Persona Non Grata CD

When we think of the phrase Bonded By Blood, we think of two things: a brotherhood that is meant to outlast the trials of war, pain, and time… and the almighty EXODUS. With a bond forged in youth and decades-old friendship, the undisputed masters of thrash metal return with their eleventh studio album: PERSONA NON GRATA. Literally translating to an unwelcome or unacceptable person, PERSONA NON GRATA touches on themes of modern societal disgust and degradation. The people that disgust you – cut em out like cancer, explains guitarist Gary Holt. Who is that person? It could be anybody. Thats up to the listener. Who is Persona Non Grata to them? For decades, EXODUS has impressed us with the ability to attract opposing factions to their music because of its intensity and versatility. A track like The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves was inspired by the riots both in theme, and sound. Without seeming insensitive to the riots, the song is tongue in cheek about what the people beating on the rioters were expecting to happen. Did you think you would beat a smile onto their face? At 3 minutes in length, its probably the shortest EXODUS song weve ever done. It gets in, gets out, and is just crushing, describes Holt. While most of the songs do run on the shorter side, this album also comes equipped with crushing, epic tracks. Whether its the music industry gossip sites, or the big players like CNN and FOX, were all aware of how news outlets love to set little rat traps; Clickbait discusses their methods of picking things out of context to grab your attention, add to their page views, and increase their revenue all while riling up your emotions. Its all journalistic dishonesty, explains Holt, its a modern-day version of Al Capones vault, everyone tunes in, and then theres NOTHING. Evenly balanced with extraordinary speed and tremendous, catchy choruses, Clickbait is a song that explodes with vigorous energy. As heavy as this album is, and its heavy as fuck, if times were different and there was still metal radio, this song, and probably over half the album, has single capabilities. Sitting as the second to last song on the album, The Fires of Division keeps PERSONA NON GRATA strong all the way through. This album doesnt operate on the normal parameters, describes Holt, we didnt frontload this one, its strong right through to the end. Its supposed to be a musical journey as the songs segway together. For the third time in the bands history, EXODUS returned to Swedish artist Par Olofsson to create the album artwork PERSONA NON GRATA. After this album, I feel like we probably wont work with anyone else again, Par just gets it, states Holt. A three-faced, winged creature sits atop a bloody pile of diseased and rotting humans as they scream in pain and reach their hands up desperately towards the beast. Undead riot cops beat mercilessly, and senselessly upon this pile of the dying and the world is red with fresh, sopping blood. Is it an angel, a demon? Is the world being created or destroyed, asks Holt, you dont really know. EXODUS dont fall into the usual recording slump that most bands get stuck in. Gathering at Tom Huntings house up in the mountains, they avoided the need to book studio time or adhere to a certain schedule. At first it was just Tom, myself, a half stack, and a drum kit; we call it jam camp. We lived there. We built the studio, we immersed ourselves in it. Number one, because we still enjoy each others company enough to do it. When were not actively rehearsing or recording, were still sitting there talking about the songs, working on them, plucking on acoustics until things really work, explains Holt, were not settling. Working from three home-built studios, the band recorded PERSONA NON GRATA themselves with the help of Andy Sneap on mixing and mastering and with Steve Lagudi at the helm of engineering. As a band, Im super grateful. Ive seen a lot of things around the world and were still a band that loves each other, have each others back, and we genuinely like to hang out with each other, explains Holt. Take it how you will, but Im this bands biggest fan. We write songs that are designed to make us feel fired up – thats why its still heavy.

When we think of the phrase Bonded By Blood, we think of two things: a brotherhood that is meant to outlast the trials of war, pain, and time… and the almighty EXODUS. With a bond forged in youth and decades-old friendship, the undisputed masters of thrash metal return with their eleventh studio album: PERSONA NON GRATA. Literally translating to an unwelcome or unacceptable person, PERSONA NON GRATA touches on themes of modern societal disgust and degradation. The people that disgust you – cut em out like cancer, explains guitarist Gary Holt. Who is that person? It could be anybody. Thats up to the listener. Who is Persona Non Grata to them?For decades, EXODUS has impressed us with the ability to attract opposing factions to their music because of its intensity and versatility. A track like The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves was inspired by the riots both in theme, and sound. Without seeming insensitive to the riots, the song is tongue in cheek about what the people beating on the rioters were expecting to happen. Did you think you would beat a smile onto their face? At 3 minutes in length, its probably the shortest EXODUS song weve ever done. It gets in, gets out, and is just crushing, describes Holt. While most of the songs do run on the shorter side, this album also comes equipped with crushing, epic tracks.Whether its the music industry gossip sites, or the big players like CNN and FOX, were all aware of how news outlets love to set little rat traps; Clickbait discusses their methods of picking things out of context to grab your attention, add to their page views, and increase their revenue all while riling up your emotions. Its all journalistic dishonesty, explains Holt, its a modern-day version of Al Capones vault, everyone tunes in, and then theres NOTHING. Evenly balanced with extraordinary speed and tremendous, catchy choruses, Clickbait is a song that explodes with vigorous energy. As heavy as this album is, and its heavy as fuck, if times were different and there was still metal radio, this song, and probably over half the album, has single capabilities.Sitting as the second to last song on the album, The Fires of Division keeps PERSONA NON GRATA strong all the way through. This album doesnt operate on the normal parameters, describes Holt, we didnt frontload this one, its strong right through to the end. Its supposed to be a musical journey as the songs segway together.For the third time in the bands history, EXODUS returned to Swedish artist Par Olofsson to create the album artwork PERSONA NON GRATA. After this album, I feel like we probably wont work with anyone else again, Par just gets it, states Holt. A three-faced, winged creature sits atop a bloody pile of diseased and rotting humans as they scream in pain and reach their hands up desperately towards the beast. Undead riot cops beat mercilessly, and senselessly upon this pile of the dying and the world is red with fresh, sopping blood. Is it an angel, a demon? Is the world being created or destroyed, asks Holt, you dont really know.EXODUS dont fall into the usual recording slump that most bands get stuck in. Gathering at Tom Huntings house up in the mountains, they avoided the need to book studio time or adhere to a certain schedule. At first it was just Tom, myself, a half stack, and a drum kit; we call it jam camp. We lived there. We built the studio, we immersed ourselves in it. Number one, because we still enjoy each others company enough to do it. When were not actively rehearsing or recording, were still sitting there talking about the songs, working on them, plucking on acoustics until things really work, explains Holt, were not settling. Working from three home-built studios, the band recorded PERSONA NON GRATA themselves with the help of Andy Sneap on mixing and mastering and with Steve Lagudi at the helm of engineering.As a band, Im super grateful. Ive seen a lot of things around the world and were still a band that loves each other, have each others back, and we genuinely like to hang out with each other, explains Holt. Take it how you will, but Im this bands biggest fan. We write songs that are designed to make us feel fired up – thats why its still heavy.