Exodus are no strangers to upheaval, even 45-plus years into their career. After splitting with three-time frontman Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza in 2025, the thrash veterans re-enlisted vocalist Rob Dukes – who replaced Zetro and was with the band from 2005 to 2015.
“I know, it’s incestuous, right?” says guitarist Gary Holt. But they’ve crawled from the chaos with the seething Goliath, an album that is as fearsome as anything they’ve made. “We’re not getting any younger but we’re rolling right now,” says Holt. “So we keep going."
What happened with the singer situation?
Being in a band is like being married, except in the case of Exodus you have four wives – and that’s not even counting our real ones. With Zetro, I’ve got nothing but love for the guy, but sometimes marriages don’t work any more – there’s no right or wrong, it’s just the relationship stops working.
You do know that other singers who haven’t been in Exodus before would have been available?
Rob’s been one of our best friends all along. Him leaving the band was never about his performance. I knew he could do violent aggro thrash better than anyone, but he peeled back so many layers on this album. The song Promise You This is full-on southern rock swagger, so I said: “Put some southern stank in it,” and he did.
Goliath isn’t a retro thrash album. What’s inspiring you?
I’m still stuck with the old stuff. If I’m in my car and want to rock out, I’ll listen to Michael Schenker or Blackfoot. Actually, most of what I listen to in my car is Adele. She’s the greatest vocalist of her generation.
The video for the song 3111 features graphic imagery of the drug wars in Mexico. YouTube refused to allow the uncensored video on the site. You must have known that would happen, right?
Oh yeah. The footage is disgusting and real – when you’re writing a song about horrors of the drug wars, you may as well show people what you’re writing about. Every time we tried to upload it we’d get a red flag for violation. Then we got a warning: “Your account will be suspended if you try this one more time.” The irony is that all the footage and photos came from YouTube and Google.
How difficult is it to keep the Exodus train on the track after all these years?
There’s been times when it’s gone flying off the track – there was this horrible era of drug use and everything that came with it [in the late 90s/early 2000s]. Even when I got sober, not all the other guys were. I remember we put out [2004’s] Tempo Of The Damned, and everyone was: “What’s it like to be leading the thrash renaissance?” I’d say: “I just played for eighteen people in Colorado Springs, I’ll let you know when I see it.” I don’t have any choice, I don’t know how to do anything else. I don’t know how to monetise charm [laughs].
Why don’t you call your old buddies in Metallica and say: “Can we support you on those big shows you’re doing?”
Ah, I don’t know. The thing about me is that I never waste a second on regrets and what ifs. I’m not gonna whine. I’ll leave that to other bands who are infinitely more successful than Exodus who it’s still not enough for.
Goliath is out now via Napalm Records. The uncensored version of 3111 can be watched at exodus3111.com.
