Exhorder
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Ljubljana / Orto bar / Slovenia
Every once in a while, a band wanders into our humble little valley that many would write off as an impossible booking. A legendary band, a visionary band, and last but not least a band known only to the most die-hard devotees of the old-school, true-believer thrash metal tradition. A band that put down its weapons for several years in the mid-nineties, went dark, came back for a brief run in 2008, and then returned a third time in 2018. In that latest stretch, Exhorder made good with two more excellent studio albums, bringing their total catalog to at least four.
Exhorder, then! The cult thrash metal outfit from New Orleans that many credit as pioneers of groove metal and a major creative influence — acknowledged as such by, among others, heavyweights like Pantera and Machine Head. Why Exhorder never broke through in the eighties the way some of their contemporaries from that legendary generation — the one that put thrash metal on the world map — managed to, only the devil knows.
Exhorder came as a quartet, with the sole original member and driving engine Kyle Thomas, who absolutely stunned with what he pulled off on guitar — since for most of the band’s career his primary role was vocals, something Rockline got a taste of back in 2019 when we caught Exhorder live at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Balingen, Germany. Vinnie LaBella has since retired, and Thomas apparently no longer needs a second guitarist in this new chapter — he’s taken that role on himself alongside vocal duties. And he’s not losing any sleep over it (or any hair for that matter — there isn’t much left to lose). Alongside him since 2022 is former Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O’Brien. Yes, that Pat O’Brien — the one who at one point turned his home in Tampa, Florida, into what amounted to a weapons depot, landing him in serious trouble with law enforcement. But let’s move on. A reactivated O’Brien remains an absolute animal on guitar, and he proved it once again at Orto bar. Jason VieBrooks continues on bass, and behind the kit since 2017 is the excellent Sasha Horn (who also did a stint with Forbidden). Despite this being Exhorder’s first-ever show in Slovenia, both O’Brien and VieBrooks had visited the country before — O’Brien with Cannibal Corpse, VieBrooks with Heathen. Bottom line: what stood before us was a seriously stacked four-piece.
And it showed. Americans don’t mess around when they go at something with deadly seriousness — that even holds true for Trump and his circus act. And Exhorder straight-up killed it. When the clock struck nine, the quartet hit the stage and came in swinging with everything they had! The first three songs were punishing up front at the speakers — unbearable in the best possible way. If you wanted your mechanoreceptors functional into old age, you had no choice but to step back. But things evened out further in. Somewhere around the middle of the room the sound was perfectly solid. The band tore through song after song, while Kyle kept the vibe riding high with sharp-tongued banter between tracks — the show was moving at a serious clip. At one point he suggested the audience grab a cold beer, because after knocking one back, Exhorder would apparently sound flawless — and more importantly, look considerably better.
The crowd was thin — on the way in I picked up reliable word that only 50 tickets had been sold — and Kyle wasn’t going to pretend otherwise from the stage. After the third song he dryly noted: “We’re already halfway through the show.” But the poor turnout barely fazed the band. They played like they were in a trance. Kyle sang brilliantly. His voice carries that exact venom demanded by the razor edges, crushing shrapnel, and tearing barbs of their uniquely lethal thrash metal stance. All the way to the bone — the kind of metal that strips everything back to the essence. Dark, uncompromising, full throttle. With insane tightness. The band played 77 shows in this year alone. In spring they ran a North American tour; in summer they crossed over to Europe, playing clubs and festivals. This Ljubljana show was a genuine exclusive — one of just five European autumn dates. The Balkans with stops in Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia, one more show in Prague and Germany’s Braincrusher festival, and that was it. The setlist wasn’t dramatically different either — they just trimmed it by about ten minutes.
While the band on this touring run was showcasing material from the latest album “Defectum Omnium” — four lessons of which we received — most of the truly dedicated old-school thrash fans were waiting for the precious moments from the first two albums, “Slaughter In The Vatican” (1990) and “The Law” (1992). And they got exactly what they came for. In the first half, the band absolutely torched the place, stringing four classics back to back (Slaughter In The Vatican, Unforgiven, Legions Of Death, and Death in Vain).
Then Kyle turned to the crowd: “Are we in the year of the snake? We’re not, are we? We’re in the year of the goat and I’m a f***ing ram!” That’s actually a line in the song Year Of The Goat — and to be fully accurate, 2025 actually is the year of the snake. Kyle knows. The new songs stay tightly connected to the band’s classic era. They work perfectly — cast from the same mold as the classics. But the show was flying by at express speed. Kyle introduced the band members, then finally introduced himself as Ozzy Osbourne. “And since we’re on the subject of Ozzy, we’d like to dedicate something to him,” the frontman added. The band launched into a brilliant rendition of the Black Sabbath classic Into the Void.
Exhorder crowned their flawless set with two “Slaughter In The Vain” classics. The needle-sharp eponymous Exhorder, with Desecrator driving the nail right on the head to close it all out. Outstanding. And? Just a bit too short. The band destroys. O’Brien is exceptional, and it’s great to see this musician active again. The whole unit is brilliantly tight. The groove they generate grabs you on the spot and beats you around so hard you’re still waking up sore the next morning. And as I said — thin crowd, but Exhorder played with everything they had, relentlessly rolling through song after song as if they were playing to thousands. Genuinely, head-on, holding nothing back. Hats off to the band for this exceptional experience, one that many of the devoted attendees felt deeply — and nostalgically.
After the show the band spent time at the merch table — mingling with the audience, signing stuff, taking photos, and chatting with the most passionate individuals in attendance. As I said. One of a kind. And unfortunately, I strongly doubt they’ll be back in Slovenia anytime soon.
Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Exhorder – setlist:
1. My Time
2. Forever and Beyond Despair
3. Slaughter in the Vatican
4. Unforgiven
5. Legions of Death
6. Death in Vain
7. Year of the Goat
8. The Tale of Unsound Minds
9. Into the Void (orig. Black Sabbath)
10. Divide and Conquer
11. Exhorder
12. Desecrator
