EXHORDER's KYLE THOMAS: 'To Have Another Opportunity To Do It Again At This Level Is Definitely A Blessing'

In a recent interview with Gabriel Gignac, frontman Kyle Thomas of New Orleans-based thrash metal pioneers EXHORDER discussed the reasoning behind the long period of inactivity between studio albums before the release of last year's "Mourn The Southern Skies". Although EXHORDER had several reformations since its original dissolution in 1994, the band had long failed to record the much-awaited follow-up to 1992's "The Law". In the ensuing years since their original split, EXHORDER started to receive credit for their creation of the groove-oriented metal sound that PANTERA popularized in the 1990s.

"That's got a lot to do with the dynamics in this band and how everything works," he said (hear audio below). "Everything about this band for all of the positives and the great things, there were always negatives and fragile moments within the relationships and infrastructure of this band. To be able to have another opportunity to do it again at this level is definitely a blessing and the fact people even really care that 27 years later we can come back and be received so strongly by the people who not only love this 27 years ago but the new people that we seem to be connecting with as well. I stayed very busy in the 27 years that we didn't do anything on other projects. I had a band called FLOODGATE. I joined ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY; I joined TROUBLE. I had written and recorded a song with Joey Jordison from SLIPKNOT."

He continued: "I did a lot, but, it was tough to do it full-time. I tried it a couple of times and it was tough because my children were small. I tried to stay busy and tried to stay relevant and I think it paid off to a degree. I think it's definitely helped EXHORDER in a lot of ways. But I can't take all of that credit. The songs, I didn't write all the songs by myself. It was a team effort and I don't know if it was magic in a bottle with those first two EXHORDER albums. Fortunately for us, people seem to really feel the same way about 'Mourn The Southern Skies'. I'm sure there's people that don't care for the older albums that like the new one. And there's people who maybe don't care for the new album but maybe like the old stuff. The way we see it is there's a little bit of EXHORDER for everybody. We're old men now. I'm going to be 50 next month. I don't think like a young man anymore, so my writing is more from a wise old man or a grouchy man, however you want to look at it. I try to keep it authentic and genuine in the spirit of the old music as well."

Last month, EXHORDER parted ways with its founding guitarist Vinnie LaBella. The remaining members of the group later issued a statement saying that they will fulfill their "touring and recording obligations for 2020 and beyond."

Thomas is now the sole remaining founding member of EXHORDER, which released its first album in 27 years, "Mourn The Southern Skies", last September via Nuclear Blast Records. The band is rounded out by Jason Viebrooks (HEATHEN) on bass, Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) on guitar and Sasha Horn (FORBIDDEN) on drums.