Exodus

The retro-thrash movement continues apace. Bay Area pioneers Exodus released Tempo of the Damned last year, and although that album didn't suck outright, neither was it the triumph required to measure up to the band's legendary pedigree. In contrast, Shovel Headed Kill Machine, the act's latest and perhaps best effort yet, is everything a metalhead could hope for from these reunited (and revitalized) '80s icons. Three of Exodus's members -- drummer Paul Bostaph and guitarists Lee Altus and Rick Hunolt -- are among the most talented players in the genre, easily the equal of peers Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine or Dave Lombardo, and Kill Machine finds everyone performing at peak intensity. The guitar solos are fleet and concise but as pyrotechnic as any old-school listener could want. And the drums are astonishing: Bostaph is mixed loud, propelling the music forward at occasionally frightening speed. Every track on Kill Machine, despite lyrics as dumb as the album's title, is a killer.