Exhorder

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Exhorder is an American heavy metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana. They are considered progenitors of the groove-oriented thrash sound later made famous by bands such as Pantera and Machine Head, and their music has been regarded as a large influence on the New Orleans metal scene. Initially active from 1985 to 1994 and reformed from 2008 to 2011, [1] Exhorder has since reformed in 2017. To date, the band has released four studio albums: Slaughter in the Vatican (1990), The Law (1992), Mourn the Southern Skies (2019) and Defectum Omnium (2024).

History

File:Exhorder.jpg
From left to right: Vinnie Labella, Chris Nail, Kyle Thomas, Jay Ceravolo

Early years and split (1985–1994)

Exhorder was formed in 1985 in New Orleans, Louisiana. After releasing several demos in the vein of pure thrash metal, they continued this sound with their debut studio album, Slaughter in the Vatican, released in 1990. They adapted more of a groove metal-oriented sound by their second album, The Law, released in 1992. The band broke up in 1994.

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First reunion and hiatus (2008–2011)

On May 9, 2008, the band had reunited and had begun writing new material.[2] As of that day, the band's official Myspace page contains the reunited group's lineup as well as the headline "writing new material for the return of Exhorder".[3] They played their first reunion show on November 14, 2009, at Southport Hall in Jefferson, Louisiana, followed by another less than a month later on December 12 at City Club in Houma, Louisiana, and a show with Crowbar at the Hangar in New Orleans on February 12, 2010. The lineup for all of these shows was the same as that of The Law album.

Drummer Seth Davis was on a clinic tour in 2010 when he was approached by the band. Davis filled in for original drummer Chris Nail, and toured with Exhorder from early 2010 to late 2011, performing classic songs from the band's two albums. On March 22, 2011, bassist Frankie Sparcello died of unknown causes.[4] In the interim and in order to fulfill three show dates already booked, the band recruited local bass virtuoso Jorge Caicedo to fill in at the last minute.[5] The band also played Maryland Deathfest on May 28. They then took a hiatus.

Second reunion and new releases (2017–present)

File:Kyle Thomas - Exhorder Party.San Metal Open Air 2022 (cropped).jpg
Frontman Kyle Thomas, the band's sole consistent member

In November 2017, Exhorder ended their six-year hiatus with a newly formed line-up and signed a worldwide deal with All Independent Service Alliance. They announced a two-night event in Brooklyn, New York, for February 9 and 10, 2018, by performing the entire Slaughter in the Vatican and The Law albums respectively. The band also performed a homecoming show on February 12 in New Orleans. They were also planning summer festival appearances,[6] and would consider working on new material if the reunion shows went well.[7]

The band signed to Nuclear Blast in November 2018 and started work on a new album.[8]

In May 2019, Exhorder were announced as part of a tour for Kataklysm's "Meditations Over North America" tour in September, along with Krisiun and Hatchet.[9] In July 2019, the band announced their third album, titled Mourn the Southern Skies, which was released on September 20, 2019. The first single, "My Time", was made available for streaming.[10] Exhorder supported the album by supporting Overkill on their Wings of War tour in North America.[11] The band toured with Overkill again during the spring and summer of 2023.[12][13]

Founding guitarist Vinnie LaBella parted ways with the band in February 2020, leaving vocalist Kyle Thomas as the remaining founding member.[14] Instead of replacing LaBella, Exhorder has since continued on as a four-piece, with Thomas handling rhythm guitar duties.[15] On February 14, 2022, guitarist Marzi Montazeri announced that he was quitting the band.[16] He was replaced by Pat O'Brien.[17]

By 2022, Exhorder had been working on new material for their fourth studio album.[18][19] The resulting album, Defectum Omnium, was released on March 8, 2024.[20]

Musical style and comparisons with Pantera

Exhorder's style of heavy metal is described by Bradley Torreano of AllMusic as "thrash-and-groove."[21] He explains the band's stylistic signature is "chugging, tightly constructed, syncopated" guitar riffs.[22]

There has been controversy amongst Pantera's and Exhorder's fans over similarities between both bands' sounds,[23][24][25] fueled by the success of Pantera and the obscurity of Exhorder.[23][24] Some have dubbed Exhorder as "Pantera minus the good songs."[23] AllMusic countered this assessment in their review of Slaughter in the Vatican, where the author expressed the belief that "perhaps a more accurate billing would be to call them Pantera without the major label backing."[23] The author also pointed to the fact that the title of Exhorder's debut, along with the unsubtle album cover, "certainly didn't help [its] cause any."[23]

Exhorder lead vocalist Kyle Thomas has expressed indifference towards the criticism, and has grown weary of seeing Exhorder's name tied to Pantera's.[24] He also stated that he and some members of Pantera were friends (particularly the latter's lead singer Phil Anselmo, who was a fan of Exhorder in their early days),[24][25] and that he mourns the loss of Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell.[25] Thomas has suggested that while it is possible Pantera may have been influenced by his band, the members of Pantera "work[ed] a ... lot harder than [they] did."[24][26]

Band members

Current members

  • Kyle Thomas – vocals (1985–1994, 2008–2011, 2017–present)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., rhythm guitar (2022–present)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Jason VieBrooks – bass (2017–present)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Sasha Horn – drums (2017–present)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Pat O'Brien – lead guitar (2022–present)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Touring members
  • Waldemar Sorychta – lead guitar (2022–present; international dates)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Apollo Xydias - lead guitar (2023–present; international dates)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Ol Drake – lead guitar (2023)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Former members

  • Vinnie LaBella – lead guitar (1985–1994, 2008–2011, 2017–2020)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., bass (1989–1991)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Chris Nail – drums (1985–1994, 2008–2010)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Andy Villafarra – bass (1985–1989, 2008–2010, 2011)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • David Main – rhythm guitar (1985–1987)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Jay Ceravolo – rhythm guitar (1987–1994, 2008–2011)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., bass (1989–1991)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Frankie Sparcello – bass (1991–1994, 2010–2011)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Seth Davis – drums (2010–2011)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  • Marzi Montazeri – rhythm guitar (2017–2022)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., lead guitar (2020–2022)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Timeline <timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:90 top:0 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1985 till:12/18/2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1985 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1985

Colors = 

 id:voc  value:red          legend:Vocals
 id:lg    value:teal        legend:Lead_guitar
 id:rg    value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_guitar
 id:b    value:blue         legend:Bass
 id:dr   value:orange       legend:Drums
 id:alb  value:black        legend:Studio_album
 id:dem  value:gray(0.7)    legend:Demo
 id:bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData = 

 layer:back
  color:alb
   at:10/23/1990
   at:01/28/1992
   at:09/20/2019
   at:03/08/2024

  color:dem
   at:09/15/1986
   at:09/10/1987

PlotData = 

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,–4)
 bar:Kyle Thomas        from:start       till:08/01/1994  color:voc
 bar:Kyle Thomas        from:05/09/2008  till:05/28/2011  color:voc
 bar:Kyle Thomas        from:11/15/2017  till:end         color:voc
 bar:Vinnie LaBella     from:start       till:08/01/1994  color:lg
 bar:Vinnie LaBella     from:05/09/2008  till:05/28/2011  color:lg
 bar:Vinnie LaBella     from:11/15/2017  till:02/23/2020  color:lg
 bar:Pat O'Brien       from:05/26/2022  till:end         color:lg
 bar:David Main         from:start       till:06/30/1987  color:rg
 bar:Jay Ceravolo       from:07/01/1987  till:08/01/1994  color:rg
 bar:Jay Ceravolo       from:05/09/2008  till:05/28/2011  color:rg
 bar:Marzi Montazeri    from:11/15/2017  till:02/23/2020  color:rg
 bar:Marzi Montazeri    from:02/23/2020  till:02/14/2022  color:lg
 bar:Andy Villafara     from:start       till:01/01/1989  color:b
 bar:Andy Villafara     from:05/09/2008  till:06/30/2010  color:b
 bar:Andy Villafara     from:03/23/2011  till:05/28/2011  color:b
 bar:Frankie Sparcello  from:02/01/1991  till:08/01/1994  color:b
 bar:Frankie Sparcello  from:07/01/2010  till:03/22/2011  color:b
 bar:Jason VieBrooks    from:11/15/2017  till:end         color:b
 bar:Chris Nail         from:start       till:08/01/1994  color:dr
 bar:Chris Nail         from:05/09/2008  till:01/01/2010  color:dr
 bar:Seth Davis         from:02/01/2010  till:05/28/2011  color:dr
 bar:Sasha Horn         from:11/15/2017  till:end         color:dr
width:3
 bar:Kyle Thomas        from:02/14/2022  till:end         color:rg
 bar:Vinnie LaBella     from:01/01/1989  till:01/01/1991  color:b
 bar:Jay Ceravolo       from:01/01/1989  till:01/01/1991  color:b
 bar:Marzi Montazeri    from:02/23/2020  till:02/14/2022  color:rg

</timeline>

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

  • Live Death (1994, Roadrunner Records)

Demos

  • Get Rude (1986, self-released)
  • Slaughter in the Vatican (1987, self-released)

References

Template:Reflist

External links

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  3. ↑ MySpace.com – Exhorder – Kenner/Metairie/New Orleans, Louisiana – Metal / Death Metal / Thrash – www.myspace.com/exhordernola
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  24. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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