1. Wake up after a good sleep
2. Dose up on coffee and Red Bull
3. Carry protection
4. Go out and get this album, or Amazon it
5. Let nothing get in your way!

This album carries my vote for the most aggressive, kick arse, headbang visciously album of all time. Period. Get it.

This album walks a perfect line between pure, sheer, unadulterated aggression, and going too far - you cruise on the sheer thrill of ultra-aggressive thrash anthems without the need to tread on sacred cows like religion and politics. OK altered boy may be getting close, but by the sheer weight of the brilliance of this album, I don't care. My vote for the best metal album of all time. *u** Metallica! (Yeh OK they were great decades ago, but Exodus is still brilliant now!)

If you haven't heard this album yet, put it in your player and crank your stereo up louder than you've ever had it. You won't regret it. Absolutely brilliant! The intensity and speed of the drumming alone will bowl you over. And the riffs are outstanding. Songs 1,2 and 5 make the hairs on my neck stand on end every time I hear them!

" *u** it destruct it its demolition season "!!!

Do it! Now!!

I'll admit I haven't followed Exodus, but ever since hearing Paul Bostaph on Slayer's 1994 album Divine Intervention I've bought everything he's played on - by far my favorite metal drummer. Drumming aside, which, of course, is phenomenal, this is great thrash. Thick, cutting riffs with plenty of speed and changes to keep it interesting. Highly recommended.

I bought Exodus's 2005 release "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" just last month, and I really love it alot. I've been listening to this album for weeks, and I just can't get enough of it, in fact I practically listen to it almost every day of the week, and it's also risen to be one of my all time favorite metal albums in my collection. True, Exodus have always been one of the more underrated and overlooked bands in the thrash metal genre, and as a big fan of thrash metal that I'am, I've considered them to be one of the absolute best in that genre. This band as a whole no doubt breathe metal and live metal through and through.

Anyways onto the album, Exodus's 2005 masterpiece "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" is an absolutely magnificent follow up to their comback album of the decade 2004's "Tempo of the Damned", and it's also their heaviest, meanest, and their best album of their career as well. This album is just an all out blistering, furious, in your face thrash metal assault from beginning to end. The production by band member Gary Holt (the sole original member on this album) and the mixing and mastering by Andy Sneap are just excellent. The lineup on this album is very much different from thier previous album. Gone are vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza, guitarist Rick Hunolt, and drummer Tom Hunting, and in are vocalist Rob Dukes, guitarist Lee Altus (Heathen) and drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Forbidden). The album art cover that depicts somewhat of a futuristic tank equipped with machine guns and other cool stuff plowing over a field of skulls is very cool, I like it. While SHKM has fast, blistering, ear shattering, skull crushing thrashers such as "Raze", "Deathamphetamine", ".44 Magum Opus", "Now Thy Death Day Done" "I'am Abomination", and "Shovel Headed Kill Machine", it also has it's share of slower groovier cuts such as "Altered Boy" and "Shudder to Think", this entire album as a whole destroys and plows over everything in it's path.

As far as the musicianship on here goes, it's just fantastic. Rob Dukes's vocals are just brutal, aggressive, vicious, and commanding throughout. Even thought I do like Steve alot, but I find Rob to be a better vocalist, and his vocals really do fit well with the music. I would definately say Rob reminds me of a mix between Exodus's previous vocalists and Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Superjoint Ritual). Guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus's dualing riffs are just ear shredding, and thier leads and solos are dare I say just absolutely killer throughout. Jack Gibson's bass lines are very heavy and strong, and they follow the guitars very well on here. Drummer Paul Bostaph is just an absolute beast on here. His beats are just fast, slamming, and brutal, and his double bass kicks are like absolutely lightning fast and machine gun like. I've gotta say, that this is the best drumwork that Paul has ever done in his entire career, and I applaud him for that.

The opening track "Raze" kicks the album off with a bang and features fast thrashing riffage, fast pounding double bass drumwork, and a catchy chorus as well as a pair of blazing guitar solos. Track two as well as the strongest song on the album, the 8+ minute epic "Deathamphetamine" features some strong, heavy bass lines at the beginning, excellent jackhammering drums, an avalanche of blowtorch rapid-fire riffs, aggressive vocals from Rob, and some wild, scorching solos. The first solo by Gary is at the 3:16 mark to the 3:58 mark, and the second solo by Lee goes from the 5:15 mark to the 5:37 mark. This is without question my favorite song on the entire album. Words just cannot describe how much this song gets my adrenaline going. The next track "Karma's Messenger" is another scorching headbanger that features more great fast steamrolling riffs, and pounding drums as well as an awesome melodic yet trail blazing guitar solo by Gary. Track six "Altered Boy is a 7+ minute mid tempo groove/thrash epic that includeds some strong rumbling bass lines, chugging groovy riff, a nice groovy drum beat, and some more great winding solos to boot, while track seven "Going Going Gone" features more fast pounding drums, fast bruising, thrashing riffs, wild careening solos, and a catchy chorus. Another big highlight and another favorite of mine, "Now Thy Death Day Come" has blazing rapid-fire guitar riffs, furious, punishing drumwork, and aggressive powerful vocals from Rob. Then at the 1:31 mark, the song breaks into a sweet mid tempo thrash/groove vibe with catchy groovy riffs and a nice pair of guitar solos are included as well. Then around the 4 minute mark, the furious breakneck assalut resumes. Track nine ".44 Magnum Opus" is another favorite of mine, and a brutal all out thrasher that features more fast bullying drumwork, bruising, thrashing riffs, more blazing, careening solos, heavy bass lines, and in your face vocals to boot. The lyrics on this song are very brutal as well. Then we finally have the closing title track which includes an all out barrage of speeding, bullying blowtorch riffage, and fast slamming, pounding drums that will just stomp a mudhole all over you and proceed to walk you dry.
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. Raze (4:16) - 5/5
2. Deathamphetamine (8:31) - 10/5 My favorite song and the best
3. Karma's Messenger (4:14) - 5/5
4. Shudder to Think (4:48) - 5/5
5. I'am Abomination (3:25) - 5/5
6. Altered Boy (7:37) - 5/5
7. Going Going Gone (4:58) - 5/5
8. Now Thy Death Day Come (5:11) - 5/5
9. .44 Magnum Opus (6:57) - 5/5
10. Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2:56) - 5/5

Normally I don't write long reviews, but since this albums is just sooooo awesome, I thought I decided to give it a nice, long, well thought out written review. Bottom Line, if you're a fan of Exodus, thrash metal, heavy metal, or if you just like good music in general, than by all means you must own "Shovel Headed Kill Machine", belive me this album will definately make a great addition to your metal cd collection. Well, happy headbanging dudes!!

This CD has definitely grown on me and kicked me in the grill more than once. First of the drums on this album absolutely dominate. Paul Bostaph put in some overtime on this one. The guitars shred and rip as usual. The vocals fit this music very well. The bass is audible for the most part. Production wise I love Sneap's mixes, I will buy a cd just on that quality alone. Holt should have gotten a grammy for this one but we know how that goes. My Fav Exodus cd of all time.

this is sad only one original member. well it goog gary has great musical friend this cd make good use of them paul bostoph/from slayer the drum king, lee/heathen great guitarist,jack back to punish you some more and rob duke unknown excellent voice and style. this cd start of with pumelling drums and ripping guitars.this is not like tempo of the damned this is just about another animal.I love it but I'm unsold to the effect of the exodus name on this but it's a totally brutal cd.you have gary's style unleashed I'm sure that these song my have been formenting for a while but not weak explosive.for me to be happy with an exodus cd I need more from the sorce this is missing some elements from the key member yet!
If gary had created a new band ( which this is with a new name I'd be singin their priases bettter,but this in different killer but not exodus style thrash.buy it but not because it's exodus.