''Shovel Headed Kill Machine'' is the seventh studio album by the American

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

band

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...

, released on October 4, 2005 through

Nuclear Blast Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...

. It's the first album to feature new vocalist

Rob Dukes Robert Dukes (born March 8, 1968) is an American vocalist, best known as the former lead singer for the thrash metal band Exodus and current vocalist for his crossover thrash project Generation Kill. Early life Dukes was born in Florida on Ma ...

, after the departure of

Steve "Zetro" Souza Steve "Zetro" Souza (born March 24, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead vocalist with thrash metal band Exodus from 1986 to 1994, and again from 2002 to 2004. He rejoined Exodus for a third time in 2014. Souza is one ...

during the band's South American tour in support of the band's previous album '' Tempo of the Damned''. It is also the band's first studio album not to feature Rick Hunolt on guitars, with

Lee Altus Lee Altus is a Ukrainian-American heavy metal guitarist currently playing in Exodus and Heathen. Career Altus first came to public attention in the mid-1980s with his original band, Heathen. He served as the principal songwriter and a fou ...

as his replacement, and the only Exodus album to feature

Paul Bostaph Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

on drums after

Tom Hunting Thomas Hunting (born April 10, 1965) is an American musician. He is the drummer and only remaining original member of the thrash metal band Exodus. Career Hunting is the only original member of Exodus left, although he departed from the ban ...

's second departure as a result of the reoccurrence of the illness that prompted him to depart in 1989. ''Shovel Headed Kill Machine'' sold over 3,000 copies in its first week of release in the U.S.

Reception

In a review in ''Terrorizer'', the album was praised as "a tremendous effort in its own right and an air guitarist's wet dream".

Track listing

All songs written by Gary Holt except where noted.

Personnel

– vocals * Gary Holt – guitars *

– guitars * Jack Gibson – bass *

– drums Production * Produced by Gary Holt * Engineered by Juan Urteaga * Recorded at Trident Studio * Mixed and Mastered by

Andy Sneap Andy Sneap (born 18 July 1969) is an English guitarist, record producer and composer with over 100 albums to his name, most of which have been produced at his Backstage Recording studios in rural Derbyshire. Some of the most critically acclaime ...

at Backstage Studios in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

, UK * Management: Steven Warner * A&R: Jaap Wagemaker

References

{{Authority control 2005 albums Exodus (American band) albums Nuclear Blast albums