FIRST ALBUM IN 27 YEARS, MOURN THE SOUTHERN SKIES, OUT SEPT 20TH
NOLA thrash metal legends EXHORDER laid waste to fans last week with the release of their searing new single “Hallowed Sound.” Today, the band has revealed a video, in which they discuss the new track. The band’s first album in 27 years, Mourn The Southern Skies, is due out September 20th from Nuclear Blast Records. EXHORDER will kick off their North American tour next week.
WATCH THE “HALLOWED SOUND” DISCUSSION HERE:
Guitarist Vinnie LaBella comments: “”Hallowed Sound” is one that keeps in the tradition of ‘The Law’ era with some new twists and turns. Mid-tempo/slow, heavy grooves with a mean yet soulful Kyle Thomas singing about our beloved NOLA music history, and future!
More from Mourn The Southern Skies:
“Hallowed Sound” Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/abPtDOU07o4
“My Time” Music Video: https://youtu.be/yUdzQ3pxaiM
Track Trailer – What’s Behind “My Time”: https://youtu.be/s-UuJEURLPk
Album Trailer #1 – The Sound of EXHORDER: https://youtu.be/I9L0l5j81BQ
Album Trailer #2 – A New Age: https://youtu.be/-X1GnlXsBnc
The New Orleans natives made their long-awaited return last year with a string of reunion shows and festival appearances, and now are launching a full-on comeback with the impending release of Mourn The Southern Skies. Recorded by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording and Production and working with producer Jens Bogren (AMON AMARTH, OPETH, SEPULTURA) at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden for mix/master, EXHORDER is armed with more fury and vigor than bands half their age, concocting an intoxicating amalgam of old school thrashers and groovers blended with a modern, mature approach.
From the opening of the first track of Mourn The Southern Skies, listeners are reminded immediately just what EXHORDER is exactly through the spitting rage “My Time” forces upon their ears. It is evident that the anger remains prevalent, with perhaps a different point of view that younger men could not possibly have understood on earlier albums. Sasha Horn’s energy and punk influence fire the engines, with Jason VieBrooks locking down the foundation tightly. Vinnie La Bella once again has proven himself “The Godfather” of thrash riffs, which cut through like a high speed drill bit thanks to the stellar production. A lead guitar face-off in the solo not only exhibits Vinnie’s sometimes under-appreciated skills as a shredder, but also showcases newcomer Marzi Montazeri (“The High Priest of Distortion”). If anyone ever doubted EXHORDER’s skill set regarding guitar soloing, those days are gone forever! And finally, as if riding a runaway garbage truck with fireworks exploding off of its roof top, Kyle Thomasinvokes venom and energy with familiar passion. All in all, the truth is apparent – EXHORDER mean business once again!
EXHORDER’s founding guitarist Vinnie La Bella says of their resurgence, “You can plot and scheme for years, even decades (as is in our case). You can work hard, keep grinding, bang the square peg in the round hole until it looks somewhat presentable. But sometimes you just need to let time tell you, it’s time. Exhorder has its own soul. And it pokes me in the ribs ever so often as if to remind me, ‘Hey asshole, we ain’t done yet!’ Kyle and myself had a dream as teenagers. And as cliche as it may seem, we never woke up from it. Exhorder has always crept in and out of our lives. So no magic bullet or formula here. It was only a simple matter of time before the right guys, the right songs, the right manager/label would finally come to the party. It’s been damn near 35 years since we first uttered the name, Exhorder. 27 years since our last record, and a whole lot of breaking up and making up in between. So why is this time different? Why start again at 50 years of age instead of retiring? Simple… because it’s finally, TIME!”
EXHORDER’s enduring legacy began in the mid-80’s when they defined the sound of Louisiana thrash and groove metal. Their initial formation was short lived, lasting nearly a decade with two critically acclaimed, classic albums, but their impact on the metal genre can be felt through a generation of bands that followed. EXHORDER dissolved in the mid-90’s but briefly reunited in 2011. Now, the band has returned to reclaim their throne of NOLA metal with their awaited new album and an all-star line-up that includes Kyle Thomas (founding vocalist; TROUBLE, HEAVY AS TEXAS), Vinnie La Bella (founding guitarist), Marzi Montazeri (guitarist; ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ex-PHIL ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, HEAVY AS TEXAS), Jason VieBrooks (bassist since 2011; HEATHEN, GRIP INC.) and Sasha Horn (drummer; FORBIDDEN).
EXHORDER will support the new record with a North American tour with KATAKLYSM in September. Dates are below. Watch a trailer for the tour here: https://youtu.be/27xQVhNB6Rk
Pre-order Mourn The Southern Skies in various formats, here: http://nuclearblast.com/exhorder-mtss
Listen to the band’s new track in the NB New Releases Playlists:
http://nblast.de/SpotifyNewReleases / http://nblast.de/AppleMusicNewReleases
Mourn The Southern Skies Track Listing:
- My Time
- Asunder
- Hallowed Sound
- Beware the Wolf
- Yesterday’s Bones
- All She Wrote
- Rumination
- The Arms of Man
- Ripping Flesh
- Mourn The Southern Skies
EXHORDER North American Tour Dates (w/KATAKLYSM):
Sep 4 – Joliet, IL – The Forge
Sep 5 – Cave-In-Rock, IL – Full Terror Assault
Sep 6 – Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
Sep 7 – Colorado Springs, CO – The Black Sheep
Sep 8 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater
Sep 10 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Sep 11 – Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom
Sep 12 – Oakland, CA – Metro Opera House
Sep 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Union
Sep 14 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
Sep 15 – Mesa, AZ – Club Red
Sep 16 – El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill
Sep 17 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live!
Sep 18 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Live!
Sep 20 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverfront Live
Sep 21 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Sep 22 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage
Sep 23 – Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel
Sep 24 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance
Sep 25 – Reading, PA – Reverb
Sep 26 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Sep 27 – Quebec City, QC – Le D’Auteuil
Sep 28 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Corona
Oct 19 – New Orleans, LA – The Howlin’ Wolf (RECORD RELEASE SHOW)
2020
May 24 – Baltimore, MD – Maryland Deathfest XVIII