Exodus is an American thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Formed in 1979, the group originally included lead vocalist Keith Stewart, guitarists Kirk Hammett and Tim Agnello, and drummer Tom Hunting, who later added guitarist Mikey B, who left after six months.[1] The band currently consists of Hunting (a near consistent with absences between 1989 to 1997 and 2005 to 2007) alongside guitarist Gary Holt (since 1981), lead vocalist Steve Souza (who first joined in 1986), bassist Jack Gibson (since 1997) and guitarist Lee Altus (since 2005).
History
editIn 1980 Stewart left later, with Hunting handling lead vocal duties for a short period.[1][2] Agnello also left shortly after, leaving the band to continue as a trio.[3][4] Melson was replaced by Jeff Andrews around the same time.[1] Gary Holt joined as Agnello's replacement in 1981.[5] In 1982, the band added vocalist Paul Baloff, who performed on its first three-track demo the same year.[6] The following April, Hammett left Exodus to join Metallica, with Rick Hunolt quickly brought in to replace him.[7] Andrews later left to form death metal band Possessed, and was replaced by Rob McKillop.[7]
With a settled lineup of Hunting, Holt, Baloff, McKillop and Hunolt, Exodus released its debut studio album Bonded by Blood in 1985.[7] Following the touring cycle for the album, Baloff was fired from Exodus due to "personal and musical differences," having contributed to the writing of two tracks for the band's second album.[6][8] He was replaced by former Legacy singer Steve "Zetro" Souza.[9] After the release of Pleasures of the Flesh and Fabulous Disaster, Hunting left Exodus in 1989 and was replaced by John Tempesta.[2] Impact Is Imminent was released in 1990, and the following year McKillop was replaced by Mike Butler, who performed on the 1992 release Force of Habit.[10] Due to increased tensions between the singer and other members, the band fired Souza after touring throughout 1993,[11] shortly before disbanding.[10]
Holt and Hunolt reunited Exodus in 1997. Hunting and Baloff rejoined also, and Jack Gibson was added as their new bassist, completing a short tour which spawned the live album Another Lesson in Violence.[10][12] The band returned again in September 2001,[13] before Baloff died on February 4, 2002, after suffering a stroke.[6] Just two days later, it was announced that Exodus would continue its scheduled tour with returning vocalist Souza.[14] The band released its first studio album in twelve years in February 2004, Tempo of the Damned, before Souza left again in September.[15] After Exhumed frontman Matt Harvey initially filled in on vocals,[16] Skinlab singer Steev Esquivel took over for tour dates in October and November,[17][18] before Rob Dukes was brought in as Souza's official replacement in January 2005.[19]
Further lineup changes took place in 2005 – first Hunting was replaced by Paul Bostaph in May,[20] then Hunolt left in June,[21] with Heathen guitarist Lee Altus taking his place in August.[22] Shovel Headed Kill Machine was released in October, which was Bostaph's only recording with the band as Hunting returned in March 2007.[23] In 2012, Hunolt returned as a touring guitarist in place of Holt, who had begun touring with Slayer in place of Jeff Hanneman.[24] Holt later joined Slayer as an official member, with Heathen's Kragen Lum joining Exodus for tour dates in 2013.[25] In June 2014, Dukes was dismissed from Exodus and replaced by the returning Souza.[26]
Members
editCurrent
editImage | Name | Years Active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Hunting |
|
|
| |
Gary Holt |
|
|
all Exodus releases | |
Steve "Zetro" Souza |
|
lead vocals |
| |
Jack Gibson |
|
|
all Exodus releases from Another Lesson in Violence (1997) onwards | |
Lee Altus | 2005–present | guitars | all Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) onwards, except Double Live Dynamo! (2008) |
Former
editImage | Name | Years Active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kirk Hammett | 1979–1983 | lead guitar |
| |
Tim Agnello | 1979–1981 | guitars | none | |
Keith Stewart | 1979–1980 | lead vocals | ||
Carlton Melson | 1979–1981 | bass | ||
Jeff Andrews | 1981–1983 | 1982 Demo (1982) | ||
Paul Baloff |
|
lead vocals |
| |
Mike Maung | 1983 | guitars | none | |
Evan McCaskey | 1983 (died 1989) | |||
Rob McKillop | 1983–1991 | bass |
| |
Rick Hunolt |
|
guitars |
| |
John Tempesta | 1989–1993 (substitute 2021) | drums |
| |
Mike Butler | 1991–1993 | bass | Force of Habit (1992) | |
Rob Dukes | 2005–2014 | lead vocals | all Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) to Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010), except Double Live Dynamo! (2008) | |
Paul Bostaph | 2005–2007 | drums | Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) |
Touring
editImage | Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Perry Strickland | 1989 (substitute) | drums | Strickland performed with Exodus following Hunting's departure in 1989, and prior to Tempesta's joining. | |
Gannon Hall | 1993 (substitute) | Hall and Kontos both filled in following the departure of Tempesta at the end of the band's 1993 tour. | ||
Chris Kontos | ||||
Matt Harvey | 2004 (substitute) | lead vocals | Harvey substituted for Souza in September 2004, prior to his official departure from the band.[16] | |
Steev Esquivel | Esquivel performed with Exodus for tour dates in late 2004, following Souza's departure in September.[17][18] | |||
Kragen Lum |
|
|
Lum has performed with Exodus for tour dates in 2013 and from 2015 to 2019, as Holt continued touring with Slayer.[25] | |
Brandon Ellis | 2022 (substitute) | guitars | Ellis filled in for Lee Altus for Exodus' 2022 summer European tour.[27] | |
Mike Schleibaum | 2023 (substitute) | Schleibaum, from Darkest Hour, filled in for Lee Altus on December 10, 2023, at Preserving Underground. |
Timeline
editLineups
editPeriod | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
1979–1980 |
|
none |
1980 |
| |
1980–1981 |
| |
1981 |
| |
1981 |
| |
1981–1983 |
|
|
1983 |
|
none |
1983 |
| |
1983–1986 |
|
|
1986–1989 |
|
|
1989 |
|
none |
1989–1991 |
|
|
1991–1993 |
|
|
1993 |
|
none |
1993 |
| |
Band inactive 1993–1997 | ||
1997–1998 |
|
|
Band inactive 1998–2001 | ||
September 2001 – February 2002 |
|
none |
February 2002 – September 2004 |
|
|
September – October 2004 |
|
none |
October – November 2004 |
| |
January – May 2005 |
| |
May – June 2005 |
| |
August 2005 – March 2007 |
|
|
March 2007 – June 2014 |
|
|
June 2014 – present |
|
|
References
edit- ^ a b c David, Leslie (October 2016). "Carlton Melson Interview". Pest Webzine. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Murphy, Tom (March 21, 2013). "Tom Hunting of Exodus on how building a song is like building the best sandwich possible". Westword. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Lane, Melinda Smith. "You Can Call Me AL: A New Song". Christian and Missionary Alliance. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Holt, Gary (Interviewee); Hartmann, Graham (Interviewer) (April 8, 2015). Exodus / Slayer's Gary Holt – Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?. Loudwire. YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Gary Holt Won't Quit Exodus for Slayer Full Time". Guitar Interactive. April 3, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c Wiederhorn, Jon (February 4, 2002). "Thrash Metal Pioneer Paul Baloff Dies Of Stroke". MTV. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c Dome, Malcolm (September 1, 2016). "The story behind Exodus' Bonded By Blood". Metal Hammer. TeamRock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Grow, Kory (February 13, 2013). "Hear Ill Bill's Boom-Bap Tribute to Exodus Singer Paul Baloff". Spin. Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Zapata, Mark (March 26, 2015). "Interview – Steve "Zetro" Souza of Exodus". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Exodus: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Jandreus, Peter (October 30, 2007). "Interview with Exodus's Gary Holt". CriticalMass.se. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Another Lesson in Violence – Exodus: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Ling, Dave (April 24, 2014). "Beginner's Guide To Exodus". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus To Go Ahead With Live Dates, Zetro Steps Back In". Blabbermouth.net. February 4, 2002. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Singer Zetro Souza Quits Exodus (Again)". Blabbermouth.net. September 13, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Exodus: Zetro Souza Sits Out South American Tour, Exhumed Singer Fills In". Blabbermouth.net. September 12, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Skinlab Singer To Front Exodus On Rescheduled South American Tour". Blabbermouth.net. September 17, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Updated: Exodus Added To More Dates On Megadeth's U.S. Tour". Blabbermouth.net. October 16, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus Announce New Singer". Blabbermouth.net. January 26, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus: Drummer Tom Hunting Out, Paul Bostaph Steps In". Blabbermouth.net. May 10, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus Part Ways With Guitarist Rick Hunolt". Blabbermouth.net. June 13, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "It's Official: Heathen Guitarist Lee Altus Joins Exodus". Blabbermouth.net. August 9, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus Rejoined By Drummer Tom Hunting". Blabbermouth.net. March 13, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ Hart, Josh (May 1, 2012). "Exodus to Be Joined By Former Guitarist Rick Hunolt on Upcoming Tour Dates". Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Exodus Taps Heathen Guitarist Kragen Lum For Select European Shows". Blabbermouth.net. July 31, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus Parts Ways With Singer Rob Dukes, Welcomes Back Steve 'Zetro' Souza". Blabbermouth.net. June 8, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ "Exodus enlist The Black Dahlia Murder guitarist Brandon Ellis for upcoming tour". Lambgoat. Retrieved June 23, 2022.