Bonded by Blood

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.{{cite magazine |title=Exodus' Bonded By Blood: the story behind thrash metal's ultimate lesson in violence |magazine=Metal Hammer |date=February 2006 |last=Dome |first=Malcolm |author-link=Malcolm Dome |issue=149 |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-exodus-bonded-by-blood |access-date=June 6, 2021}}

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").{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Exodus/Tempo_of_the_Damned/21847 |title=Exodus – Tempo of the Damned – Encyclopaedia Metallum |publisher=The Metal Archives |access-date=2017-01-24}}

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.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal

| rev2Score = 8/10{{cite book|last=Popoff|first=Martin|author-link1=Martin Popoff|title=The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties|publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing|date=November 1, 2005|location=Burlington, Ontario, Canada|isbn=978-1894959315|pages=111–112}}

| rev3 = Metal Forces

| rev3score = 10/10{{cite journal |title=Exodus – Bonded by Blood |journal=Metal Forces |year=1985 |last=Doe |first=Bernard |issue=9 |url=http://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/album-review-exodus-bonded-by-blood/ |access-date=2014-10-29 }}

}}

In a contemporary review, Bernard Doe of Metal Forces defined Bonded by Blood "a classic album in the thrash metal sense which is sure to be sneered at by the unconverted and mainstream media."

Bonded by Blood received a positive modern 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." Canadian journalist Martin Popoff described Exodus as a band "doing what Metallica did best, and doing it with killer underground savagery", and considered Bonded by Blood "a solid, forward-thinking record". However, he observed that their "purist lack of compromise made [Exodus] somehow toneless and haranguing compared to multi-dimensional personalities like Metallica and Megadeth."

In 2003, Bonded by Blood was named one of "The Best 25 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" in Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal, by Ian Christe.

In 2013, Bonded by Blood was ranked number 80 on Metal Rules' 'Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums'.{{cite web |url=http://www.metal-rules.com/polls/index.php?id=6 |title=The Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums |publisher=Metal Rules |access-date=2014-10-29 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629154729/http://www.metal-rules.com/polls/index.php?id=6 |url-status=dead }} In August 2014, Revolver placed the album on its "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own" list.{{cite web|url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/14-thrash-albums-you-need-to-own.html |title=14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own |date=August 29, 2014 |work=Revolver.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709060235/http://www.revolvermag.com/news/14-thrash-albums-you-need-to-own.html |access-date=August 30, 2014|archive-date=July 9, 2015 }} The album was ranked number one on Loudwire's top ten list of "Thrash Albums NOT Released by the Big 4".{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/top-10-thrash-albums-not-released-by-the-big-4/ |title=Top 10 Thrash Albums NOT Released by the Big 4 |publisher=Loudwire.com |date=October 8, 2015 |access-date=October 9, 2015}}

In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Bonded by Blood as 45th on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".{{cite web |title=Rolling Stone Share Their Choices For 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time' |url=https://www.theprp.com/2017/06/21/news/rolling-stone-share-choices-100-greatest-metal-albums-time/ |website=Theprp.com |access-date=April 23, 2019 |date=June 21, 2017}}

Thrash metal revival act Bonded by Blood named themselves after the album.

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| all_music = Gary Holt, unless noted otherwise

| title1 = Bonded by Blood

| lyrics1 = {{hlist|Paul Baloff|Gary Holt}}

| length1 = 3:43

| title2 = Exodus

| lyrics2 = {{hlist|Baloff|Holt}}

| length2 = 4:05

| title3 = And Then There Were None

| lyrics3 = {{hlist|Holt|Tom Hunting}}

| length3 = 4:40

| title4 = A Lesson in Violence

| lyrics4 = Holt

| music4 = {{hlist|Holt|Rick Hunolt}}

| length4 = 3:49

| title5 = Metal Command

| lyrics5 = {{hlist|Baloff|Holt|Mark Whitaker}}

| length5 = 4:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Piranha

| lyrics6 = Baloff

| length6 = 3:45

| title7 = No Love

| lyrics7 = Baloff

| length7 = 5:08

| title8 = Deliver Us to Evil

| lyrics8 = {{hlist|Holt|Whitaker}}

| music8 = {{hlist|Holt|Hunolt}}

| length8 = 7:07

| title9 = Strike of the Beast

| lyrics9 = {{hlist|Baloff|Holt}}

| length9 = 3:57

| total_length = 40:49

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Re-issue edition bonus tracks

| total_length = 49:07

| title10 = And Then There Were None

| lyrics10 = {{hlist|Holt|Hunting}}

| music10 =

| note10 = live

| length10 = 4:52

| title11 = A Lesson in Violence

| lyrics11 = Holt

| music11 = {{hlist|Holt|Hunolt}}

| note11 = live

| length11 = 3:26

}}

Writing, performance and production credits are adapted from the album liner notes.{{Cite AV media notes |title=Bonded by Blood |others=Exodus |year=1985 |type=booklet |publisher=Combat Records}}

• Paul Baloff – vocals
• Gary Holt – guitars
• Rick Hunolt – guitars
• Rob McKillop – bass
• Tom Hunting – drums

• Satan's Choir – backing vocals

• Ken Adams, Todd Gordon – executive producers
• Mark Whitaker – production, assistant engineer, mixing
• John Volaitis – engineer
• Robin Yeager – mixing at Tres Virgos Studios, San Rafael, California {{small|August 1984}}
• Gordon Lyons "The Triple Threat" – mixing assistant
• George Horn – mixing, mastering at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California

• Donald J. Munz – cover art, layout
• Richard A. Ferraro – cover painting

{{reflist}}

{{Exodus(band)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonded By Blood}}

Category:Exodus (American band) albums

Category:1985 debut albums

Category:Combat Records albums