For every wildly successful Metallica, there are countless metal bands that never grabbed the brass ring. In the ‘80s, extreme metal was breaking through, and there was a plethora of great bands to choose from.

While most never reached the heights of the Big Four, many of them are still slugging it out, and they’ve stuck around long enough for new generations of fans to discover them.

When the New Wave of British Heavy Metal hit in 1979, it encompassed a wide variety of bands – from Iron Maiden to Def Leppard. Raven and Venom were both three-piece outfits from Newcastle, England.

Raven’s sound was more upbeat than the Satanic darkness of Venom – and Raven singer/bassist John Gallagher jokingly described the other band’s sound as “Motörhead, on the wrong speed, in a cement mixer!”

Both bands were on the indie label Neat Records, whose owner, Dave Wood, told Gallagher that a guy with the biggest independent record store on the East Coast wanted to work with Raven. “America was a huge thing,” Gallagher recalls. “I never knew anyone who’d been there.”

The guy was the late Jonny Zazula, who signed Metallica and Anthrax to his Megaforce label, and added Raven too. “Jonny Z changed our lives,” Gallagher confirms.

“He was the next really seismic event for us. He was a larger-than-life character – one man against the world, definitely a David against Goliath. He was like a preacher, coming down from the mountain with the metal gospel and spreading it around the world.”

Metallica and Raven went on tour together. KJ Doughton, who ran Metallica’s first fan club, recalls: “Raven’s debut album, Rock Until You Drop, was the first NWOBHM album I’d ever purchased.” The band were featured on a lot of compilation albums, “and they were often the best band featured.” He went to three shows on the tour and argues: “Raven rivaled Metallica as a live band.”

Exodus came out of the legendary Bay Area thrash scene as San Francisco became a crucial area for the development of thrash metal. While it may seem odd that such violent, aggressive music could come from an area so mellow, it was a place where movements – beat poets, hippies, bikers, or the gay community – thrived.

Thrash was even new territory for the musicians who played it. Guitarist Rick Hunolt joined Exodus in 1984, not long before they recorded Bonded By Blood. He’d grown up with Zeppelin, Bad Company, and Thin Lizzy, and Exodus was the first time he’d heard thrash.

“It was all so new back then; no one was doing it,” he says. “I thought, ‘Dude, this shit is crazy – this music is insane!’” Of course, Bonded By Blood is widely considered one of the great classics of the genre. Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian said of it: “Best debut album of the Big 5? I think so.”

In the beginning, most artists didn’t think of success. “Nobody had any idea it was gonna be this huge,” says Hunolt. “It wasn’t about money for a very long time.”

Jeff Becerra, lead singer of Possessed, says: “We felt like we were part of a movement, like a revolution.” But he recalls that bands had to be unique. “If you came out as an Exodus clone band, that shit would not fly. Copying a band was instant suicide. You had to be original or you didn’t get a place in line.”

One of the most underrated bands on the SF scene was Blind Illusion, who had a trippy hippie vibe and weren’t afraid to bring new elements into their music. “Anything good we’d hear, we’d put it into the music,” says singer/guitarist Mark Biderman. “The diversity in the scene was really good. You had to stick to your guns and be what you were.”

Les Claypool was their original bassist. He first joined in 1978 as he was learning to play. “By ’80-81, he was already amazing,” Biderman says. “He was a natural, doing some really great stuff.”

When Possessed wrote the song Death Metal, Becerra says they wanted it to be, “an anthem to brand it. We wanted people to say, ‘Oh, that death metal band!’ That would make us musically different in the Bay Area underground and elsewhere.”

Still, it took time for people to catch on to what Possessed were doing – especially the deep, guttural vocals which are now common place in extreme metal. “I wanted the signing to match the music,” Becerra says.

Many thrash bands had to make do with whatever gear they could afford. While some had metal tools of the trade like BC Rich and Jackson guitars, James Hetfield famously had a cheapo Flying V copy as his main instrument for years.

Exodus’ Gary Holt had to record Bonded By Blood with a borrowed Hiwatt amp when his Marshall went down. He used a distortion pedal with the gain all the way off, and the rest of the knobs on full, turning it into a booster. That was also the key to Ian’s rhythm sound with Anthrax. (Randy Rhoads did it too.)

For Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends – one of the most brutal thrash albums ever recorded – Eric Meyer and the late Jim Durkin used the same stock 50-watt Marshall, and Meyer used a delay pedal to add more gain to his tone. In the case of Holy Terror’s massively underrated Mind Wars, the brutal tone was crafted by playing around with an EQ pedal until they got the right level of crunch.

Metallica entered the top 30 with Master Of Puppets in 1986, and went on tour opening for Ozzy Osbourne. The future of metal was pointing to them, and suddenly a very uncommercial genre looked like it had more potential than many had thought.

“When Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth all got big, that’s where we all went, ‘So you’re sayin’ there’s a chance?’” recalls Forbidden guitarist Craig Locicero. “Very few of us made it through the keyhole – there wasn’t a lot of room in there.”

That year marked the peak of thrash, with the arrival of Metallica’s Master, Megadeth’s Peace Sells, and Slayer’s Reign in Blood. The latter is often considered the big daddy of the genre, while Dark Angel’s Darkness would become a big influence on death metal and grindcore.

But a second wave followed in 1987 as Testament, Death Angel, and Sacred Reich stormed out of the gate with excellent debut albums. Anthrax released their masterpiece, Among the Living, while the scene started to go deranged via Death’s Scream Bloody Gore and Napalm Death’s Scum.

Sacred Reich, who took a nod from the punk scene, were one of many thrash bands with a social conscience. Vocalist/bassist Phil Rind says: “I always felt that the lyrics were the nail and the music was the hammer. If you have the opportunity to say something, you should.

“Every band has to figure out who they are, what they want to talk about. I felt if we could help turn somebody on to something, open their minds a little bit and show them how things are, there was a benefit to that.”

While Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer all did well on major labels, others weren’t so lucky. Bands tended to fall into the same traps. Some faltered because the label had no idea what to do with them. Some suffered when the A&R executive who’d signed them moved on or got fired. Many succumbed to label pressure to be more commercial, and alienated their hardcore fanbase.

“There was a lot of interference and push to be more commercial,” says Gallagher of Raven’s nightmare experience. “We went along for the ride – and got left in the middle of nowhere. It took a long, long time to rebuild the damage done by Atlantic, and by ourselves.”

By the end of the decade thrash was preparing to jump the shark, as many fans turned to much heavier music. “The thrash movement, which used to be dangerous, became safe,” Forbidden’s Locicero says. “Thrash lost it edge, but bands like Sepultura, Pantera and Death had a new edge.”

When the hair bands went down in the ‘90s, a lot of heavier outfits nearly went down with them. But metal came back the following decade, arguably bigger than ever. And for the bands that deserved another chance, a new generation of fans were ready to discover them.

Gallagher says Raven aren’t bitter about not being bigger: “There’s nothing to complain about being a cult band. We have a following where we can tour and play live pretty much anywhere. For a couple of kids from Newcastle it’s pretty amazing.”

Doughton argues: “Raven are still in the fight – kicking ass for over 40 years without the creature comforts afforded bigger bands. They’re more deserving of respect than any other band alive, in my opinion.”

“If I wanted to get big, I’d tone down Possessed’s music,” Becerra says. “I’m happy with my cult status. When people were pushing us to get bigger, I didn’t play the game as much as I should have. But I still just want to play my music the way I want to.”

Rind comments: “It’s funny to see parents bringing their kids to our shows and turning them on to Sacred Reich. I appreciate that people still show up. Metal comes from the underground and it never goes away – it just goes back underground and percolates. It always comes back. And the fans are loyal; they’re the best.

“The fans thought we should have been bigger, but I always thought, ‘We’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.’ The fact that we got as far as we did is beyond my comprehension. We’re very fortunate.”

They were among the pioneers who sparked the fire under the thrash metal scene in the early Eighties, and now it looks like Exodus will be among the genre’s last original men standing.

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine made it clear there’ll be no more studio albums, and Slayer – with whom Exodus guitarist and songwriter Gary Holt has played for a decade – are done making albums and will do only one-off gigs. In contrast, Exodus aren’t just releasing new music; they’re on a tear, writing and touring obsessively, cranking out new music not as a means to an end, but as their sole objective – their very raison d'être.

“I have to keep doing this,” Holt says from the office of his rural California home, glancing out the window where a bunch of wild turkeys just scampered across his back lawn. “I’ll be in the studio eight hours during the day, then go back to the house, have dinner, pick up the guitar and write more. It’s what I love to do.”

That kind of passion and dedication has always separated Exodus from the pack, even when navigating lineup snafus, drug problems and shifting trends. From the violent urgency of their first album, 1985’s Bonded by Blood, to the aggression, diversity and scalpel-sharp musicianship of their brand-new release, Goliath, Exodus have never compromised, coasted or half-assed it.

“We could never write something just to meet a deadline,” says second guitarist Lee Altus, who joined in 2005, replacing Rick Hunolt. “Everybody always does their best. Sometimes magic happens, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s never for lack of trying our hardest.”

Holt and Altus started writing new music in late 2023. Then, in the summer and fall of 2025, Exodus rented a vacation home and worked there with producer Mark Lewis. It was similar to the way they recorded 2021’s Personal Non Grata.

“I had four or five songs done going in, and we did the rest there,” Holt says. “It’s like how Queen and Deep Purple recorded. They sequestered themselves and started working together. We like doing that because we enjoy each other’s company. We have a great time hanging out. We call it Camp Crunch.”

Many bands that try to work in such a casual environment are easily distracted. That wasn’t a problem for Exodus, who powered through one song after another, captivated by their own sonic firestorms, driven by a passion for playing together and the challenge to continually evolve.

“I still love doing fast stuff, but I also love trying new things,” Holt says. “We want to do music that excites us. But if every song is just full throttle, it blurs together. You need moments where it breathes or gets weird.”

Goliath ticks all the boxes. A dense, sprawling record that alternates between Bay Area savagery and slower, doomier passages, the album captures Exodus at their most inspired, unleashing new songs that showcase their talents as songwriters and players, illuminating a beast that has never lost its hunger or edge.

Tracks like Hostis Humani Generis and 2 Minutes Hate prove Exodus slam as hard as ever, while 3111, The Changing Me and Violence Works reveal a band as forward -thinking as it is powerful, drawing from a well of ominous textures, infectious hooks and quirky licks.

It’s a career-defining statement, but definitely not the final blow. When they were done mixing and mastering Goliath, Exodus had eight fully recorded tracks left that will appear on their next record.

“We will not go silently into the world of legacy acts who don't make records or don't make records that count,” Holt says. “We’re an album band. We’re not going to suddenly start releasing two songs at a time and then tour on that. And we’re not going anywhere. I’m going to do this until the day I die.”

You recorded 18 songs during your sessions with Mark Lewis. Did you choose the cream of the crop for Goliath?

Gary Holt: We chose the songs that made the strongest record right now. The other stuff isn’t weak. The songs are just as good. They just belong on the next one.

Lee Altus: The hardest part was deciding which songs would make this album and which to save. You don’t want to front-load one album and make the other one feel like leftovers. We argued – in a good way. Everybody had opinions about which songs belonged where, and that reinforced for me that we all believed in the songs and the material was strong.

Did you write together?

Holt: No, Lee didn’t stay in the rental. He worked on his songs at home. I wouldn’t even listen to his songs until they were done. At one point he goes, “What, you haven’t listened yet?” And I’m like, “No, I’m working on other stuff. You have carte blanche. I trust you. Go for it!”

Altus: That trust is huge. When I send something to Gary, I’m not worried if he’ll want me to redo something or whether it fits. Once it’s done, it sounds like Exodus. I was a huge Exodus fan before I joined the band and he and I share many of the same influences.

Do you have different approaches to songwriting?

Altus: I always say Gary writes like he makes moonshine, and I write like I make wine. Gary pumps out riffs nonstop. He amazes me. I reject riff after riff. It takes me a long time to find one I’m happy with. Sometimes, I’m too picky. Gary will say, “When are you going to be done with this song?” And I’m like, “It’s not good enough yet.” Every time, I’m terrified, and then eventually I calm down and start writing again.

Holt: I just think Lee’s stuff ferments longer, but he brings an amazing sense of melody that adds another voice to the music. On this album, The Changing Me was all him and it’s killer. And so was 3111.

3111 starts with an ominous intro before turning into full-on thrash. How did that come together?

Altus: I was sitting around jamming and I came up with this slow, eerie part that reminded me of Black Sabbath. I went with it, but then I didn’t know where it was going to go. It could have been its own song. I kept working on it, and it developed into its own thing almost on its own. It showed me what it wanted to be.

Goliath is murky and doomy and uncoils like a prehistoric snake as it progresses through a cavern of intertwining licks and gut-churning bends.

Holt: I wrote the opening riff, the verse riff and Jack’s bassline in 1999. We were spun out on meth at the time. I’d go to the rehearsal room, crank everything insanely loud and just jam on it. It was originally in drop A. We always called it The Creepy Song. I tried to finish it on every album since [2004’s] Tempo of the Damned. But every time I picked it up, I couldn’t separate it from that drug-addled mindset, and I’d get stuck.

What unlocked it?

Holt: Maybe I was finally far enough away from who I was back then. Maybe I stopped overthinking it. I sat down with a laptop in the trailer I have on my property, and I pulled up the right [Toontrack] EZdrummer beat. After all that time, it just flowed – chorus, harmonies, everything. I finished it in one afternoon.

I sent the demo to Tom, and the first thing he said was, “You did it!” That was the most triumphant feeling. It’s my favorite song on the album. It’s dark, sinister and sorrowful – beautiful and depressing at the same time.

It’s augmented by mournful strings that play over a fast, precise guitar part.

Holt: While we were tracking, I kept hearing violins in the middle section. We brought in a local violinist just to see if the idea worked. It wasn’t usable, so we sent it to our friend Katie Jacoby, who toured with the Who. I told her, “Give me maximum sadness.” She sent back 18 tracks of strings and they were perfect. It sounded like something [composer] Michael Kamen would’ve done. It elevated the song beyond anything I expected.

When you released Bonded by Blood in 1985, could you have imagined hiring a violinist for the Who to play on your record?

Holt: I don’t know. We used horns [on our cover of the Rolling Stones’ Bitch for Force

of Habit in 1992]. Anything’s possible.

Lee, you played an EBow on that song.

Altus: I’m an EBow freak. People think it’s keyboards, but it’s guitar. I ran it clean – no overdrive. Just pure sustain. You can distort it, but I wanted sweetness and melody – something creeping around in the background.

There’s a strong, melodic backbone throughout the album, even when it’s punishing.

Altus: I’ve always gravitated toward melody, no matter how heavy the music is. That’s what grabs me. If it doesn’t have that, it doesn’t stick.

Holt: Molotov cocktail riffs are easy. Anybody can do that. The stuff that stays with you is what matters.

Exodus are pioneers of thrash, but do you sit around listening to metal or follow the scene?

Holt: All I listen to is Adele. If you ask me what my five favorite musicians are right now, they’re all Adele. She’s one of the greatest voices ever, and if you listen to her records, outside of the hits, there’s world-class piano playing. Most of it is just her and the piano, and I love listening to piano.

Altus: Good music is good music. I’m not sitting around listening to metal all the time either. One of my all-time favorite bands is ABBA. I grew up on Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Iron Maiden. That stuff is still what I go back to, but I love lots of other things.

Do you think the experimentation in your sound and your willingness to step outside the box comes from your appreciation of genres outside metal?

Holt: Maybe. I don’t sit there listening to Adele thinking, I’m going to put pop music into thrash metal. But I’ve always liked pop. I was listening to Madonna on the Exodus tour in the Eighties with Venom. Prince is my hero. There’s probably more Prince influence in Exodus than anyone would ever notice.

Listen to Violence Works. Until the riff comes in, it sounds like we've lost our minds and have done a disco song. To me, Promise You sounds like Blackfoot meets Discharge. There's never a rhyme or reason to why it all happens. We just follow the riff.

Goliath exhibits a hungry band going for the throat while striving to be innovative. Was something in particular driving you?

Holt: We just wanted to make songs we liked. We didn’t go in thinking about how to top Persona Non Grata, and we never go in and say, “Okay, what’s next?” We go in thinking, “Does this excite us right now?” If it doesn’t, there’s no point.

Altus: Also, we’re not young anymore. We’ve lost a lot of heroes and we’re aware anything could happen at any time. That’s just the reality. You just give it everything you’ve got left in the tank and put it into the record. There’s no reason not to.

Your lead styles are distinct yet complementary.

Altus: I like a little bit more of a sweet tone, so I use a bit more chorus and delay. Gary likes it a little bit drier and in your face. He always jokes that he’s got three licks and he milks them back and forth. But Gary comes out and shreds. I’m more about melody. That’s why it works; you don’t want two guitar players sounding the same.

He’s the whammy-bar guy. I come from more of a classical background so I think my solos might be a little more melodic than Gary’s. We used to joke and call him "Gary Bar" because he was so good with the whammy. He’s the Jimi Hendrix of metal.

Holt: I did strangled-cat whammy solos on 3111 and Hosti Humani Generis. When I realized they were back-to-back in the running order, I went back and redid one so they wouldn’t feel the same.

Do you think playing for Slayer rubbed off on Goliath?

Holt: I’ve probably absorbed some of that subconsciously. But when I was learning Slayer songs, there were plenty of parts where I thought, “That’s a very Exodus-y riff.” I guess we’ve always influenced each other. It just happened organically and we both went with it without thinking anything of it.

Could you picture Slayer recording together again?

Holt: No. Slayer's done recording and touring. But everybody’s enjoying each other's company and having fun at these occasional shows. And the world's a big place. Slayer can pop up in a lot of different places for many years and never be in the same spot twice. That’s all up to [vocalist and bassist] Tom Araya and Kerry King. I don’t make those calls. But when they call, I show up.

Gary, You’ve talked about writing on GarageBand. That’s kinda primitive.

Holt: I love GarageBand. It’s easy and I know what I’m doing, so it’s great for demos. I’ve got my own plugins and I’ll use one EZ Drummer beat through the whole song and never change it. Sometimes it freaks Tom out because it’s six minutes at 230 bpm. I’m like, “Relax – this part’s halftime.” I’m just too lazy to program the changes. I’ll let you know where they go.”

Altus: I was also kind of a dinosaur. Until this album, I wrote everything on a four-track. People kept telling me, “Never mind the 21st century – you need to move into the 20th.” I loved my four-track, but I was constantly bouncing, and by the time I sent the demos the quality was terrible. This time, I tried going digital. I used Cakewalk and learned the basics pretty fast. I thought, “If I had this earlier, I probably would have written another 10 albums by now.”

What was your amp setup like in the studio?

Holt: We tried a bunch of amps, then we rolled in my touring Marshall Jubilee, plugged it in, and that was it. For rhythms, it was just like Persona Non Grata. I used a 1984 Yamaha SPG-3000 – perfect intonation, killer guitar.

For leads, my ESP Custom Shop Eclipse, and for whammy stuff, the old Jackson Strat from the Toxic Waltz days. For the harmony section of Goliath, I played my Brian May BMG Super with Tri-Sonic pickups, which sounded awesome.

You’re both endorsed by ESP.

Holt: They’re awesome. They made me a couple of Vs that I use all the time. They’ll build me anything. I send them ideas. I’ll say, “Okay, I want a cop badge on the body of this one and I want all the inlays to be bullet shells that I'm going to send you.” At first, they didn't think they could import them into Japan – even spent shells. But I said, “No, they have to be the ones I send you.” I selected shells that were .50 caliber down to .22. And they made it work.

Altus: I was with Jackson to begin with, but I switched to ESPs in the Nineties and I’ve been with them ever since. I have two ESPs. I love them because they’re great for metal but they’re versatile. Some of the ESP Eclipses I play are better than Gibson Les Pauls.

James [Hetfield] sent me a couple of his ESP Snakebytes to try, and they play great, too. He was like, “Why don’t you make your own model?” I'm like, “How am I going to top this one?” Somebody else did it for me.

Lee, you play with a Quad Cortex modeler onstage.

Altus: I was going through Marshall amps to Diezel amps to my Mesa Boogie. But now I’m using the Mesa tones on the Quad full time. We A/B’d it against real amps, and live, you can’t tell the difference. The convenience wins, especially when you’re flying to South America and don’t know what backline you’re getting.

Holt: I still tour with my amps when I can, but I use the Quad as a preamp on fly dates. I feed it into the effects return of rental amps.

Exodus still tour quite a bit, which bands have to do since no one’s going multi-platinum anymore. But as musicians age, playing wild, high-energy shows isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Holt: Physically, this kind of music isn’t easy anymore. I blew my neck out headbanging at the Blue Ridge Rock Fest a few years ago. I couldn’t turn my head for six months. But I still do it. I have a chip on my shoulder that drives me.

What inspires that chip, and does it make you bitter?

Holt: I’m well-adjusted and super-happy in life. But Exodus as a band, we’re like, “Why does Testament get this and some other band gets that? We stomp all those bands live.” The bigger the chip on the shoulder gets, the harder we push ourselves. It’s a positive force. It’s why we still kill it onstage. It’s why we still bang our heads the way we do. It’s bad for me, but I almost can’t help it.

Have you had neck surgery like Dave Mustaine, Tom Araya and others?

Holt: I had clinical-grade whiplash from the Blue Ridge show; I thought I blew a disc. They gave me an MRI and said it looked like I’d been in a car crash. But no surgery. I dodged a bullet. The problem was, we hadn’t done a show for six months and then I went out there and acted like I always do.

After 40 years, what keeps this exciting?

Altus: Those little moments in the studio when someone finally gets it and everyone high-fives. The fact that we still care – that’s the win.

Holt: If we’re lucky, other people like it too. But first, we have to love it. I still love playing shows. I just don’t like hurting my neck.

With Slayer and Megadeth retired from recording, would you like to think of Exodus as Big Four studio survivors, along with Metallica, Anthrax and maybe Testament?

Holt: I’ve never concerned myself with the Big Four. I always felt like we’re the holders of the torch anyway. People ask, “Do you feel upset you were left out?” And my answer is always the same. I know where I was when this was invented. And I know where other people weren’t. That's enough for me. I don’t need someone else to rewrite history because I was part of it.

• Goliath is out now via Napalm
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Some things, like Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, and burgers and fries, go together perfectly. In the world of metal guitars, brutal riffs and headbanging is a union that will never fail.

But the act of headbanging isn’t without its consequences, and Gary Holt – who pushes himself to the limit in both Slayer and Exodus – learned that in the most insane way.

The physical demands of playing a starring role in two massive metal bands were always going to take their toll, but this particular incident came after one particularly raucous show, as Holt celebrated his first gig in six months a little too feverishly.

“Physically, this kind of music isn't easy anymore. I blew my neck out headbanging at the Blue Ridge Rock Fest a few years ago. I couldn't turn my head for six months,” he says in the new issue of Guitar World.

“I had clinical-grade whiplash from the Blue Ridge show; I thought I blew a disc.”

The band had been booked for the 2023 festival at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA, playing the third stage behind Biohazard, Machine Head, and Rise Against. Justifiably, he was excited to get back out there.

“They gave me an MRI and said it looked like I'd been in a car crash,” he then says. “But no surgery. I dodged a bullet. The problem was, we hadn't done a show for six months, and then I went out there and acted like I always do.”

Fortunately, he has not had to undergo neck surgery like his brothers in thrash, Dave Mustaine and Tom Araya, but it was likely an eye-opener for him moving forward.

In related news, Holt recently claimed that “everybody cheats” when it comes to the furious downpicking that defines thrash metal playing, and explained the stark differences between his job roles in Exodus and Slayer.

Holt’s full interview, alongside fellow Exodus riffer, Lee Altus, features in the new issue of Guitar World. Keith Richards is this issue’s cover star.

Head to Magazines Direct to pick up a copy.

There is no shortage of tell-all autobiographies from pioneers of thrash metal. While none of the current members of Metallica or the founding members of Slayer have released memoirs yet, the glory days of the San Francisco-area movement and other major thrash scenes have been well documented in books by members of Megadeth (Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman, Nick Menza), two guys from Anthrax (Scott Ian, Frank Bello) and Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick.

So, why did it take thrash veteran Gary Holt so long to throw his tales in the ring when he was there from the very start? After all, Holt was hanging out with Kirk Hammett in Exodus long before the latter left to join Metallica – and he is the only SF guitarist to play on every Exodus album and perform live in Slayer from 2011 to 2019 and again at their recent reunion shows.

In other words, Holt is arguably more qualified than anyone from the Bay Area to chronicle the rise and fall of thrash metal. Initially, he had some reservations, but he eventually came around.

“I’ve been asked over the years when I was going to do a book, and at first I didn’t want to because I know where all the bodies are buried and I didn’t want to put anyone out to dry or get them in trouble,” he said before the recent release of A Fabulous Disaster: From the Garage to Madison Square Garden. The Hard Way. Holt, chuckles, then continues in an understated voice.

“But then I realized I could focus on my own stories and spill the dirt on myself without involving anyone else. That made the idea a lot more appealing.”

Holt’s initial plan was to flex his storytelling chops and write the book on his own; however, he couldn’t find time to sit down and dedicate himself fully to the project and decided he needed to find a compatible co-author. That happened when Holt was being interviewed for a cover story for Decibel magazine by Adam Tepedelen. After their conversation, Tepedelen asked Holt if he might be interested in working together on a book.

“It was the right time and right place,” Holt says. “I said, ‘Okay, let’s try it and see how it goes. If we click, we’ll make it happen.’ We started talking and it worked out really well from the start, so we kept going and I’m really happy with the end result.”

Named after Exodus’ third album, 1989’s Fabulous Disaster, the book begins with Holt looking back at his earliest days as a thrash guitarist, working with friends to create music that resonated with the sounds of various scenes, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (especially early Iron Maiden and Venom) and Eighties hardcore punk (Discharge, Cro-Mags).

After being Hammett’s friend and guitar tech, Holt joined Exodus when guitarist Tim Agnello left the band. Exodus played backyard parties and dreamed of making a quality demo they could exchange with other tape traders. “We just wanted to be heavy as fuck,” he writes. “And I’m pretty sure no major record label saw that as a marketable attribute.”

In addition to giving him a creative outlet, Exodus provided Holt with a community that provided a temporary escape from poverty and ostracism through the misanthropic lens of violent music, excessive drinking, drugs and juvenile delinquency.

In unflinching detail, Holt reveals how Exodus was a platform to overindulge in each of the above with some of the craziest motherfuckers in the scene, some of whom, including Exodus’ original unhinged vocalist Paul Baloff, are no longer with us.

Lucky for thrash fans, Exodus worked just as hard on their music as they did at trashing houses, torturing so-called posers and drinking everything within their reach. As Exodus released their heralded 1985 debut, Bonded by Blood, developed a strong following and became successful, Holt and his bandmates wrangled with inter-band turmoil, addiction and the collapse of metal in the Nineties.

After breaking up the band and returning to a blue-collar job to make ends meet, Holt experienced a redemptive second wave of success with a reformed Exodus and an invitation to join Slayer.

The euphoric highs and debilitating lows are vividly captured in A Fabulous Disaster, which is flavored with enticing drama, self-deprecating humor and honest, sometimes agonizing reflection.

“Half of the battle to doing the book right was feeling comfortable about opening all of these wounds,” Holt says. “You really have to feel like the person you’re working with is someone you can share this stuff with.

“We got so many good stories in there and there’s tons leftover that wouldn’t fit in the book, which are just crazy, hilarious, cringe-inducing, horrifically bad stuff and amazingly good stuff and everything in between. Hopefully, I’ll revisit some of that stuff down the road.”

In a candid conversation, Holt reveals what compelled him to roll up his sleeves and unflinchingly tell his life story, what he gained from the revising Exodus’ gritty past, and his plans for the follow-up to Exodus’ 2021 album, Persona Non Grata. He also talks about Slayer’s reunion shows, why he didn’t want to play on Kerry King’s 2024 solo album, the rigors of arthritis and how he’d be okay if he had to give up music and return to roofing for a living.”

Many autobiographies are filled with anecdotes about booze, drugs and debauchery. What makes yours different?

“These things usually follow a formula: A guy gets famous, makes lots of bad decisions, develops drug habits and eventually achieves redemption. But most of these dudes don’t fall quite as far as I did. They don’t develop a meth habit and end up shoveling dog shit for $6 an hour in between releasing an album like Bonded by Blood and playing Madison Square Garden. I’ve been through a lot, and it’s all in there.”

You illustrate that juxtaposition in the chapter “Riffing in ’83. Roofing in ’93.”

“When I quit Exodus in 1993, I needed some time to figure out what I wanted to do in music, but I also needed a job. So I got a job as a roofer, and I was out in the 100-degree weather hauling 50-lb rolls of tar paper up a 40-foot ladder. I know the meaning of work and I’ve never been ashamed to get my hands dirty.”

Was there anything in the book that you were reluctant to reveal?

“No, because I was really particular with what I wrote about. I didn’t feel it was my place to tell really dark stories about other people – other than what was already public knowledge. There’s a lot of great stories I could have told, but then I’d have been dragging down other people without their approval.

“When it comes to my own problems and my own drug use, I’ve always been an open book, but there are parts where I wanted people to cringe when they read it. So that’s why there’s all that stuff in there about sitting in a warehouse smoking meth with crackheads and prostitutes because that’s who I used to be. That’s not who I am now.”

Did you learn anything about yourself while writing this book?

“I don’t know if I learned anything I didn’t already know. But I do have a ton of regret, and I carry a ton of guilt. I’ve seen people I know doing the VH1 Behind the Music thing, and sometimes when they talk about their wild days, they smile and say, ‘Yeah, it was fun.’

“I’m different. When I look back at some of my indiscretions and the selfish things I did that hurt people, I’m not proud. I was a delinquent and a lot of the things I did were not cool. But that’s what pushes me now to be an even better father, grandfather, husband and bandmate.”

“I’m constantly striving to improve, which is something we all should do. Who wants to just be happy when there is room in your life to be better? I try to be kind to people even though I write songs about hate. Doing that is my therapy. My wife always gets on me about how many times a year I give money to random strangers on GoFundMe.

“I do it because I can, and if it’s legit, why not help people? [Our drummer] Tom [Hunting] needed money to fight cancer, and a lot of people helped him through the GoFundMe I started for him. I’m just trying to give back when I can. Karma.”

Do you believe wisdom comes with age, or do you think that the more experience you have about the world, the less you understand its complexities?

“There’s truth to both. When you’re young, you think you know everything, and when you get a bit older you realize you don’t. But if you’ve paid attention to your own failings, you’ll learn from them and hopefully improve. I guess that’s the simplest way to look at it. Just learn from your mistakes.”

Do you want readers to view A Fabulous Disaster as a cautionary tale?

“If anyone sees it like that or if it helps anyone who’s having trouble clean up their life, then that’s great. But I’m a guitar player. I’m not curing cancer. I write riffs and I’m really good at it. And I love what I’m doing, so it’s not work. I’m 100 percent constantly aware of how lucky I am that I have a career, and when I think back and realize that I threw it all away for a long-ass time, I just feel stupid.

“First, I threw it all away because I was unhappy, then later I threw it away because I was on drugs. And now, I’ve bounced back from that and I’m back with my band making music. No, I’m not selling out arenas. I’m not selling out theaters. But when you factor in that I’m able to tour, which I love, and when you couple it with merchandise sales – because we’re all traveling clothes salesmen – I’m doing just fine. And I love doing this.”

Last year, Slayer announced a handful of reunion shows. Before they were scheduled, there was bad blood between guitarist Kerry King and vocalist and bassist Tom Araya, and Kerry pulled no punches about Tom when he did press for his solo album From Hell I Rise. Was there any tension between those guys during the Slayer reunion shows?

“There was no weirdness at all. Those shows were amazing. It was a great return. I hadn’t seen anybody since I left after the last show we did. Especially on the anniversary of the show. We usually send each other texts: ‘I really appreciate you. Miss you.’ Blah, blah. But I hadn’t seen anyone. And [drummer] Paul Bostaph lives about 40 minutes north from me up in the woods. So this was a great chance to see them all again.”

Will there be any more Slayer shows?

“There won’t be any more full tours. There won’t be any albums. If we come back and do a couple shows here and there – as Kerry has alluded to – I think that’s perfect. I love Slayer, but I’m not ready to put Exodus on hold anymore. That’s my band for life. Slayer are my family, but Exodus were my first family.

“They sat on the sidelines and used a stunt double for me for a long time – just shy of 10 years. And if we do a couple more shows as Slayer, that means I get to play those songs that I’ve grown to love. But I’ve got to record and tour with Exodus full-time again. That’s my priority.”

Did you hear the Kerry King album before it came out?

“No. I knew who was in the band, which was just confirmation that it was going to be killer. And then when I heard it, I loved it. It definitely has a Slayer vibe because Kerry is one-fourth of Slayer, so of course it’s going to have that feel.

“I’m always going to sound like I do in Exodus unless I was absolutely trying my hardest not to sound like Exodus – like if I was going to issue a funk album – and even that would probably have a little Exodus in it.”

Would you want to do a funk album?

“That would be awesome. I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, but I love listening to that stuff. I don’t listen to metal at home. I like listening to the classic stuff I grew up on.

“You could drop me on a desert island with the UFO catalog, or just Rainbow’s Rainbow Rising and I’d be happy. Nowadays, my car radio is either on the local sports talk channel or it’s on the soft stuff station and I’m listening to Backstreet Boys and Adele. I love pop music – always have, though.”

Did you wish Kerry asked you to play with him on his solo album?

“No, I don’t play on nobody’s solo record. That’s not a knock on anybody who does, but I’m self-aware of who I am, and if I’m going to play on someone’s solo record your name better be Rob Halford. I mean, if James Hetfield did a solo record… I don’t know if I’d want to play for Hetfield. I’d be tempted, though.”

Nobody down-picks like Hetfield.

“Yeah, and with the tendon problems I’ve had over the years, down-picking is the first thing that’s slowed down.”

How bad are your tendon problems?

“Man, I’ve had arthritis and chronic tennis elbow. I had to fight back from them and they’ve affected me in both arms. On the last Exodus album, I had so many cortisone shots I lost count.

“I had one a couple months before recording the album and that worked wonders until we tracked The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves). I was down picking on that and I blew my right elbow out. I had to go to physical therapy to get back to playing.

“So, if I worked with James he might give me shit about keeping up on some of the down-picking stuff, but the things I do well, I do as well as anybody else. With down-picking, you learn little cheats to get through it.”

Can you make alternate picking sound like down-picking?

“I do both. I’ll go down-up-down-down-down-down-down/down-up-down-down-down-down-down… That gives me a split-second break. But everybody cheats. I’ve seen videos of James leaving out down-picks. You know?

“We’re living with 60-year-old arms now. On these reunion shows, Slayer was playing Reborn. And Kerry and I were like, ‘Man, that’s fast!’ Goddamn, that was fun to play for those two shows, but I was super-relieved when we got through it.”

How far along are you on the follow up to Exodus’ 2021 album, Persona Non Grata?

“I’ve got about 20 new songs that we’re working on. Tom Hunting and I worked out some of the stuff in advance together because as long as we go into the studio with five or six completed songs, then we’ve got a good starting point. We tend to write a lot in the studio, anyway. We like to do what I call our album summer camp, where we all live in one house together and immerse ourselves in the music.

“We did that on our last album during the pandemic and it gave us the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had. We shipped a truckload of recording material to Tom’s house in the mountains in Lake Almonor, California, along with Steve Lagudi, our engineer. And we stayed there and worked on the album. Of course, there wasn’t anywhere to go then, but I’m hoping we can have that same game plan this time around.”

How would you describe the new Exodus material?

“It’s hard to say, because every album is its own thing. Some of the record is super, super fast, and other parts are big, slow, and ominous with lots of space to breathe and build. And there are a couple moments that are, dare I say, doomy. There’s a lot of melody in there, but it’s also really heavy.

“Exodus fans are gonna dig it. [Guitarist] Lee Altus has a bunch of stuff he’s still working on, so that will add more elements to the songs. The only challenge is hitting our recording goal, otherwise it’s going to be out in 2026, and we have a bunch of tours lined up, but we’ll figure it out.”

You look like a rock star onstage and you’ve lived like a rock star, but you seem humbler than some of your peers.

“Look, I’m not out there selling out arenas. Exodus just got off our first headlining tour in the U.S. in a long time, and it was a blast. Maybe the shows weren’t as well-attended as some we’ve done in the past, but they were really good because a lot of bands on the road right now are getting hammered.

“I just have to be smarter these days, so I’m involved in all sides of the business. People don’t realize that when I’m home from tour and you buy a shirt or even a guitar pick from me, I’m the guy who puts it in the package. I don’t hire someone else to do it. And I’m lucky to do it.

“I live a good life. I have great grandkids, great kids, a great wife, and a great band. I was lucky to have two great bands for a long time. If the bottom fell out in music for me tomorrow, I’d go get a job again. I have no hangups about that. I appreciate what I have and the position I’m in. That’s something that I’ll never take for granted.”

• A Fabulous Disaster is out now via De Capo.
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Gary Holt may be one of the most recognizable names in thrash metal – but that doesn't mean the Exodus and Slayer pioneer doesn't appreciate or own budget effects pedals. In fact, Mooer Audio – known for its pedals' road-proof casings, small footprint, and affordability – is one of Holt's top brands when it comes to analog pedals.

“Dude, the Mooer pedals are some of the best pedals I own,” he tells Guitar World. “I’ve got the 005 Brown Sound, which is a 5150 micro pedal. I’ve plugged it into the effects return of a [Marshall] Jubilee combo and it’s so crushing.”

This mini-pedal is based on the original Peavey 5150, which was released in the early ’90s as Eddie Van Halen's official signature amp. Eventually, it became synonymous with the hard rock and metal scenes due to its revered high-gain tone. As the name suggests, Mooer's 005 Brown Sound aims to emulate EVH's so-called “Brown Sound” – and, if Holt's opinion is anything to go by, it does the job well.

“I sent a video of it to Scott Ian [Anthrax, who supported Slayer on their farewell tour], and I said, ‘Check this out, dude!’ And when we did the final Slayer show in Santiago, Chile, for 60,000 people, Scott used it as his primary tone – this little Mooer pedal!”

It's a huge endorsement for such a humble pedal, which can be picked up for only $86 from some retailers.

So, seeing that he's such a Mooer loyalist, which pedal would Holt say is his absolute favorite? “The Mooer Tender Octaver,” he replies. “And I’ve always had an octave pedal in my rig.”

Proving that you can have a penchant for both digital and analog, Holt reveals that for fly-in shows, he's using a Quad Cortex – and he loves it.

“I don’t run mine direct with in-ears,” he explains. “I’ll put it in the effects return of a head or I have one of those Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700s, and I can travel with my entire amp rig except for cabs in carry-on. It’s amazing.”

For more Gary Holt, plus new interviews with Robin Nolan and Alex Lifeson, pick up issue 592 of Guitar World at Magazines Direct.

When Guitar World connects with Zakk Wylde, Scott Ian and Gary Holt, the metal guitar titans are a week and a half into their North American tour: Anthrax and Black Label Society co-headlining as they did last summer, this time with Exodus roped in as special guests. 

Their show in Penticton, British Columbia a few nights earlier made headlines for an attendee referred to by the music press as ‘Angry Jesus’ – thanks to his long hair, beige robe and violent moshing – being escorted out of the venue by local police officers. It was, by all accounts, an unforgettable night which perhaps saw one bearded metal fan enjoying just a little bit too much of that holy water...

“Yeah, he got kicked out during Zakk’s set,” grins Holt – who, despite owning a blue ESP singlecut with the words ‘Officer Holt’ written around a police badge, wasn’t actually the one making arrests that night. “I don’t know what got him so angry,” he continues. “Maybe he turned a little too much water into wine [laughs]!”

“That’s what usually happens,” cackles Wylde, with a mischievous grin. “Maybe Exodus played a couple too many songs from the first record and it got him too fired up. Don’t mess with the Catholics!”

The three metal legends are on a joint Zoom call today to look back on their history as guitar players and share a thing or two about what they’ve learned along the way. When you sit down and think about their collective credentials, it’s quite staggering – as well as Black Label Society, Anthrax and Exodus, they’ve recorded with or toured as part of Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, Pantera, Mr. Bungle, Stormtroopers Of Death and Pride & Glory. 

Then, of course, there have been the one-off collaborations with the likes of Public Enemy, Eric Gales, William Shatner, Destruction, Black Veil Brides, Leslie West, Dweezil Zappa, Metal Allegiance and many more. 

They’ve all played a part in making metal guitar what it is today, from the furious downpicking typified by Ian in the mid-'80s, the instantly recognizable ‘Zakk Attack’ explored on Wylde’s legendary instructional Pentatonic Hardcore and Holt’s love for diminished dissonance, as detailed in his own tutorial A Lesson In Guitar Violence. 

Here we look at the stories stretching back through nearly four decades of friendship and get them to cross-examine their own unique takes on all things six-string...

Take us back to the very beginning – when exactly did you all first cross paths?

Wylde: “I first met Scotty and the Anthrax fellas when I was rolling with Ozzy in 1988, back on the No Rest For The Wicked tour. That’s when we first started hanging together. And it’s great that we’re all rolling together now, because just the other day we were talking about our friends who are gone. 

“Whether they were amazing musicians – guitarists, singers, drummers or bass players – they don’t even play any more. They just fell off, for whatever reason. Then we have our buddies who are lifers that are still playing. 

“I guess the joys of the journey are trying to get to the Madison Square Garden or Royal Albert Hall. But while you are working on getting there, it’s a case of still playing and making sure you love it. You have to obviously still pay all your bills and rent. But the secret is to never stop playing. 

“I was talking about this with JD [Black Label Society bassist John DeServio] the other night. Even if I wasn’t blessed with having Ozzy in my life, I’d still be playing music, whether it be teaching, working in a music store, playing in a covers band or a wedding band. As long as you’re still playing, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. I guess you could call me, Scotty and Gary lifers.”

So you met Zakk long before that beard took shape, but even early on, he still had that signature wide vibrato…

Ian: “I was clean shaven too back in 1988. I even had hair on my head [laughs]!”  

Wylde: “JD gets to hear that vibrato every night and gets violently ill! People are always like, ‘Your bass player is so stealth and ripped’ and I go, ‘Yeah, it’s because he can’t hold his food down after hearing me play!’ But seriously, it’s crazy how many of our buddies from back then aren’t playing anymore. 

“Me and Scott were talking about this the other night, how they stuck it out from doing arenas with me and Ozzy back in the day, through the mean years of Anthrax, and now Anthrax is back on top. 

“There was a fall-off period where a lot of bands would have quit or given up. We know so many great musicians who gave up when they reached that lull. You have to be persistent and plough through it in this business. There are no other options. Just keep playing.”

Ian: “We always compare ourselves to De Niro in Raging Bull when he goes, ‘You never got me down, Ray, you never got me down!’ That’s how we’ve always felt, just like Jake LaMotta in the movie. No matter how many punches we took, we were never going to stop playing.”

So what would you say are each other’s strong points as guitar players?

Holt: “Well, when it comes to my own playing, I know I do a good job with the five licks I know. Five might be generous; maybe it’s four [laughs]!”

Wylde: “That’s all you need. It might only be four or five licks, but if you do them well, there you go. I remember I did a similar thing with Buddy Guy, where he was asked what he liked about my guitar playing. 

“I said, ‘Actually guys, let me speak for the Pontiff over here and answer on behalf of Buddy Guy – what he enjoys most about my playing is the sound right before you put the record on and, most of all, when the album ends [laughs]! It’s the silent bits in between. 

“I was thinking to myself, ‘Yeah, like Buddy Guy is gonna know anything about my guitar playing!’ As if he would be able to answer a question about my strong points. He didn’t even know what my name was and we’d been on the same Hendrix Experience tour for about three years [laughs]!”

Holt: “It doesn’t matter, because it’s Buddy Guy! It would be an honor even if he said he didn’t know who you were…”

Wylde: “Exactly! When people ask me what I offer kids as a guitar player, it’s the fact they can look at me and think, ‘If this ass clown can make a living playing music and afford the energy bills, then there’s hope for all of us!’ There is hope, kids. Just keep practicing.”

All jokes aside, though, the three of you are instantly recognizable as guitar players...

Ian: “I think the best compliment you can pay any musician is a bit like ‘name that tune’, when they have such an original sound, you name that guitar player in one note. I can do that with both of these guys.

“You instantly know whether it’s Zakk or Gary. They have their own sounds, feel and style. They’re complete originals. Of course, everything is derivative and comes from somewhere. We all came from similar influences but we took that and turned it into something of our own, expressing heavy music through our own filters. 

“In my eyes, that’s one of the reasons why we’re all still here doing it to the level we’re doing it: we’re all originals when it comes to playing and songwriting.”

Holt: “Well put! Sometimes all it takes is that one note. One of my all-time heroes is Angus Young, and I can identify his solos from just a pick slide. I’ll be like, ‘Aha! That’s from Let There Be Rock.’”

Ian: “And, by the way, I love Zakk’s vibrato. Who cares what JD thinks!”

Wylde: “Exactly. And, like I said earlier, he enjoys it because he’s losing weight and staying ripped!”

And while you all have different tones and styles, to some extent, it can all be traced back to Tony Iommi...

Wylde: “When any of us tell younger musicians where we came from, it all stems back to Lord Iommi. He was the Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Lennon, McCartney and Burt Bacharach of riffs. I mean, he created a whole genre that spawned Exodus, Anthrax, Black Label Society and various movements of different-sounding bands. 

“But all three of us take our influences and everything we’ve loved and digested over the years, and then play from the heart. I remember before I started with Ozz, I was trying to get a record deal and everyone was playing Bon Jovi kinda stuff to get our big break. 

“And then a lot of us realized that we didn’t like this music or even own any of these records. Why aren’t we playing music that we actually enjoy and love?! It’s right there in front of you but you can’t see it. I can hear Scott at soundcheck or Gary at soundcheck and it’s easy to tell where they come from as guitar players. 

“They’re not trying to play pop music. And with Bon Jovi, they’re playing exactly what they want to play and that’s the reason it became successful. Why pretend to be something that you’re not? Whatever it is that comes naturally is what you should be doing. That’s the only way you’re going to excel at anything.”

Holt: “That’s 100 percent correct. We all took the music we loved – all heavy metal starts and ends with Tony – and then we just added all these different things we liked, stirring it around in a big pot. In my case, it became Exodus. I grew up as a hard rock kid; those bands are where my roots are. The metal and punk rock came later. 

“Eventually you realize you owe it all to the giants whose shoulders you’re stood on. If I can influence some other kids, more power to it. I’m just paying it forward.”

To some degree, the success boils down to just how unique a spin you put on it...

Wylde: “Exactly, it’s all about that passing of knowledge, but with some degree of originality. Even with Saint Rhoads, there was his whole love for Mick Ronson – from how he was holding the Les Paul, the haircut, the whole nine yards. I never knew anything about that. 

“To me, Randy Rhoads was just Randy Rhoads. My friends would go, ‘Oh my god, this guy must really love Mick Ronson!’ and I’d be like, ‘I don’t know who Mick Ronson is!’ Then I learned more about it, finding out more about the history of things. 

“You eventually realize that Randy got a lot from Mick Ronson, who obviously got it from somebody else. Then Randy inspired the three of us, so we’re all indirectly inspired by Mick Ronson. That’s a beautiful thing that shows just how awesome the lineage of music is. You can see the roots almost like a tree...”

Holt: “Zakk often talks about Frank Marino. I was the youngest of six kids who grew up listening to Frank Marino but I never realized how much of an influence he had on Zakk until he mentioned. Now I listen to Zakk’s songs and I’m like, ‘Oh, I get it now!’ but I didn’t link the two together for a long time.”

When it comes to tone, there are many similarities and also a fair few differences. Zakk and Gary, you both love an EMG 81 in the bridge, while Scott prefers something like a Seymour Duncan JB. Zakk, you’ve used a Boss SD-1 on many a classic recording while Scott might prefer a boost and Gary might opt for a parametric EQ. But you’ve all mainly used EL34 tube amps for your live shows…

Ian: “I don’t even need a boost anymore; I just go straight into the EVH EL34.”

Holt: “I’m the opposite – I boost everything. And then I boost it again [laughs]!”

Wylde: “It all depends on what you want. Like Father Scott said, with certain things like EVH amps, Soldanos or Wizards, they have a lot of gain. The beautiful thing about JCM800s is that it’s such a simple circuit. There’s a good amount of overdrive, even more if you put a pedal in front. 

“If you want to clean it up, just turn the pedal off and roll the volume on your guitar down. It’s all good. There is no right or wrong way to do it. All it comes down to is whatever works best to get the tone you enjoy!”

Scott and Gary, you’re no strangers to JCM800s either…

Ian: “I love those old 800s. That’s what I used on the first six Anthrax albums with the TC Electronic Booster+ Distortion in front. When we recorded that Bungle record in 2020 [The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo], because it was just straight-up thrash, I pulled out my original 1982 JCM800 and old TC boost.

“Dave Friedman made sure the amp was running properly. I plugged it in and it was the exact tone from those early Anthrax albums. I used a combination of that with the EVH, which brought a little more bottom-end. I was so happy with the sound of both being used together.”

Holt: “I saw the clip you posted from the studio. I was like, ‘Aha, there’s that classic-sounding crunch.’ Like I was showing you the other day, on this tour I started using this new pedal I found from this Canadian company called GUP Tech [Presence Depth EQ]. It basically has this resonance control, so I put that in the loop to add back some low-end. It’s perfection and makes my amp sound super-loud! 

“The same goes for those old Jubilees. I boost them up and they get nice and crunchy. I went through all these different amp companies over the years and then [super-producer] Andy Sneap pointed out all I’m trying to do is chase the sound of my 1987 800. He said I was just trying to find a Marshall tone in something that wasn’t a Marshall. So I’ve made it easier for myself… I just use Marshalls!”

Wylde: “Every amp after the 800 is a derivative, to some extent. Those Marshall amps are like the wheel. The same goes for Les Pauls and Strats. Everything that came after is a variation or tweak on that, like a pair of Levis and a Fruit Of The Loom t-shirt. The original is always simple and works for everyone!”

Have you plugged into each other’s rigs on this tour?

Ian: “Not yet!”

Holt: “I’m dying to plug into Zakk’s rig!”

Wylde: “You can go for it anytime you want. Usually I have my anal bleaching appointment, getting my nails done and picking my makeup for the show, so I look good in my kilt. You gotta do what you gotta do because looks count. It’s all in the presentation, bro!”

Holt: “You can’t have your ass all brown and gnarly!”

As for the guitars in your hands, Zakk, your classic recordings were done with a Les Paul Custom. Gary, you mainly played Jackson Superstrats before moving over to ESP singlecuts and Scott, you’ve loved your Jacksons from very early on...

Ian: “Funnily enough, I do have this black Les Paul Custom that I’ve been using on records for quite a while now. It sounds so good! I randomly got it when Anvil had that movie come out years ago. They did a premiere in London, and because my friend made that movie, they had me come to London and jam with those guys, playing Metal on Metal together after the screening. 

“This was back around 2006 or 2007. I didn’t bring a guitar with me or anything. There was just this Custom lying there for me to play. So I jammed the song and nobody took the guitar back afterwards. It was just sitting there at the end of the night. I even called the people who made the movie saying, ‘I’ve got this guitar here!’ and they were like, ‘Well, someone will get in contact!’ 

“I ended up going back to LA and took the guitar back with me. Months later, I got this email from someone at Gibson asking if I had this Les Paul Custom and I told them, ‘Yeah, it’s been sitting here for months... I really enjoy playing it because it sounds awesome!’ So they let me keep it. I don’t even know what year it is, but that’s when I got it. I’ve actually got a whole bunch of Gibsons.”

Wylde: “Father Scott, look at the first number and the fifth number on the headstock. That will usually tell you when it’s from..."

Ian: “I’ve also got an '81 Flying V. That guitar’s been on every Anthrax album, doing rhythms on various songs. It’s one of the best-sounding guitars I’ve ever had. I’ve got a couple of Les Pauls. I’ve got every Angus Young SG signature they’ve put out. I’ve got Explorers. I mean, Gibson make great guitars – that’s why I own so many of them!”

You’ve all mastered the art of downpicking. Zakk, even though you tend to live on the sludgier side of metal, the recent shows with Pantera have been more right hand-intensive when it comes to riffing. And Gary, even on your own tuitional, you admit you occasionally mix in some alternate in there, like on the song Verbal Razors…

Holt: “Everybody cheats. Even James Hetfield cheats now… I’ve seen it enough times! If he’s doing a savage downpick section and then he throws in a ‘brrrp’ [motions descending slide], then that ‘brrrp’ is there for a reason. It allows you to lose a couple of notes…”

Wylde: “It’s okay to take a nice little breather!”

Holt: “It’s become really hard for me after battling this chronic tennis elbow in both arms. Towards the end of Slayer, I was getting so many cortisone injections I couldn’t even count them. It turns your tendons into mush! 

“I have a friend who is a San Francisco Giants hand surgeon and he saw my MRI and said I might need Tommy John Surgery. I couldn’t play anymore. I’d play for 10 minutes and my arms would lock up. I’ve been through therapy and don’t have any injections any more, so I’m good now, but downpicking is harder than it used to be. Age catches up! 

“But I’m grateful I’m still playing every day and playing injection-free. I need my sound to be really good and then I can ride. If I have to cheat a little more on downpicking because of it, so be it.”

Ian: “If you’ve got a good up, it’s not even cheating, because it sounds just as good as the down!”

Holt: “Yeah, I’ll do the down, down, down, up – throwing in that little one. Usually that’s all I need! And you mentioned Verbal Razors. Damn, when I listen to that shit now, I think I must have been out of my mind! There’s so much downpicking, but then you’ve got to jump from the E string into all this riffage. That one is a challenge these days!”

Then there are right-hand punishers like One World, A.D.I./Horror of It All and Imitation of Life. What on earth were you thinking when recording Among the Living, Scott?!

Ian: “Well, I can tell you one thing was for sure – I wasn’t thinking about having to play those songs 30 years later [laughs]!”

Holt: “Exactly. On the new Exodus album [2021’s Persona Non Grata] I probably threw in more downpicking than I did on any of them. I blew out my right elbow doing the song The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves). After recording the album, I got elbow problems really bad. 

“That’s when I had my last two injections – one right before the album, which worked really well, and one after the album that got me a couple of weeks living pain-free and then everything went to shit. I don’t know what got into me, trying to do more of that than ever on this latest album… at the end of my 50s!”

Ian: “Not too long ago, I was tapping out BPMs to songs from Among the Living, just laughing to see how much we would naturally speed up throughout songs. There are a couple of moments where I’d be downpicking at 220 or 225. I didn’t really know! I see videos of myself doing it back then and always think it would take me months to get up to that speed nowadays. 

“Any long section above 210… just forget it! I was doing that when I was 25. I wasn’t thinking about doing that with 59 year-old forearms. It’s a physical impossibility. Anything 210 and lower, I’m good. I can hang there. But anything faster than that has to be short bursts. My 11-year-old son has a faster right hand than me now. He can out-downpick me any day!”

Zakk, given that your instructional was titled Pentatonic Hardcore, it would be fair to say you’re the bluesiest out of the three of you. Those five notes are clearly home for you!

Wylde: “The pentatonic is the most lyrical scale. I mean, it actually is… when you listen to singing and everything like that, you’ll find most of it lives in the pentatonic scales. It’s interesting with picking – I’d say using only downs and alternate are two very different animals for sure. When it comes to more of the extreme side of metal, you need to do them both well.

“Like you said, when I’m rolling with the Pantera fellas, I’m playing Dime’s stuff. It’s definitely a completely different thing to playing Crazy Train, Bark At The Moon or any of the things I did with Ozz, like Miracle Man, or stuff like that. It’s just a different technique, without a doubt, and definitely a bit closer to what Scotty and Gary are doing.”

Scott, you were also with Zakk at the end of last year for one of the Pantera shows in South America. It was great to see you on lead Whammy for the song Becoming. Dimebag’s tech, Grady Champion, trusted you with the same task back in the '90s – clearly you were the right person for the job.

Ian: “When Dime started using the Whammy pedal back in the day, even before we were touring together in '97 or '98, I would go to shows in New York or LA and somehow get roped into being the guy in charge of his Whammy pedal for that song. 

“So it was from when Far Beyond Driven came out onwards – any show I was at, Grady would have me run the Whammy pedal. I got the timing down, I got the feel down and I got the pocket. Darrell didn’t want to have the pedal out front because he didn’t want to be stuck to it… he wanted to be able to move around and not stand there for those sections of the song. That’s why he always had Grady doing it out back. 

“They probably let me have the job to give Grady’s foot a break during the show! We were in Chile back in December. Zakk was there with Pantera and I was there with Mr. Bungle. I was standing right next to Grady and there was the Whammy pedal on the floor. We kinda had this funny look between us. Then I saw Grady had already stuck this piece of tape on the pedal that said, ‘Scott, don’t fuck this up!’”

Wylde: “Scott crushed it, so thanks very much, Father Scott! I was surrounded by my three guardian angels – Grady, Scott and Saint Dime. So yeah, I knew I was in good hands.”

Ian: “Some people might say I’ve got the best foot in metal!”

We noticed some bands got onsite early and even streamed the soundcheck – a bit unfair given how much work had gone into this reunion tour...

Wylde: “For me, everything’s always being filmed anyway, you know what I mean? Like, there’s people there, how could you expect it not to be filmed? It’s kinda silly. 

“Everybody on stage was up there saying, ‘Nobody release any footage or photos!’ and I was thinking, ‘But there’s a ton of people in front of us soundchecking – what are you talking about?!’ It was always going to end up everywhere. I think we were halfway through soundcheck and it was already out there. You know… I couldn’t care less, man. It is what it is.”

While we’re on the subject of Pantera, do you have a reaction to the German and Austrian show cancellations that happened last week?

Wylde: “There’s nothing I can do about that, you know what I mean? In terms of my role, it’s always a case of being ready for whatever – as in seeing if the fellas want to add any more songs or anything like that while we’re out rolling together on this tour. If I get a call from Phil or Rex and they want to change up the set or do whatever, I’m usually just in the back lounge working on more songs!”

It’s been really interesting hearing your take on the leads – sticking to the feel and format of the original recordings, while also working in some of your own licks...

Wylde: “It’s inevitable I will end up sounding like me. If Dime was playing with Ozz and doing my stuff, it would sound like Dime playing the solo to No More Tears or Mama, I’m Coming Home. It would be Dime’s vibrato, Dime’s tone. It would sound like him playing my stuff. Even if he did it note-for-note, it would sound like him because that’s his sound, you know what I mean? 

“So yeah, we’re having a blast out there playing these songs. I’m just honored I get a chance to pay tribute to the brothers. It’s a pretty special thing that’s happening right now. I can’t say I have a favorite song or solo, though. Just like when I’m playing with Ozz, I enjoy the whole thing. I love all of it and any of it, from the first note we play to the last note we play. It’s all awesome.”

• The Anthrax/Black Label Society US tour featuring Exodus continues through February 2023 – head to Anthrax.com for tickets and full dates.

During the last part of Gary Holt’s tenure as Slayer’s second guitarist, he sometimes felt like he was neglecting his main band, Exodus. 

As honored as he was to be in Slayer, a group he had loved since their first album, 1983’s Show No Mercy, he wished he had more time to spend with Exodus, the group he had played with since high school and for which he assumed the primary songwriter role after Kirk Hammett left in 1983 to join Metallica.

While Holt wrote and played on all of Exodus’ 2014 studio album Blood In, Blood Out, he couldn’t completely dedicate himself to the group. He missed shows that coincided with Slayer gigs (Heathen’s Kragen Lum filled in on those tours). 

And, if Holt hadn’t been in Slayer for nearly nine years, Exodus likely would have released another album between Blood In, Blood Out and their new release, Persona Non Grata. 

There’s no question that Holt was a major asset to Slayer when they needed someone to fill in for the late Jeff Hanneman. But some fans and former members of Exodus argue that his years with Slayer jeopardized his main band.

“Slayer were great. They treated me like family from day one,” says Holt from his home in Northern California. “But, yeah, every day there were moments when I missed doing Exodus. The saving grace was that I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and then it would be all Exodus, all the time.

“Plus, I had the support of all my guys. And they had my support to do shows without me and tour regularly. But they’re my brothers and I couldn’t wait to be back. Two months after the Slayer tour ended, I was back on tour with Exodus. I barely even took a break.”

Holt’s hunger to return to Exodus shines through the jagged riff shards and crushing rhythms of Persona Non Grata. Rarely has he sounded as joyously entrenched in the band’s visceral mix of aggressive thrash, old-school metal, and deft, fluid leads. In Slayer, he was a hired hand.

In Exodus, his hands define every palm-muted chug, crystalline arpeggio, and tactical rhythm shift. With the exception of Slipping into Madness, which was written by second guitarist Lee Altus, Holt wrote the framework for every song on Persona Non Grata.

“I was so stoked to be doing another Exodus record,” Holt says. “I had no intention of doing anything that wasn’t 100 percent killer. We worked really hard on this album and I think it shows. There’s not one track I’m not totally happy with.”

Unlike the many bands halted in their tracks by the Covid epidemic, Exodus used their time in lockdown to tighten riffs, maximize dynamics and nail the solos. Holt was especially obsessive with his leads.

“When it’s time for me to do solos, I sometimes feel super-pressured, and like I’m running out of time because I’m doing so much,” he says from past album experience.

“I’m writing the music, finishing lyrics. I’m there for the drum tracking and then I’m laying down my guitars. I’m there to help Jack [Gibson] work on the bass, I’m working with [Steve] Zetro [Souza] on vocals. So when it comes time for me to do my leads, I feel like I haven’t had any time to work anything out, so I just improvise. This time I had the extra time to really work on my shit so I was super happy with all the solos.”

From a musical perspective, Holt has plenty of reasons to be thrilled with Persona Non Grata, an unrelenting barrage of fire, fury, shock and awe coupled with burrowing guitar earworms. 

Holt is even happier that Exodus overcame some harrowing health scares and personal issues some of the members faced between the time Persona Non Grata was finished and the day it came out. 

In an in-depth conversation, he discussed the creative process for Persona Non Grata, the one advantage of the Covid lockdown, drummer Tom Hunting’s battle with stomach cancer, his own struggle with alcohol, and how the new album marks a new beginning.

Exodus released Blood In, Blood Out in 2014, which was more than seven years ago. Did you write much of Persona Non Grata between then and the end of the Slayer tour?

“I’m always writing riffs, but I don’t get serious about it until it starts getting close to the time to start working on the next album. Toward the end of the Slayer run, I got more into writing mode. And then when Slayer ended their tour and [drummer] Tom [Hunting] and I got together in July 2020 things started taking shape.”

Did you and Tom work on songs on the fly or did you bring pre-written material into the writing sessions?

“Before we got together, I sent Tom a bunch of recordings of me riffing out on the voice recorder on my iPhone. Some of the songs were pretty much done, some were nearly done, and some were just riff ideas. Then, there were others I thought were done but they ended up completely different. Those kinds of changes happen when you start jamming. So, for a long time it was Tom and me and a half stack and a drum kit in a room just like the way we used to do it back in the day.”

Was locking yourself away with Tom, some electric guitars, amps and a drum kit the way you stayed productive during the lockdown?

“That was one of the beautiful things about Covid. There aren’t many, but it gave us time to work on the sound we wanted, and without interruption, because we didn’t have any summer touring plans.

“At first, we didn’t think we were going to have time to work on the album at all because inevitably something gets offered to you and you have to take it. You can’t always prepare for it because there are occasions when an artist drops out of a festival, so even if you’re not booked for anything you fill in because the money’s good.

“Or, you have to split the record up into different sessions between tours, which I don’t like to do. We didn’t have any of that. We shipped an entire Pro Tools studio with unlimited inputs to the place we were working up in the mountains and it was awesome. We were uninterrupted for the whole year and we had one sole focus – Exodus.”

Do you delete a bunch of stuff from your iPhone riff bank before you start piecing songs together?

“I keep everything. I always like to have a ton of stuff in there so if I’m working on a new song I don’t even bother looking for particular parts because I get kinda ADD. I’ll write a new riff and completely forget about something else that I wrote that fits right in with what I’m doing. 

“I need someone like Tom to hear it and say, ‘Whoa, let’s revisit that.’ I’m like, ‘No, I got other stuff now.’ But he’ll convince me to dig back into my phone and it ends up being some of the best stuff on the record.”

Do you use any recording software or just hold the phone right up to the amp?

“I wrote the whole song Prescribing Horror on my GarageBand program – drums and everything with Toontrack EZDrummer. I’d forgotten all about it. And Tom said, ‘Hey, we should check that one out again’ so we imported everything into ProTools and re-edited it without re-recording it. 

“Then we listened to it on real speakers and retracked everything except the clean guitar and the melody solo, which came straight off my GarageBand laptop demo. They sounded fine so we didn’t see any reason to redo them. It wound up being fucking dark and super-scary, which we really liked.”

Was there a point where you were struggling to find your footing and then the wheels clicked and it was all-systems-go?

“Sometimes that happens. Tom watched me struggle with finishing The Fires of Division for weeks. I just wasn’t happy with it. And then I wake up one morning and start playing, and Tom walks out with a cup of coffee, hears me and goes, ‘That’s it!’ Once I stopped fighting myself and changed the key, it opened the whole song up and I wrote all the other stuff around it. I said, ‘Let’s go out there right now!’ We fired up a click track for it and I just plowed through the whole song, including the ending.

“The whole harmony section was improvised on the spot with a click. I hadn’t written that yet. [Our engineer] Steve Lagudi was about to hit stop, and I said, ‘Don’t hit that button! I’m just rolling with it and I wanna see what happens.’ And I just wrote it on the spot.”

Did you write any of the riffs on Persona Non Grata with the intention of using them for Slayer?

“Not one. This is all 100 percent Exodus. [Slayer guitarist] Kerry [King] wrote all the music on [their final album] Repentless, anyway. None of these riffs were ever submitted or planned for that. I don’t think any of it would really fit in a Slayer song.”

Did it take a little while to get the Exodus machine up and running after prioritizing Slayer for so long?

“It was easy – and we were so into it. Tom [Hunting] and I played music together for 40 years. We have a language that can’t be replicated. So, I was right back at home when we started jamming, and shit started happening right away.”

How did your revamped ProTools setup allow you to be more creative and get better sounds?

“A lot of people work with your home-based ProTools interface, and even the really good ones only allow two simultaneous tracks. There’s always one dedicated to the emergency DPI. And that means I’ve only got one mic to work with. 

“This time, we were able to try out a million mikes. We ended up going with the most old-school combination of a [Sennheiser MD] 421 and a [Shure] SM57 with a 1980s combo. But we had a dozen mikes up on the two cabs, trying them all out and we could record them all at once and just mute channels and listen to them in the context of the track. It was awesome.”

Did you have “A” and “B” studios going at the same time so Zetro could work on vocals without interruption?

“We had three studios going. We had a home base studio where Tom and I were tracking drums. And then I’d drive to the rental house which is where Jack’s portable rig was. 

“He and I would work out bass parts and I would record horrible versions of the songs just for timing and phrasing cues. Then we’d do the same with Zetro for vocals before we all went to the third studio, where we finished everything. So we were recording in two locations with three studios.”

Was there much experimentation with amps and guitars?

“We were up in the Mountains at Thompson, which was a three-hour drive from my house. So, I had to really narrow down what I was taking. I took three of my favorite ESPs and a Gibson Flying V tuned to drop C that I used just for rehearsals. 

“My main guitar was a 1983 Yamaha SG 3000, and it sounds so amazing. I used it on every rhythm track on the album. It just made these crushing, super huge, heavy, thick sounds. More importantly, it stayed in tune! It was like a bell. It was just so perfectly intonated.”

What guitar amps and cabs did you use?

“I used the Marshall Jubilee reissues and boosted the input. To me, that’s half the joy. I think of recording guitars as achieving a tone and chasing it. There’s a lot of great modern, high-gain amps out there right now. But most people who use them all sound the same. 

“There’s not a lot of individuality out there. I put tubes on super overdrive with the drive on zero and the level on 10 and my signature Pro-Tune Mid Boost pedal in the front of it. 

“We bought a couple of vintage BBE Sonic Maximizers on eBay that we put in the loop just to bump up the low end until it was just right. That amp is so good. From Tom and I rehearsing to tracking guitars in the studio, I didn’t touch a knob. It was done. The tone was exactly how we wanted it.”

You have a couple guest solos on the record.

“[Former Exodus guitarist] Rick Hunolt and [Heathen’s] Kragen Lum both did a guest solo on Lunatic-Liar-Lord. There were two long solos so we split them each in half. Rick did the first, I did the second and Kragen took the third and fourth, which worked really well.”

Was it a reunification of sorts to have Rick recording with Exodus for the first time since 2004’s Tempo of the Damned?

“Rick’s always a part of this family. He’s one of my closest friends on earth and we talk all the time. When he left the band, it was because we got to the point where you’re out on tour and you’re making no money and you have young kids at home. 

“He wanted to be home for his family and we respected that. We recently flew him in for two shows, and [drummer] John Tempesta filled in for Tom [Hunting]. We all had the best time. So we asked him to contribute a solo on the record and he killed it.”

Any chance Rick will play with you on tour this year?

“Probably only for hometown shows. We like to bring Rick out to jam and it’s fun. But Lee [Altus] has been the other guitarist of Exodus [since 2005]. There’s no replacing him. But all the other ex-members are always welcome to jam. We’ve done whole shows based around it before and it’s a lot of fun. I want to do that again.”

On April 13, Tom announced on Facebook that he had squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach, an often deadly form of cancer. Was there any indication that he was sick when you worked on Persona Non Grata?

“Not from the way he was playing. He put on the performance of a lifetime. He just dominated. He was seeing doctors during the recording because he was experiencing unexplained weight loss. He knew something was weird because he was eating normal. Tom’s a big guy and he was weighing in at less than me. He’s four inches taller than me, probably. So he knew something was up, but he didn’t feel sick.”

Did he start cancer treatment while he was finishing up the album?

“We were done with the record and then he got some tests. He called me up and gave me the news. I had a total emotional breakdown. He’s my best friend and the prognosis was very grim. 

“He went through chemo and he had a gastrectomy [a procedure in which part or all of the stomach is removed]. He was scheduled to do another round of chemo a few months ago and then his doctors told him he didn’t need it. He’s a strong guy and he kicked cancer’s ass and hopefully he stays that way.”

That’s great news. Is he in remission?

“I guess you’d call it remission. He doesn’t need chemo, but they’re giving them immunotherapy because the chemo can break down your immune system.”

He rejoined you onstage at the Aftershock Festival in Sacramento on October 7, 2021.

“He completely destroyed the place. It was dominant, it was emotional and the crowd was insane. We played one of the best 40-minute sets we’ve ever done in our lives.”

About four months before that show you posted on social media that you were giving up alcohol. Why did you decide to quit and has it been a battle to stay on the wagon?

“Here’s the deal. I’m the most positive, upbeat kitten-loving dude you’ll ever find. If you listen to Exodus, it sounds like I need therapy. But the music is my therapy. At first, that’s how I dealt with all the madness of the world. The only thing we had any control over was our creativity. We couldn’t control how bad Covid was or when we could go back on tour or even go to a restaurant. But we could control Exodus and that’s the way I coped at first.”

Then what happened?

“During the summer, I started coping with alcohol and I saw a potential problem coming. I didn’t drink every day, but when I did, I’d get depressed. Before that, I was always a happy drunk. I’d been drinking since I was 16, and in the ’80s we were all way out of control. But in my later years, I chilled out a lot. I never drank much at home. I didn’t even drink that much on tour. 

“But during Covid, there I was at home sitting outside in a dark place drinking 12 10-percent alcohol beers – strong shit – and just pounding them. Eventually, my wife helped me realize I needed to stop ’cause I was getting depressed, bitter and angry, and that wasn’t me. And now I’ve never felt better.”

Congratulations. Do you ever get tempted to grab a drink?

“Yeah, but fortunately I’ve found that there’s really excellent alcohol-free beer out there and I found a company that makes a great oatmeal stout. They’ve got other flavors, too. So, if it’s hot outside and I’m craving a beer I’ll just drink that. 

“I do not miss getting drunk. I do not miss getting buzzed. I don’t miss the taste of beer because I’m perfectly happy drinking my buzz-free beer. And I didn’t need rehab or anything.”

Is there anything you miss now about Slayer’s demise?

“Yeah, man. I’ve been friends with those guys since we were kids. And, I had one job in Slayer and one job only. Go out, play killer, bang your head and play a little bit of a guitar hero role. One thing I was shocked with was how many Slayer solos there are. 

“There are songs that I played three solos in and at one point I’d be like, ‘Alright, I’m just going to go shred and play this one behind my head ’cause I’m out of ideas.’ [Laughs] But yeah, it was fun and relatively easy. I wear a lot more hats in Exodus and have a lot more responsibility. Fortunately, I love it – but it’s not always easy.”

For years, Slayer were stone-faced and ruthless onstage. As their career drew to a close, it looked like you all started getting emotional.

“Oh, man. During that last performance of Angel of Death, when I raised my guitar over my head during the solo, I was fighting off tears. That was emotional because I knew that was the last time I was ever going to do it. There were people in the crowd with tears in their eyes at the end of the show, too. And then Kerry does the chain drop at the end of the show. It was the end of an era right then and there.”

Kerry King has said in interviews that he thinks the band stopped too soon.

“Did the band stop too soon? That’s for them to decide. I know that’s how Kerry feels. Maybe [bassist and vocalist] Tom [Araya] doesn’t agree. I think the band had a lot more music in them, but you know what they say. It’s better to go out too soon than too late. 

“The band went out firing on four cylinders. Better to do that than milk it for a few more years when everybody knows you’re milking it. That would tarnish the legacy of the band. This way they went out in peak form. Maybe that’s best.”

• Persona Non Grata is out now via Nuclear Blast.

It’s been seven long years since thrash metal veterans Exodus (singer Steve “Zetro” Souza, guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, and drummer Tom Hunting) issued a new album. 

But the delay was understandable – Holt lending a hand with Slayer on their highly successful The Final World Tour, Hunting battling squamous cell carcinoma, and of course, Covid halting most band’s plans. 

But this month, Exodus will finally unleash their 11th studio album, Persona Non Grata. The long layoff has not dulled the California group’s knack for providing truly vicious metal – especially heard on the singles The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves) and Clickbait. 

Holt spoke with Guitar World in the weeks before the arrival of Persona Non Grata. 

Let’s start by discussing the new Exodus album, Persona Non Grata.

“The big difference on this album is we built a full-on recording studio up at Tom Hunting’s – up in the mountains. And I literally had the ability to mic up as many speakers as I wanted, and really go crazy – and really do it the way we did back in the glory days of spending a ton of money on recording studios. But we did it on our own, and it was super awesome to play with sound like that.”

Which songs are you most proud of from a guitar standpoint? 

“My favorite solo on the album is on The Fires of Division. That one came out really, really good. Some of them are not easy to play – the title track. That main riff is just completely weird, and it’s a ‘left wrist killer.’ It’s just one of those where the process of playing that riff is really hard on the left hand.” 

When it comes to solos, do you like to work out something beforehand, or come up with it on the spot?

“I usually might have an idea of where I want to go, and then I just work on it from there – until I get it to where I’m happy, and get it worked out. On this album, we had the time to work as long as we wanted on anything – which was awesome. We were under no time constraints. It was a perfect breeding ground for creativity.”

What is your current guitar set-up?

“In terms of amplifiers, I use Marshall Jubilee reissues. It’s what I’ve been using for a long time – even through the farewell tours with Slayer, carried over to Exodus. On the album I use that, and on the front end of it, I ran a Boss Super Overdrive and my signature Pro Tone Mid Boost – which allowed me to tailor those mids just the way I want them, for maximum crunch.

“And we actually got on eBay and bought some vintage BBE Sonic Maximizers. We went really old school – we used to use those in the late ‘80s to the early-mid ‘90s. It just added that little bit of thump on the bottom and it was totally killer.

“Guitar-wise, I used a couple of my different ESPs, and I used a 1983 Yamaha SBG-3000 on all the rhythms. That thing was just crushing – it was a super heavy, big, thick guitar.

“I used a gold pearl ESP – it’s one of my signatures, but it’s like a gold top, with a little pearlescent gold in it. I used a bolt-on Strat ESP that I have – it’s actually just an LTD, scalloped from the twelfth down. And I took my blood guitar – the one painted in my blood. Those were the primary ones – the ESPs and the Yamaha.

“Where we recorded, we were limited on what we had, because it was three hours from home and driving up in my Jeep. I couldn’t bring 20 guitars… so I brought like, five. I couldn’t bring every amp I’ve got, so I brought the ones I knew I wanted around.”

How would you compare your current set-up to your set-up back in the ‘80s, circa Bonded by Blood?

“Well, Bonded by Blood, that was a weird album there – because my Marshall crapped out, and I used John Marshall’s Hiwatt head with two Boss Super Overdrives on it, and both of them with the level on ten, and the drive on zero. And it just worked with that amp. It was kind of weird.

“But from there on through the ‘80s, I used Marshall [JCM]800s usually with a Super Overdrive, and then later, adding parametric EQ’s into it – which is what I used the mid boost for. I only use that mid band anyway, so now I have a pedal that is just a mid band. 

“The same thing with my KHDK signature pedal – which is basically like a Tube Screamer and a mid band parametric all in one pedal, and it’s just amazing.”

And what were your main guitars back then?

“Mostly Jackson. In the early ‘80s, we would take three cheap Strats, take them apart, and build one good guitar out of them. We ‘Frankensteined’ stuff all the time. And I played some Ibanez.” 

Do you think there could ever be another movement as far-reaching as thrash metal was in the ‘80s?

“I don’t know. I guess in its own way, the nu metal wave took off, and there were a million bands that came out of it. And some rose to the top. So, I guess you’ve got to give them credit for having a movement of their own.

“But going forward, I don’t know. I don’t know if there will be another genuine movement like that. The club scenes aren’t what they were.”

Also back then, tape trading was an important part of it.

“Exactly.”

Today, I guess you can say that the whole online thing would be similar to tape trading. 

“Yeah, but the end result isn’t as good. We traded tapes and then people bought the albums. Now, they trade illegal downloads.” [Laughs]

Do you agree that if “The Big Four” was expanded to “The Big Five,” Exodus would be included? 

“I don’t waste time thinking about that kind of stuff. I just tell people, ‘I know where I was when thrash metal was born,’ and a lot of other bands that lay claim to that spot didn’t exist yet. So, that spot belongs to us – fuck everybody else!” [Laughs] 

Are you still in touch with the members of Slayer? 

“Yeah, I was just texting Kerry [King] a little while ago. I haven’t seen anybody since the band ended and the pandemic struck. It’s not like I was out on the road where I could run into people at shows and such. I’ve got nothing but love for those guys.” 

Would you ever work with Slayer or its individual members again? 

“If I had time, sure. But right now, I’m fully busy and committed with my Exodus duties.”

What are your thoughts on the current state of metal guitar?

“I think it’s awesome. There are kids I follow on Instagram that are just shredding – young kids, like 15-year-old girls, that are riffing out Meshuggah riffs. I think that’s awesome that there’s a whole generation of guitar players coming up – rather than DJs. It gives me hope for the future.” 

Who are your favorite modern day metal guitarists?

“Michael Amott. He’s the modern day Michael Schenker. But he’s his own man – his vibrato, his tone, everything. Zakk Wylde is one of my heroes. But he’s been around a long time – he’s an old guy like me. There are a ton of guys out there that are all so good now. It’s crazy.” 

You just mentioned Michael Schenker. It seems like all the thrash guitarists of the ‘80s list him as a major influence. 

“It’s our age. In our heyday, UFO were huge – and still are one of my all-time favorite bands. And Schenker is number two on my guitar list…sometimes number 1 – it depends on how I’m feeling between him and [Ritchie] Blackmore on any given day.

“But I think all of us thrash guys grew up on the same music. And Michael is a phenomenal guitar player and just as good of a songwriter. His catalog of hits is phenomenal – it’s crazy what it is.”

What are your future plans with Exodus?

“To get out on the road eventually, I hope. I’ve been sitting around for a long time. Just get out there and tour and take this album to the masses, and then do another one. I’m ready to start writing now. 

“We’ve got tours coming up – hopefully the pandemic doesn’t get in the way. Most of it is for next year – hit the European festival circuit, which is long overdue for us. And just tour. Play everywhere and anywhere.”

How is Tom doing health-wise?

“He’s doing great. His recovery is going perfectly. He’s getting behind the drums again lately and working on his stamina and getting back there. But he’s doing amazing. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

“Him and I are going to get together and jam within the next couple of weeks. So, we’re excited.”

• Exodus's new album Persona Non Grata is available for preorder now.

We recently got a glimpse of My Chemical Romance electric guitar player Frank Iero’s rather impressive collection during an interview with Ernie Ball’s String Theory series.

Now it seems that collection might be one guitar lighter. Iero recently unloaded an Ampeg Dan Armstrong, and the recipient was none other than Slayer and Exodus shredder Gary Holt.

“Did a little guitar swap with my friend @frankieromustdie for this cool as fuck Ampeg Dan Armstrong, totally love it!,” Holt wrote on Instagram.

“Has this crazy slide in pickup mount that is just nuts! Frank called it the DeLorean of guitars and I think he’s right! Thanks bro! Gonna do a quick set up on it and take it for a spin.”

Holt, of course, has gone on record as a major My Chemical Romance fan, once calling their 2006 album The Black Parade “a masterpiece.”

He told Loudwire, “I think every song is amazing, it’s super ambitious, and I hear shades of Queen, Pink Floyd and Cheap Trick all over it.”

Regarding My Iero and his My Chem co-guitarist Ray Toro, he continued, “Love their guitar work, killer tones and great chops. Too much great stuff on The Black Parade to single out, but my favorite song is The Sharpest Lives.”

Gary Holt has conceived some unique electric guitar designs over the years, including one painted in his own blood.

Now, the Slayer and Exodus guitarist has teamed with Hutchinson Guitar Concepts to craft a medieval woodcut design on one of his ESP Holt Eclipse models.

Explains Hutchinson owner James Hutchinson, “Gary contacted me over a year ago, after seeing some of my Viking and medieval concepts. He had the great idea of doing a medieval woodcut carved on the guitar. I came up with some designs, but it was put on hold until he had the right guitar from the ESP Custom shop made.

“October comes ‘round again and I receive the bare wood guitar; a super heavy custom Holt Eclipse! So I set to work to create a medieval satanic scene, satirically referencing the Ascension, and taking ideas from old historical occult woodcuts. I even included a levitating cat!

“The fretboard was left plain, except for a 12th fret inlay of 666 in Roman numerals, and the ESP logo was translated into an Old English font, carved into the headstock.

It’s the most intricate guitar carving I’ve done to date. It was a balance between too much fine detail and making the Baphomet image stand out enough to be visible on stage. I think it works! The guitar is being used on the current Exodus tour."

For more information, head over to Hutchinson Guitar Concepts.

Kirk Hammett's pedal company, KHDK Electronics, has unveiled the limited-edition Gary Holt Paranormal pedal, which the brand says captures “the essence” of the Slayer and Exodus guitarist’s sound: “distinct, thick, precise with absolute clarity in the mix.”

Commented Holt: "I had been searching for this tone for decades. When you hear what this pedal does to a stock Marshall head, you're gonna shit your pants."

The new pedal, which has been a staple of Holt’s live rigs with Exodus and Slayer, boasts a full-studio parametric EQ as well as an overdrive circuit. There are also controls for Bass, Tone, Drive and Bandwidth, as well as Volume and Mid sliders.

Additionally, the silkscreened art boasts a satanic cat with glowing eyes, inspired by Holt’s own cat, Buffy.

The Paranormal is being offered in a limited run of 250 units and is available for pre-order for $249.99 on Reverb.com.

Slayer and Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recently sat down with Loudwire's Gear Factor to talk about some of his favorite guitar riffs, as well as what he loves about his ESP guitars.

To listen to Holt talk riffs and gear, as well as crank out some Ted Nugent and Ritchie Blackmore licks, check out the video below:

Check out Guitar World's guide to 11 essential thrash metal albums—discs or downloads every self-respecting metalhead should have in his/her record collection.

Why 11?

"Well, it's one louder, isn't it?"

From Kill 'Em All to Cowboys From Hell, these manic slabs of musical mayhem provide an excellent aural history of the rise of one of metal's most enduring sub-genres.

How many of these albums do you own?

ESP Guitars, which is celebrating 40th anniversary in 2015, will unveil a batch of new artist Signature Series guitars and basses at the 2015 Winter NAMM Show later this month.

“ESP has been synonymous with artist signature guitars since the very beginning,” says Chris Cannella, ESP director of artist relations and product management.

“We’re very proud of the latest additions to the ESP artist roster, and their new signature models for 2015 are among the best we’ve ever made.”

Three new models are being created for ESP artist Gary Holt of Exodus. The ESP Gary Holt LTD GH-600EC and LTD GH-200EC are all single-cutaway guitars that are accented in distinctive red-colored design details, and feature Floyd Rose tremolos.

Another new addition to the ESP artist family, Javier Reyes of Animals as Leaders, is debuting the LTD JR-608/QM and the LTD JR-208. Both are eight-string baritone models at 27” scale. The JR-608/QM has high-end design features like neck-thru-body construction, and features Reyes’ signature DiMarzio pickups.

Also new to the ESP roster, jazz/fusion great Bunny Brunel is introducing the LTD BB-1004/QM and LTD BB-1005FL/QM. Respective four- and five-string fretless basses, the basses include neck-thru-body construction, quilted maple tops, a special Aguilar pickup set with OBP-3 active preamp and ebony fingerboard.

A number of current ESP artists have also had additions and updates to their signature instruments. Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind) is debuting four new models: the ESP Gus G/EC, ESP Gus G/RS, LTD GUS-200 and LTD GUS-200EC.

These updated models are now available in Black Satin finish, and feature contrasting white pickup covers. Will Adler of Lamb of God has new additions to his Warbird signature series guitars, including the LTD WA-200 Warbird Distressed and LTD WA-200 White Camo.

Shredder Andy James helped design the seven-string LTD AJ-7, while new and updated basses are being made available for Frank Bello of Anthrax (the eight-string LTD FB-208 and LTD FB-204), War/PHILM bassist Pancho Tomaselli (the redesigned LTD PT-4) and Gabe Crisp (Whitechapel) with the GC-P4.

Finally, other signature series models are returning to LTD’s affordable “200 Series," including the Kirk Hammett (Metallica) KH-202 and KH-202 Left Handed, Michael Paget (Bullet for My Valentine) MP-200V, Tom Araya (Slayer) TA-200 and Stephen Carpenter (Deftones) SC-207 and SC-208.

For more information on all of ESP’s new guitar and bass models for 2015, visit espguitars.com.

For more NAMM 2015 coverage, visit GuitarWorld.com's official NAMM 2015 Zone, get updates on Facebook and photos and more on Twitter and Instagram. It's like you're at the show!

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the fourth of five exclusive videos featuring Bay Area thrash legends Exodus.

Each weekly clip will showcase material from Blood Upon the Goat, the bonus “making of” DVD included with the digipak and imported box set of Blood In, Blood Out, the band's highly anticipated new album.

The album, which will be out October 14 via Nuclear Blast, is the band's 10th studio release. It was produced by Andy Sneap (Accept, Megadeth) and features ultra-cool cover art (you can check it out below) by Swedish artist Par Olofsson (Revocation).

This week's video features bassist Jack Gibson. Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook! Check out the first three videos under RELATED CONTENT!

Blood In, Blood Out can be pre-ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA webshop in CD, digipak, 2LP yellow vinyl and imported limited-edition box set formats. Bundles include a T-shirt with exclusive artwork for North America and a poster (while supplies last).

Track listing for the deluxe digipak version of Blood In, Blood Out:

• 01 – Black 13 (featuring Dan the Automator)
• 02 – Blood In, Blood Out
• 03 – Collateral Damage
• 04 – Salt The Wound (featuring Kirk Hammett)
• 05 – Body Harvest
• 06 – BTK (featuring Chuck Billy)
• 07 – Wrapped In The Arms Of Rage
• 08 – My Last Nerve
• 09 – Numb
• 10 – Honor Killings
• 11 – Food For The Worms

Bonus DVD includes:

• “Blood Upon The Goat” making-of footage
• Behind-the-scenes tour footage
• Footage from Kirk Hammett’s Fear FestEVIL After Party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

The digital version of Blood In, Blood Out will include the digital bonus track “Angel Of Death.”

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the third of five exclusive videos featuring Bay Area thrash legends Exodus.

Each weekly clip will showcase material from Blood Upon the Goat, the bonus “making of” DVD included with the digipak and imported box set of Blood In, Blood Out, the band's highly anticipated new album.

The album, which will be out October 14 via Nuclear Blast, is the band's 10th studio release. It was produced by Andy Sneap (Accept, Megadeth) and features ultra-cool cover art (you can check it out below) by Swedish artist Par Olofsson (Revocation).

This week's video features vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza. Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook! Check out the first two videos under RELATED CONTENT!

Blood In, Blood Out can be pre-ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA webshop in CD, digipak, 2LP yellow vinyl and imported limited-edition box set formats. Bundles include a T-shirt with exclusive artwork for North America and a poster (while supplies last).

Track listing for the deluxe digipak version of Blood In, Blood Out:

• 01 – Black 13 (featuring Dan the Automator)
• 02 – Blood In, Blood Out
• 03 – Collateral Damage
• 04 – Salt The Wound (featuring Kirk Hammett)
• 05 – Body Harvest
• 06 – BTK (featuring Chuck Billy)
• 07 – Wrapped In The Arms Of Rage
• 08 – My Last Nerve
• 09 – Numb
• 10 – Honor Killings
• 11 – Food For The Worms

Bonus DVD includes:

• “Blood Upon The Goat” making-of footage
• Behind-the-scenes tour footage
• Footage from Kirk Hammett’s Fear FestEVIL After Party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

The digital version of Blood In, Blood Out will include the digital bonus track “Angel Of Death.”

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the second of five exclusive videos featuring Bay Area thrash legends Exodus.

Each weekly clip will showcase material from Blood Upon the Goat, the bonus “making of” DVD included with the digipak and imported box set of Blood In, Blood Out, the band's highly anticipated new album.

The album, which will be released October 14 via Nuclear Blast, is the band's 10th studio release. It was produced by Andy Sneap (Accept, Megadeth) and features ultra-cool cover art (you can check it out below) by Swedish artist Par Olofsson (Revocation).

"I wrote two songs," said Exodus guitarist Lee Altus about the new album. "They are 'Honor Killings' and 'Body Harvest.'

"Whenever we play with any Bay Area band, we always put a little bit extra," Altus added. "If you wanna really see Exodus at their best, it's always with another Bay Area band like Death Angel. We have this friendly competition, too. They know, anytime you play with us, we're going after you! After that, we'll have drinks together...we'll laugh about it... but right now, we're going after you! Oh, now we're playing with Testament? I'm gonna DIE on that stage!"

Blood In, Blood Out can be pre-ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA webshop in CD, digipak, 2LP yellow vinyl and imported limited-edition box set formats. Bundles include a T-shirt with exclusive artwork for North America and a poster (while supplies last).

Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook!

Track listing for the deluxe digipak version of Blood In, Blood Out:

• 01 – Black 13 (featuring Dan the Automator)
• 02 – Blood In, Blood Out
• 03 – Collateral Damage
• 04 – Salt The Wound (featuring Kirk Hammett)
• 05 – Body Harvest
• 06 – BTK (featuring Chuck Billy)
• 07 – Wrapped In The Arms Of Rage
• 08 – My Last Nerve
• 09 – Numb
• 10 – Honor Killings
• 11 – Food For The Worms

BONUS DVD includes:

• “Blood Upon The Goat” making-of footage
• Behind-the-scenes tour footage
• Footage from Kirk Hammett’s Fear FestEVIL After Party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

The digital version of Blood In, Blood Out will include the digital bonus track “Angel Of Death.”

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the first of five exclusive videos featuring Bay Area thrash legends Exodus.

Each weekly clip will showcase material from Blood Upon the Goat, the bonus “making of” DVD included with the digipak and imported box set of Blood In, Blood Out, the band's highly anticipated new album.

The album, which will be released October 14 via Nuclear Blast, is the band's 10th studio release. It was produced by Andy Sneap (Accept, Megadeth) and features ultra-cool cover art (you can check it out below) by Swedish artist Par Olofsson (Revocation).

"[It's] aggressive and in-your-face and the fastest album we've ever done," says Exodus guitarist and songwriter Gary Holt. "I was able to concentrate on leads and I played some of the best stuff I ever have. I'm ripping off Michael Schenker left and right; I should probably be paying him money. I owe him some royalties or something."

He added, "It sounds a little more like classic Exodus but in no way is it a retro album. I wrote most of the stuff but I gave a lot of control away — for the first time."

Blood In, Blood Out can be pre-ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA webshop in CD, digipak, 2LP yellow vinyl and imported limited-edition box set formats. Bundles include a T-shirt with exclusive artwork for North America and a poster (while supplies last).

Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook!

Track listing for the deluxe digipak version of Blood In, Blood Out:

• 01 – Black 13 (featuring Dan the Automator)
• 02 – Blood In, Blood Out
• 03 – Collateral Damage
• 04 – Salt The Wound (featuring Kirk Hammett)
• 05 – Body Harvest
• 06 – BTK (featuring Chuck Billy)
• 07 – Wrapped In The Arms Of Rage
• 08 – My Last Nerve
• 09 – Numb
• 10 – Honor Killings
• 11 – Food For The Worms

BONUS DVD includes:

• “Blood Upon The Goat” making-of footage
• Behind-the-scenes tour footage
• Footage from Kirk Hammett’s Fear FestEVIL After Party at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

The digital version of Blood In, Blood Out will include the digital bonus track “Angel Of Death” (ANGEL WITCH cover).

Thrash pioneers Exodus will release their 10th album, Blood In, Blood Out, October 14 through Nuclear Blast.

It will be the band's first album with vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza since 2004's Tempo of the Damned.

In anticipation, the group has premiered a song off the album, "Salt the Wound," which happens to feature a guitar solo by Kirk Hammett of Metallica. Check out the track below and let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook!

Below, check out some fan-filmed footage of Metallica's Kirk Hammett performing Judas Priest's "Grinder" and Metallica's "Seek & Destroy" with Exodus and Mark Osegueda of Death Angel. Note that Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo joins the band for "Seek & Destroy."

The jam session took place last Friday, July 25, at Hammett's "Fear FestEvil After Party" at the San Diego Comic-Con International.

As we have reported 17,000 times, Hammett was a member of Exodus' original lineup before replacing Dave Mustaine in Metallica in 1983.

As always, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments or on Facebook! We admit the videos are on the dark side, the sound is actually pretty decent.

Legendary thrash metal band Exodus have revealed the art for their upcoming album, Blood In, Blood Out, which will be released in the fall via Nuclear Blast.

The cover was illustrated by Swedish artist Par Olofsson, who also created the art for Exodus' 2008 album, Let There Be Blood.

“I fed [Olofsson] the title and he immediately came up with the final concept, and it’s perfect," said Exodus guitarist Gary Holt. "One of my favorite covers we’ve ever done, and it fits the title and theme to a T!”

Note that you can see a larger version of the cover art below.

Blood In, Blood Out is the band's 10th studio album. It marks their first release with returning vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza since 2004’s Tempo Of The Damned. It also features Metallica guitarist (and former Exodus guitarist) Kirk Hammett on one song, "Salt in the Wound."

"It felt really casual, really cool — just like it did back in 1980 when we were all just hanging out back in the day," Hammett told Rolling Stone. "Me, recording a solo on their album was a huge thing for me. Other than the Exodus demo that's been heard by a lot of people, it's the only time I ever recorded with Exodus. It was a huge thing for me."

Exodus are also hitting the road, as you can see below:

EXODUS in South America

• 08/10 – Montreal, WC @ Heavy MTL - Main Stage B at 1:30PM
• 10/01 - Belem, Brazil @ Botequim
• 10/02 - Brasilia, Brazil @ CEDEC
• 10/04 - Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Carioca Club
• 10/05 - Rio De Janeiro @ Brazil Circo Voador
• 10/07 - Asuncion, Paraguay @ Kop Town
• 10/09 - Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Groove
• 10/11 - Santiago, Chile @ Club Kmasu Premier
• 10/12 - Antofagasta, Chile @ Rock and Soccer
• 10/14 - Lima, Peru @ Centrica
• 10/16 - San Jose, Costa Rica @ Club Pepper's
• 10/18 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Circo Volador

EXODUS in North America with Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies

11/11 – The Fox Theater - Oakland, CA (2nd show added!)
11/12 – The Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
11/14 – The Forum - Inglewood, CA
11/15 – Comerica Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
11/17 – Coca Cola Bricktown Events Venter - Oklahoma City, OK
11/18 – ACL Live at the Moody Theater - Austin, TX
11/19 – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie - Grand Prairie (Dallas), TX
11/21 – Hard Rock Café/Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL
11/22 – The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
11/24 - Empire - North Springfield, VA (just added – EXODUS ONLY)
11/23 – The Fillmore - Charlotte, NC
11/25 – Washington Avenue Armory - Albany, NY
11/26 – Sands Bethlehem Event Center - Bethlehem, PA
11/28 – The Palladium - Worcester, MA
11/29 – Wellmont Theatre - Montclair, NJ
11/30 – Tower Theater - Upper Darby (Philadelphia), PA
12/02 – Agora Theatre - Cleveland, OH
12/03 - Madison Theatre - Covington, KY (just added – EXODUS ONLY)
12/04 – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN
12/05 – The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI

Tonight, Metallica's Kirk Hammett will jam with his pre-Metallica band, Exodus, at his "Fear FestEvil After Party" at the San Diego Comic-Con International.

However, it turns out Hammett has gone one step further in terms of reconnecting with his old band.

"I play a guitar solo on the new Exodus album," Hammett told Rolling Stone.

"It felt really casual, really cool — just like it did back in 1980 when we were all just hanging out back in the day," Hammett said. "Me, recording a solo on their album was a huge thing for me. Other than the Exodus demo that's been heard by a lot of people, it's the only time I ever recorded with Exodus. It was a huge thing for me."

The song, "Salt in the Wound," will appear on an album that features Steve Souza, Exodus' vocalist from the late Eighties and early Nineties. Hammett calls it a "super heavy" riff.

"I play a pretty cool solo, and then Gary [Holt] comes in and plays another solo, and you know what? I listened to that I thought, 'Wow, it's 1982 all over again and here we are, Gary and I are trying to cut each other's heads off with our guitar solos.' Nothing has changed much in the last 30 years. I love it. I love those guys."

As for tonight's event in San Diego, Hammett added:

"We're going to be playing 10 or 12 cover songs, but Rob [Trujillo] and I are adamant about not playing the usual cover songs that everyone else plays, like 'Communication Breakdown.' People are going to be expecting a bunch of heavy-metal cover songs. There's going to be some of that, but Rob and I, we like to stretch out a little bit so we'll be playing some different stuff, too. We're gonna be playing 'The Real Me' by the Who, which is a song both Rob and I love. And we're going to get funky and play [Kool and the Gang's] 'Jungle Boogie.'"

Exodus guitarist and principal songwriter Gary Holt has been an influential figure in thrash metal for the past three decades.

For the past three years, however, he’s found himself in not one, but two of the most important bands of the genre, doing live-guitarist duty for Slayer while being the man behind Exodus.

He’ll be pulling double duty on stage in the spring when both bands hit the road with Suicidal Tendencies for a short run of U.S. dates.

Holt recently spoke to Guitar World and Metal Assault for a two-part interview. In this part, he discusses his transition into Slayer and its impact on his guitar playing, plus the differences between his two gear setups. You can check it out below; be sure to read the other part here.

GUITAR WORLD: As a musician, since you've joined Slayer as a live guitarist, what positive changes have you noticed in your guitar playing?

It's not a matter of being a good or a bad thing, but I guess my endurance is super-killer now because I've been playing with two bands, and I tend to not get much of a break. The muscles are certainly in top form and my hand strength is killer. But as far as chops go, I do come up with some occasional new shit here and there, because with Slayer, I play a portion of the solos exactly like they're supposed to be played, but in some parts I improvise my ass off.

At times I come up with some really cool stuff that I otherwise might not have thought of, but the chances of me remembering it a day later are slim to none [laughs]. It's like, "Oh, that was really great, the thing I just did. But too bad I won't remember it tomorrow!"

So they've been totally cool with you and let you put your own touch on solos?

Oh yeah, for me it's a totally different style of guitar playing. Jeff [Hanneman] was not a schooled lead player. He wasn't technically taught, and that's what made his style unique and awesome, but that's not how I play. For me to try to play like that, I would just be trying to imitate stuff that's one of a kind. It's really hard to recreate that.

In terms of your gear setup, have you had to change anything for Slayer, or is it the same as Exodus?

I use Marshall in Slayer. I use the new Marshall DSLs right now. I started with Jeff's JVM800s from the old setup, and I got them completely dialed and completely crushing, but then some things changed when Pat O'Brien filled in for me for seven shows and they thought Jeff might come back for the Indio Big Four show, and I never got it dialed back to the way I had it, because I never had the rig sitting there like my own rig where I could go into the rehearsal room and play around with it.

But I'm totally happy with the new Marshalls and some of my own components in there. For Exodus I still use the Engl Savage 120, which is probably the best-sounding amp in the world right now.

Is there a particular reason for continuing to use two different setups?

Slayer is a Marshall band, and the Marshall sound fits the Slayer sound better. My Engl sound is super-crunchy and just super-aggressive and right in your face. Slayer's sound is what they've had since day one, and the Marshall fits that better.

The DSL is a great amp. I was using the JVM, which is my favorite amp in the world, but there's a lot of hiss, especially when you're running six cabs. So I had to pick a lower-gain head. But I have a JVM sitting in my living room right now that I love. It's as good as anything I have, but just a little too much distortion going on when I'm not playing, you know.

How do you compare playing Exodus and Slayer songs, and which one is easier for you at this point?

You know, it depends on the song. Some songs in the Slayer song are super-easy, and some are super-hard. It's not because of how complex they are, it's because of the amount of sheer grinding, 30-second notes just non-stop for six minutes [laughs]. Same with Exodus material, some of it is very easy to play and some is really challenging. So it's hard to pick which one is harder to play because neither of them is hard and overall, neither is easy.

Slayer/Exodus/Suicidal Tendencies dates:

• May 9 The Great Salt Air, Salt Lake City, UT
• May 10 Fillmore, Denver, CO
• May 11 Shrine, Billings, MT
• May 13 Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
• May 15 The Pageant, St Louis, MO
• May 16 Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
• May 17 Rock on the Range, Columbus, OH

Andrew Bansal is a writer who has been running his own website, Metal Assault, since early 2010, and has been prolific in covering the hard rock and heavy metal scene by posting interviews, news, reviews and pictures on his website — with the help of a small group of people. He briefly moved away from the Los Angeles scene and explored metal in India, but he is now back in LA continuing from where he left off.

"There are so many different fuckers up here jamming, it could be a clusterfuck," says a very sweaty Philip Anselmo, pointing at the audience in an accusatory fashion after he and a pantheon of metal giants finish playing a hyper-charged rendition of Pantera's "Mouth for War" at the Metal Masters 4 concert in New York City this past Friday night, September 7.

"But guess what?" He assumes a gravely, almost whispered tone to show his seriousness. "It ain't."

He looks to his left at Slayer guitarist Kerry King and then to his right at Anthrax bassist Frank Bello and assumes his alpha-male growl, as if we ever doubted him: "It's fun!"

For the rest of the night, and in the hours leading up to this performance, which was presented by Samson, Zoom, Hartke, Guitar Center and Revolver magazine, positivity seems to emanate from the stage toward the 500 or so lucky metalheads who were able to get into the sold-out show at NYC's Gramercy Theatre.

As with the three previous Metal Masters concerts, a number of luminary musicians who play with metal bands like Slayer, Anthrax and Exodus have joined together, alongside Down and Pantera's Anselmo and bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan, to show off their skills and maybe teach something in a clinic setting followed by a no-holds-barred jam of some of their greatest hits.

Although some of the musicians got together for an L.A.-based Metal Masters show in April, which boasted a special appearance by Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler, they seem almost like their own band — a metal dream — on Friday.

As artists like Anthrax's Scott Ian seamlessly switch off places with others, like Exodus' Gary Holt, on a stage bearing a sculpted wall of amps, Anselmo's proclamation rings true: A clusterfuck it ain't.

The fun times began when Slayer drummer-slash-Tasmanian-Devil Dave Lombardo played a dimly lit set with his echoey avant-garde punk trio, Philm. Considering part of the night is meant to show off each musician's instrumental prowess — the evening is presented by musical instrument companies Hartke, Samson and Zoom — Lombardo situated his kit with a sideways view so gawkers could parse every polyrhythmic paradiddle.

Mouthpiece Gerry Nestler growled and shouted as he wrung bluesy bends and rumbly distorto riffs from his guitar and bassist Pancho Tomaselli whoodled and wheedled up and down his four strings, the pair only taking a break to help the audience cheer on, "Dave! Dave! Dave!" (The pair should deserve their own chant, though, for being able to keep up with the man who does this on a regular basis.)

After that performance, the clinic portion of the evening began with a rousing lesson/lecture/standup routine/pep rally by a Motörhead-shirt-wearing Bello, who promised early on, "You guys are gonna get fucked up tonight. I'm not even kidding. Some of the songs that are gonna be played on this stage, you haven't heard in a long fucking time."

He'd hold true to that oath hours later, but for now he recants stories of Geezer Butler teaching him how to correctly play Black Sabbath's "Neon Knights" at the L.A. Metal Masters show, the impact deceased Metallica bassist (and Bello's friend) Cliff Burton had on him and how much he enjoys playing with Anselmo. And, of course, he rumbled out some impressive notage on his bass, even interpolating Burton's classic wah-wah-infused "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)" solo.

The hulking Sheehan followed him and whipped out some jaw-dropping feats of fingertapping, but the most impressive part of his set occurred when Anselmo, Bello and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante joined him for a rendition of Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher." Playing his bass, Sheehan nailed every note Eddie played on the original while Frankie Lee Roth and Philly Hagar handled the vocal duties. The performance was bizarre and exciting if not for the fact that only Benante was handling the role he's best known for.

The rough position of following this up went to Scott Ian, who had to deal with his set being interrupted by a fire alarm. ("Too much metal," he joked.) When order was restored, he led a sort of "Devil Went Down to Georgia"-type duel where he would play the rhythm-guitar parts to Anthrax classics and then give his instrument to a member of the audience to replicate. The concertgoers in question (perhaps to Ian's chagrin?) all did respectable jobs of matching his riffing on songs like "Madhouse," "Indians" and "Imitation of Life." But that's what you get for challenging a room likely full of musicians.

His bandmate Benante followed his set by playing some rattling drum solos, during which Lombardo came out to duel with him. They traversed a number of famous patterns, including Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" — playing an estimated 39 billion beats between them — until Benante says, "I think we're done. There's only so much double bass you can do … we've met our quota." And with that, the audience prepped for the main event, which Benante joked would consist of "Smiths and Journey tunes."

The concert portion of the evening begins with an ensemble of Kerry King, Scott Ian, Billy Sheehan and Charlie Benante playing Anthrax's "Room for One More," as Bello takes a rare turn at vocals, handling the part originally sung by John Bush. It's just a sampling of the permutations of musicians who mount the stage over the course of the next 11 songs. Next up, King, Holt and Anselmo — who has dressed for the occasion in a shirt whose back reads "Classic Not Classy" — comes out to sing "Mouth for War."

As a sea of camera phones make waves in the audience, he exclaims, "Getting all of us together like this, it's fuckin' awesome … Since we're in New York, I want to see that fuckin' old-school energy out there." And the audience obliges, moshing and running into each other like atoms in a nuclear fission experiment.

The evening progresses by playing one hit after another, culled from respective oeuvres of each band represented. Anselmo attempts songs he hasn't sung since Pantera's final tour ("5 Minutes Alone," "Goddamn Electric"), and the group the odd Slayer classic ("War Ensemble"), an Exodus cut ("Strike of the Beast") and a trio of songs by Scott Ian and Charlie Benante's hardcore-metal crossover group Stormtroopers of Death. "Cro-mags up next," Anselmo jokes, referring to the NYHC powerhouse group, between S.O.D. songs. Kidding aside, the way that band merged hardcore and metal meant a lot to the singer, who says, without them "I'd be out of a fuckin' job."

As with the previous installments of Metal Masters, the crowd goes ape to hear Anselmo sing Pantera classics like "Fucking Hostile" and "A New Level" again, but it's just as impressive to hear him take on the work of a singer like Tom Araya's more high-pitched screams on Slayer canon like "Angel of Death" and the indefatigable "Raining Blood." His husky growl fits right in. Meanwhile, Kerry King nimbly assails each note Dimebag plays in the Pantera classics.

Overall, it's a scene of peers being fans and vice-versa. Before playing one song, Anselmo tells the crowd, "I grew up with hippie parents, and they would listen to Hendrix, Janis Joplin, all that shit. And 'Stairway to Heaven' was the pinnacle. Well, this was my 'Stairway' when I was 15."

Then the group played "Chemical Warfare." Later, Anselmo says, "I'm just a music fan. Don't judge me any other way." The same could probably be said of everyone in the room, who cheer as the artists who performed tonight — three guitarists, two bassists, two drummers and one singer — plays Pantera's hasty hardcore-thrash crossover salvo "Fucking Hostile."

It's a communal experience, and compared to the four Metal Masters shows so far — including the second one where Anselmo made an unannounced surprise appearance — it's the best organized, having more of a concert feel. The musicians should take note, though: Part of the fun of it all is the shambolic spontaneity that comes from maybe not being so well rehearsed. If they refine their playing any more next time, it might turn into (gasp) a band. But that wouldn't be a bad thing either.

Given the recent news that guitarist Gary Holt will once again be joining Slayer on the road this summer, it's fair to ask what will become of Exodus' touring plans in the meantime.

Fittingly, the band have recruited former guitarist Rick Hunolt to fill Holt's shoes for the band's live dates this year. Hunolt was a full member of the band — half of the famed "H-Team" — from 1985 through 2005.

“I’m ecstatic, I’m nervous, I’m psyched," said Hunolt, "all the emotions wrapped up into one! It’s been years and I’ve been practicing hard. I CAN’T WAIT! I’m gonna rip it up!!!”

Hunolt was instrumental in writing some of the band's biggest songs, including “Deliver Us To Evil” and "A Lesson In Violence."

Following his departure in 2005, Hunolt was replaced by Heathen guitarist Lee Altus.

You can find Exodus' complete European tour itinerary below, with more shows to be announced in the near future.

Exodus 2012 Tour Dates

• 06/07/12 Sweden Rock Festival – Sweden
• 06/08/12 TBA – Athens, Greece
• 06/09/12 TBA – Thessaloniki, Greece
• 06/11/12 Target Club – Italy
• 06/12/12 TBA – Italy
• 06/13/12 Nostovna – Nova Gorica, Italy
• 06/16/12 Hellfest – France
• 06/17/12 Rock Star – Bilbao, Spain
• 06/18/12 Hard Club – Porto, Portugal
• 06/19/12 Sala Ramdall – Madrid, Spain
• 06/20/12 Salamandra – Barcelona, Spain
• 06/21/12 La Secret Place Festival – France
• 06/22/12 Ninkasi Kao – Lyon, France
• 06/23/12 Graspop Festival – Belgium
• 06/29/12 Tuska Festival – Finland
• 06/30/12 Rock’n’Bol - Italy
• 07/05/12 Extremefest - Germany
• 07/06/12 Extremefest - Switzerland
• 07/07/12 Extremefest – Austria
• 07/08/12 UFO Festival – Croatia
• 07/09/12 Terezije B.B. – Bosnia and Herzegovina
• 07/11/12 Jukebox – Bucharest, Romania
• 07/13/12 Masters of Rock Festival – Czech Republic
• 07/14/12 Bang Your Head – Germany
• 07/18/12 Hegyalja Festival – Tokaj, Hungary
• 07/20/12 Zwarte Cross Festival – The Netherlands
• 07/21/12 Queens of Metal – Germany

Exodus, Forbidden, Heathen and Possessed are just a few of the Bay-Area thrash bands who've signed up for a special tribute show to late Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff.

The show, titled "Bonded By Baloff: A Decade of Rememberance," will take place Saturday, February 4, at the Oakland Metro Opera House.

"With February 2 being the 10-year anniversary of Paul's passing, the band knew it was high time we do something special to remember the legend of Paul Baloff, so we decided to put together a show the Bay Area will not soon forget," said Exodus guitarist Gary Holt. "We've pulled some of the Bay's finest for this, bands who knew and shared many a stage and drink with Pavel. There are some nice surprises in store as well. It will be 10 years and two days since the thrash world lost one of its greatest frontmen ever, and we will always make sure his memory lives on and is never forgotten. Long live The Destroyer!”

“Everyone in Forbidden is honored to have been asked by Gary and Exodus to play this show marking the 10th anniversary of Paul Baloff’s crazy fucking life," said Forbidden guitarist Craig Locicero. "I witnessed his insanity first-hand at the Mabouhay Gardens and Ruthie’s Inn. As Exodus got bigger, Paul got crazier - in a good way. It was genius at work. He was the mold that all thrash frontmen cut themselves from, but he was also a pretty damn sweet guy. Always kind to those he liked, he'd be in the front row at Forbidden gigs screaming things like ‘Why does it have to be so heavy?’ and my favorite, ‘Heavier than time!’ I'm laughing just typing this! "

He adds: "At his memorial, I saw people I hadn’t seen in years. So much love, so many laughs. It made me happy in some strange way just to see that kind of respect displayed for Paul. We all really loved him. Luckily his legend has returned with a vengeance … and hey, Paul, you did it: You’ve become heavier than time!"

Paul Baloff passed away in February 2002 after a stroke left him in a coma.

Last night in Prague, Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser joined Exodus on stage for a rendition of the band's classic track, "Piranha." You can check out fan-filmed footage of the performance below.

Sepultura fans may remember that Kisser and Sepultura recorded a cover version of "Piranha" back in 2002 for a covers EP titled Revolusongs.

The bands are on tour together in Europe with Destruction, Heathen and Mortal Sin as part of the Thrashfest Classics tour.

If you've already watched our interview with Slayer guitarist Kerry King from Yankee Stadium, then this news will come as no surprise, but for those of you who haven't heard yet, Megadeth were all set to pull out of the Big Four show at Yankee Stadium this past week.

Those of you kept up with our live blog will know that Dave Mustaine showed up to his pre-show interview wearing a neck brace. Dave reportedly injured his neck/shoulder during the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, and had been told by doctors not to play the Big Four show.

"I was in a hospital yesterday morning, so I'm going to have to get surgery right after this," Mustaine told Rolling Stone. "If I move wrong tonight, I could be paralyzed." (You can watch his pre-show interview with Rolling Stone below.)

Fortunately for all involved, MegaDave showed up, played the show and is still intact. But what if Megadeth was unable to show? Talking to Kerry King before Slayer's set at Yankee Stadium, the guitarist revealed that Exodus "were working on flights" to make it to the show as a last-minute replacement.

"I just felt bad for Exodus, 'cause they were on the bill," said King, later adding, "I mean, Gary [Holt] is gonna be here anyway, but the band Exodus, I felt bad for them."

Gary Holt is of course still standing in for Jeff Hanneman, who did not make an appearance at the Yankee Stadium show.

In a recent interview with The Quietus, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt revealed that one of his main motivations for filling in for injured Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman was being able to reconnect with Metallica lead guitarist and former Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett.

"It was all about reconnecting with Kir,k" Holt said of his decision to join Slayer. "He was my best friend when we were in the band together, and being able to spend time with him again and talk about the old days, that's what it was all about. It wasn't about playing with all the other bands; it was about reconnecting with a very good old friend. It was really, really nice."

For the full interview, head here.

We also recently got a chance to catch up with Gary about his tour of duty in Slayer, and you can check that out here.

After wrapping up a grueling tour pulling double-duty with both Exodus and Slayer as part of the "Hell on Earth Tour", we managed to catch up with guitarist Gary Holt to talk about the rigors of playing with two bands at once, the Big Four jam, and when the next Exodus album might surface...

You’ve pulled double-duty with Exodus and Slayer recently. How do you prepare physically and mentally for two full sets of very demanding music?

GARY HOLT: The two sets really only add up to one headlining set by Exodus or Slayer, but the hard part is to keep your energy up between sets, you tend to want to relax with a beer and chill out after playing, but in this case, my work is far from over! Two nights I did have to play back-to-back: Zombie closed the outdoor shows due to all the LED screens and pyro (not too effective in the daylight) and those shows were scorching hot, so those were a bit tougher.

A lot of guitarists have the speed thing down, but are there any exercises (guitar or otherwise) that you would recommend for building up the endurance it takes to play demanding music over long periods of time?

I just work on being as precise as possible. The more you work on that, the stronger you get and your right hand will become deadly. But if only I would quit smoking! It would make my job a lot easier, that's for certain.

How were you approached initially about filling in for Jeff? Was your reaction an immediate “yes” or did you take time to think about it?

Kerry called me right after we returned from the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise and told me what was up and asked if I was down. I said sure, told him I had a gig in Chile with Iron Maiden that I couldn't miss, and they'd have to get someone else for the last few shows, and we went from there. I planned on taking it easy anyway this year, select gigs and song writing. Year's been a bit busier than I thought it was going to be, but it's been awesome.

Were you invited to take part in the Big Four “jam” at the Indio show? If so, was there a reason you didn’t take part? Have you taken part in one since?

I could have, but I had my fiancee and two of my daughters there, and I was just kind of hanging with friends and stuff, so I skipped that one, but it was awesome when we did do the jam in the end.

You guys sort of took a “break” between the first and second Atrocity Exhibition albums by re-recording Bonded By Blood with your current lineup. Do you foresee any projects like that in the future or will you be diving straight back into writing new Exodus material?

No, we're going to get down to some serious riff writing after the new year and hopefully be in the studio by summer time.

If there was one more album you’d like to re-record with the current line-up, what would it be and why?

[Laughs] I think I'm done with re-recording records, but if I had to choose one it would be Pleasures Of The Flesh. Great songs but we had some big issues with our producer, had to change mid-recording, and I never liked the sound of that record.

Exodus released their ninth studio album, Exhibit B: The Human Condition, last year via Nuclear Blast Records. You can find them on Facebook here.

Guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo have just announced that Gary Holt from the band Exodus will be Slayer's guest guitarist, temporary filling in for Hanneman who is currently recovering from surgery. Holt will immediately join Araya, King and Lombardo for their five-date Australian Soundwave Festival tour that begins February 26.

Hanneman underwent emergency surgery on his right arm late last month after contracting a serious infection, possibly caused by a spider bite. He is now recuperating at home and is expected to make a full recovery. He will return to the Slayer line-up as soon as he has fully recovered.

Bay Area forefathers of thrash Exodus will be releasing their ninth studio album, Exhibit B: The Human Condition, this spring on Nuclear Blast. Guitarist/songwriter Gary Holt checks in about what the band was looking to capture art-wise:

"We wanted to portray the violence of man at its finest, so we started with our own version of the Leonardo da Vinci sketch [of Vitruvian Man], but done the 'Exodus' way! I was pointed in the direction of Colin Larks of Rainsong Design for the cover and he killed it! To me, the artwork represents man and his affinity for bloodshed, ignorance, and all-around ability to be led like sheep to the slaughter. The image fits the songs on this record perfectly. The whole layout is going to be as sick as the record itself!"

Exhibit B: The Human Condition was recorded this past December in Northern California with producer Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Arch Enemy, Kreator). Exodus will be performing throughout the U.S. and Canada on Megadeth's Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Tour with labelmates Testament.

• Confirmed tour dates are as follows:
• 3/1 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
• 3/2 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
• 3/3 - Medford, OR - Medford Armory
• 3/6 - Calgary, AB - Big Four
• 3/7 - Edmonton, AB - Shaw Conference Centre
• 3/8 - Saskatoon, SK - Prairieland Exhibition Hall
• 3/11 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theater
• 3/12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Palace Theater
• 3/13 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
• 3/15 - Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
• 3/16 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
• 3/18 - Scranton, PA - Scranton Cultural Center
• 3/19 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
• 3/21 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
• 3/22 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
• 3/23 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
• 3/24 - New Orleans LA - One Eyed Jack´s w/ Goatwhore
• 3/25 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
• 3/26 - Austin, TX - Stubb's Amphitheater
• 3/27 - Lubbock, TX - The Pavilion
• 3/28 - El Paso, TX - Club 101
• 3/30 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
• 3/31 - Hollywood, CA - Hollywood Palladium