also of high quality. The 8:10 minutes long "Like Father, Like Son" deserves a special mention, as it´s also one of the highlights of the album. Although I could have done without the two cover tracks, which Exodus have opted to include ("Low Rider" by War and "Overdose" by AC/DC), even those tracks are well performed and I´ve come to appreciate them more over the years. "Overdose" was not featured on the original vinyl version of the album, but was only included as a bonus track on the CD version of the album.

"Fabulous Disaster" features high level performances from all involved and also features a powerful, clear, and detailed sound production, which suits the material perfectly, so upon conclusion it´s a high quality thrash metal release by Exodus that with time has also become a bit of a "classic" in the genre. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
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