Mourn the Southern Skies
| Mourn the Southern Skies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 20, 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2019 | |||
| Studio | OCD Recording and Production, Metairie, Louisiana, US[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 52:52 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Producer |
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| Exhorder chronology | ||||
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Mourn the Southern Skies is the third studio album by American metal band Exhorder, released on September 20, 2019 through Nuclear Blast. It is the band's first studio release in 27 years, after their 1992 album The Law. It is also the last album to feature founding guitarist Vinnie LaBella, who left the band in February 2020.[2]
Overview
In November 2017, Exhorder reunited after a six-year hiatus under a new management deal with the All Independent Service Alliance (AISA). A new lineup was formed, with guitarist Marzi Montazeri, formerly of Superjoint Ritual and Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, bassist Jason Viebrooks, currently of Heathen and formerly of Grip Inc., and drummer Sasha Horn of Forbidden; with vocalist Kyle Thomas and guitarist Vinnie LaBella as the only two remaining original members.[3] In February 2018, they performed two shows at the Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York, and later that year, they signed with Nuclear Blast.[4] In July 2019, the band released the single "My Time", and announced that Mourn the Southern Skies is to be released on September 20, 2019.[1]
The album contains a re-recording of "Ripping Flesh", a song taken from their 1986 demo album Get Rude. Chris Nail, former drummer of the band, played drums on the re-recording.[5]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Kerrang! |   [6] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Time" | Kyle Thomas | Vinnie LaBella | 3:53 |
| 2. | "Asunder" | Thomas | LaBella | 4:57 |
| 3. | "Hallowed Sounds" | Thomas | LaBella | 5:07 |
| 4. | "Beware the Wolf" | Thomas | LaBella | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Yesterday's Bones" | Thomas | LaBella | 7:04 |
| 6. | "All She Wrote" | Thomas | LaBella | 5:04 |
| 7. | "Rumination" | Thomas |
| 4:33 |
| 8. | "The Arms of Man" | Thomas | LaBella | 5:49 |
| 9. | "Ripping Flesh" (re-recorded from Get Rude demo) | LaBella | LaBella | 3:02 |
| 10. | "Mourn the Southern Skies" | Thomas | LaBella | 9:29 |
| Total length: | 52:52 | |||
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[5]
Exhorder
- Kyle Thomas – vocals
- Vinnie LaBella – guitars, executive producer
- Marzi Montazeri – guitars
- Jason Viebrooks – bass
- Sasha Horn - drums
Additional musicians
- Mikey "B3" Burkart – organ (tracks 5, 10)
- Chris Nail – drums (track 9)
Production
- Duane Simoneaux – production, recording
- Jens Bogren – mixing, mastering
- Tony Lindgren – mastering
- Travis Smith – artwork
- Dante Torrieri – photography
Charts
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[7] | 61 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[8] | 83 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 65 |
References
- ^ a b "EXHORDER To Release 'Mourn The Southern Skies' Album In September; 'My Time' Single Now Available". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "EXHORDER Parts Ways With Founding Guitarist VINNIE LABELLA". Blabbermouth.net. February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ "EXHORDER Is Back! New Lineup, Shows Announced". Blabbermouth.net. November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- ^ "EXHORDER Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS". Blabbermouth.net. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Credits". Mourn the Southern Skies (booklet). Exhorder. Nuclear Blast Records. 2019. NB 5070-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Law, Sam. "Album Review: Exhorder – Mourn The Southern Skies". Kerrang!. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Exhorder – Mourn the Southern Skies" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Exhorder – Mourn the Southern Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
External links
- Mourn the Southern Skies at nuclearblast.com