Tempo of the Damned is the sixth album by thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

 band Exodus

Exodus (band)

Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...

. It marked their first full-length album of new material in over 11 years, the last being Force of Habit

Force of Habit

-Band line-up:*Steve "Zetro" Souza - Vocals*Gary Holt - Guitars*Rick Hunolt - Guitars*Michael Butler - Bass*John Tempesta - Drums-Credits:* Recorded at Battery Studios, London, UK* Produced and engineered by Chris Tsangarides...

released in 1992.

This is Exodus' first studio album to feature Jack Gibson on bass. This is also Exodus's first album to feature Steve "Zetro" Souza on vocals since Force of Habit. "Zetro" departed shortly after Force of Habit and Exodus recruited original lead singer Paul Baloff

Paul Baloff

Paul Baloff was an American singer, most notable for his time in thrash metal band Exodus.Paul was the second vocalist with Exodus replacing Keith Stewart in 1981 and singing on their 1982 Demo and their first official album Bonded by Blood in 1985. After the release, they started the...

 (Bonded by Blood

Bonded by Blood

For other uses of the phrase, see Bonded by Blood Bonded by Blood is the debut album by the San Francisco thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with Exodus and its record label...

) for the release of their live album Another Lesson in Violence

Another Lesson in Violence

Another Lesson in Violence is a live album by the thrash metal band Exodus.This album features a huge line-up change for Exodus. Paul Baloff returns on vocals who originally left after Bonded by Blood. Tom Hunting returns after taking ill just before the Fabulous Disaster tour in 1989. This is also...

. Baloff died in 2002 of a stroke and "Zetro" was invited back into the band.

Tempo of the Damned also marks Exodus' only studio album to contain a song credited to band founder Kirk Hammett

Kirk Hammett

Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...

 of Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

 fame. The others are their 1982 Demo and the 1997 live release

Another Lesson in Violence

Another Lesson in Violence is a live album by the thrash metal band Exodus.This album features a huge line-up change for Exodus. Paul Baloff returns on vocals who originally left after Bonded by Blood. Tom Hunting returns after taking ill just before the Fabulous Disaster tour in 1989. This is also...

, Another Lesson in Violence, both of which featured the song "Impaler". One of the riffs in "Impaler" was used in the Metallica song "Trapped Under Ice" from Ride the Lightning

Ride the Lightning

Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 27, 1984 through the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on November 5, 1987 and was most recently certified 5x platinum on June 9, 2003...

, which was released in 1984.

Music videos were filmed for "War is my Shepherd" and for "Throwing Down," which largely consists of a jam performance.

Track listing

All songs credited to Holt

Gary Holt (musician)

Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the lead guitarist of Exodus.-Biography:...

 except when noted.

1. "Scar Spangled Banner" – 6:41
2. "War Is My Shepherd" (Holt, Souza
   Steve Souza
   Steve 'Zetro' Souza is one of the two singers, with Chuck Billy, for the band Dublin Death Patrol. He also sings for the death/thrash metal band Tenet, and recently announced his new thrash metal project Hatriot...
   
   ) – 4:27
3. "Blacklist" – 6:17
4. "Shroud of Urine" – 4:52
5. "Forward March" (Holt, Souza) – 7:39
6. "Culling the Herd" – 6:07
7. "Sealed with a Fist" – 3:36
8. "Throwing Down" (Holt, Miller) – 5:01
9. "Impaler" (Holt, K.Hammett
   Kirk Hammett
   Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
   
   , Hunting
   Tom Hunting
   Tom Hunting is an American drummer, famous for his work with the band Exodus. He played on their first three albums, Bonded by Blood, Pleasures of the Flesh, and Fabulous Disaster...
   
   , Baloff
   Paul Baloff
   Paul Baloff was an American singer, most notable for his time in thrash metal band Exodus.Paul was the second vocalist with Exodus replacing Keith Stewart in 1981 and singing on their 1982 Demo and their first official album Bonded by Blood in 1985. After the release, they started the...
   
   ) – 5:25
10. "Tempo of the Damned" – 4:22

Digipack bonus track

11. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
    Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (song)
    "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the title track and first track of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....
    
    " – 3:52 (AC/DC
    AC/DC
    AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
    
     cover)

Korean bonus track

11. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" – 3:48
12. "Shroud Of Urine" (Demo)

Band line-up

• Steve "Zetro" Souza
  Steve Souza
  Steve 'Zetro' Souza is one of the two singers, with Chuck Billy, for the band Dublin Death Patrol. He also sings for the death/thrash metal band Tenet, and recently announced his new thrash metal project Hatriot...
  
   - Vocals
• Gary Holt
  Gary Holt (musician)
  Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the lead guitarist of Exodus.-Biography:...
  
   - Guitars
• Rick Hunolt - Guitars
• Jack Gibson - Bass
• Tom Hunting
  Tom Hunting
  Tom Hunting is an American drummer, famous for his work with the band Exodus. He played on their first three albums, Bonded by Blood, Pleasures of the Flesh, and Fabulous Disaster...
  
   - Drums

Credit

• Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap
  Andy Sneap
  Andy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
  
  
• Mixed at Backstage Studio Derby UK
• Recorded at Tsunami Recordings, Moss Beach, CA (except Drums Recorded at Prairie Sun Studio, Cotati, CA)
• Cover Artwork by Jowita Kaminska