Whittier metallers Exmortus are a welcome respite from the repeated splintering of heavy metal genres, subgenres and sub-subgenres. In the 10 years since their 2008 debut, In Hatred's Flame, band co-founder Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez (vocals/guitars) has steered the band from their humble beginnings as a local backyard death/thrash favorite to a metallic powerhouse letting fly neoclassical guitar solos reminiscent of ’80s guitar virtuosos like Yngwie Malmsteen. Gonzalez's barking vocals act as war cries for musical tales of warriors in battle, with guitar solos that impress with flash yet avoid the trap of overwhelming the underlying riff powering individual songs.

Exmortus will release album The Sound of Steel on June 8 through Prosthetic Records. Gonzalez has weathered the loss of founding drummer Mario Mortus and longtime guitarist David Rivera, with fellow members of the Los Angeles thrash community Carlos Cruz and Chase Becker of Warbringer stepping in to fill those roles on the new album, alongside new bassist Phillip Nunez. Despite the turnover in band roster, the overall sound of Exmortus remains unchanged. The single we are debuting today — “Feast of Flesh” — is a tightly packed, galloping metal assault, layered atop rather gory imagery in the below video.

Gonzalez comments on the more vivid imagery of the video:

“As some may have noticed on my personal page, I don't just post guitar or band stuff but a lot of food pictures, and I'm no vegan. 'Feast of Flesh' is a celebration of our carnal needs and desires. I'm not trying to make any political/environmental statements but I feel this song expresses the ugly and brutal nature of humans and other animals. It ain't pretty so we thought it would be fun to shoot the band chowing down on actual raw flesh fresh from the meat market. My girlfriend was willing to play the hapless victim of the carnage, which made the whole experience quite fun and yet funny since we were all trying to act and not laugh at the whole idea. The song itself is more of a caveman stompy headbanger, so the music works beautifully with the lyrics and visuals in bloody harmony. So, sit back and enjoy the Feast of Flesh! Cheers!”

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