Review: “The Red Room Session” by Exit

An ongoing concern since 1995, Swiss Thrash Death combo Exit have been around the block and then some delivering no less than seven studio albums to the masses from their Lucerne home. Early in their career they were considered strictly Death Metal before evolving to incorporate Thrash and Metalcore sounds before inking a deal with Art Gates Records in 2016 for “Into Darkness” and not looking back. Eight years on the band have chosen a new direction, recording four new songs live in the studio before sending them to be mixed and mastered by Rob Hobson (Party Cannon, Dream Tröll, Valafar)…

Despite being recorded live in the studio “The Red Room Session” isn’t as raw and abrasive as you might think. Instead it feels like the band are performing these songs for one of those radio sessions, like the BBC used to do at Maida Vale Studios, not capturing the energy or feeling of a live performance in front of an audience either but far from a demo. Opening cut “Killing As An Option” has Melodic Death Metal leads and hints at the influence of early In Flames and the Gothenburg sound, it’s vicious vocals asking how we are going to explain to our children how we have killed the planet as the superior species. That hard hitting lyrical narrative from Beni Sax helps give this one real edge and “Monsters” follows suit with a rich melody in the chorus between biting verses. Over the decades the band have never stood still, learning their craft as they go and here have created something that sounds like it could be from a new band, fresh to the scene. Menacing and sinister, this one is a powerhouse with the percussive battery from Andrej Bieri impressing greatly.

Hobson deserves a lot of credit for his mixing and mastering, his bravery means that on “Black Hole” the bass from Urs Kuratle is almost a third rhythm guitar. Heavy in the mix that gives the band the weight and power to support some of the more intricate, delicate and complex leads; the false ending in the centre of the track superbly executed. A sing-a-long arena filling chorus about a World ending event as humanity is pulled into a black whole both bleak and yet ironic in the same breath. As if that wasn’t enough to get the masses talking, then Beni Sax lyrics about seeing the corruption, greed and lies amongst those who lead the World in “Among The Thieves” is sure to. Punchy and political, it raises a middle finger to the powers that be as he surrounds himself in a shroud of crushing guitars. Arguably the heaviest and darkest of the four cuts, this one hits the hardest with a grit and integrity that can’t be faked. After twenty seven long years, the fire of hatred still burns inside the hearts of the band and there are still enemies to call out from hiding. Long live Exit! [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Killing As An Option
2. Monsters
3. Black Hole
4. Among The Thieves

“The Red Room Session” by Exit is out 10th May 2024 via Art Gates Records