Bonded by Blood, ‘Exiled to Earth’ — New Album

It's not hard to figure out what a band that names itself after Exodus' classic first album -- Bonded by Blood -- is gonna sound like, but Pomona, Calif.'s premier thrash band accomplish the feat with more skill than many new Exodus-inspired groups.

And lyrically, Bonded by Blood are off in another world entirely. The band's second release, 'Exiled to Earth,' the follow-up to 2008's 'Feed the Beast,' is a concept album that suggests the band have been reading too much David Icke or listening to too much High on Fire.

"'Exiled to Earth' is set 600 years in the future and tells the tale of the Crong, an alien race who were sent to Earth long ago with one goal: global domination," said the band in a statement. "A skilled group of warriors must now face the impossible and overthrow the Crong to take back our planet."

The album, which is scheduled to come out June 29, was produced by Ralph Patlan (Megadeth, White Wizzard) at Highland Recorders studio in Arizona. Overall, the songs are more complex and tighter than the band's earlier material, as reflected by the new track 'Prototype: Death Machine,' which is currently streaming on the band's MySpace page.

"It's a step up from the old stuff and a step in the right direction," said vocalist Jose Barrales. "The sound and subject matter is a bit different than our last attempt but in a good way. It's heavier, faster and a bit more technical and precise, [but it] still has that Bonded by Blood taste."

'Exiled to Earth' also marks the debut of bassist Jerry Garcia, who replaced Ruben Dominguez last year.