Exodus (band)

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Exodus
Exodus.svg

Exodus at the Rockharz Open Air 2018
Exodus at the Rockharz Open Air 2018
General information
Genre (s) Thrash metal
founding 1981, 1996, 2001
resolution 1992, 1998
Website exodusattack.com
Founding members
Paul Baloff (until 1986, 1996–1998, 2001– † 2002)
Gary Holt
guitar
Kirk Hammett (until 1983)
Geoff Andrews (until 1983)
Tom Hunting (until 1989, 1996-2005, since 2007)
Current occupation
singing
Steve "Zetro" Souza (1987–1992, 2001–2005, since 2014)
guitar
Gary Holt
guitar
Lee Altus (since 2005)
bass
Jack Gibson (since 1996)
Drums
Tom Hunting (until 1989, 1996-2005, since 2007)
former members
singing
Rob Dukes (2005-2014)
guitar
Rick Hunolt (1983-2005)
bass
Rob McKillop (1983-1990)
bass
Michael Butler (1990-1992)
Drums
John Tempesta (1989-1992)
Drums
Paul Bostaph (2005-2007)

Exodus is an American thrash metal - band from the Bay Area in California . The band was formed in Richmond in 1981 and is signed to Nuclear Blast . The band's discography includes ten studio albums. Unofficially, Exodus are considered the inventors of this style and inspired bands such as Death Angel , Testament and Vio-lence .

history

Early Years (1981-1986)

Steve "Zetro" Souza 2018

Exodus was founded in 1981 by drummer Tom Hunting and guitarist Kirk Hammett . The "head" of the band Gary Holt first worked as a roadie for Exodus and only later became the band's guitarist. A short time later, singer Paul Baloff and bassist Jeff Andrews joined the band. At first the band played melodic hard rock . Since the band did not have a record deal, the further development of the band was delayed. Andrews left the band in late 1982. Hammett followed a short time later and switched to Metallica . Both were replaced by Rob McKillop and Rick Hunolt respectively. Musically, Exodus worked on a new, more aggressive sound that was influenced by British bands such as Motörhead , Iron Maiden and Raven . At that time, Exodus was gaining a large, fanatical fan base. At the same time the band released several other demos.

Jack Gibson 2018

At the beginning of 1984 the first album was completely recorded and ready for release. Still, the album was on hold for almost a year. In the spring of 1985, Bonded by Blood was finally released via Torrid Records and became a timeless classic of the genre. On the following tour with Slayer and Venom , Exodus earned the reputation of a good live band. With the contract with Torrid the band was not satisfied and switched to Combat Records . A short time later, Baloff dropped out due to personal and musical differences. His enormous alcohol consumption did the rest. In September 1986 Exodus introduced Steve "Zetro" Souza, their new singer, who had previously sung in the band Legacy, which shortly afterwards changed its name to Testament . Souza was initially not accepted by many fans and was often pelted with beer bottles at concerts .

The first era of Souza (1987-1992)

Tom Hunting 2018

The recordings for the second album were delayed. The producer Mark Whitaker was fired and some songs had to be re-recorded. Pleasures of the Flesh was finally released in late 1987. In early 1988, a tour with Anthrax and MOD followed. In April of the same year, the major label Capitol Records took over the contract. For legal reasons the third studio album Fabulous Disaster from 1989 had to be released on Combat. With “The Toxic Waltz” the album contains one of the most famous songs of the band.

In the same year ex-singer Paul Baloff founded the band Piranha (named after a song from the debut album Bonded by Blood ). The demo was produced by Metallica singer James Hetfield . Hetfield also wanted to produce Piranha's first album, which never happened due to the many line-up changes. Piranha eventually broke up.

After the tour for the album Fabulous Disaster , drummer Tom Hunting left the band because of a heart defect . His successor was John Tempesta . Together the band recorded the fourth album Impact Is Imminent , which was released in early 1990. A year later McKillop left the band and was replaced by Mike Butler. In the same year, the best-of album A Lesson in Violence and the live album Good Friendly Violent Fun were released . A European tour planned for 1992 was canceled.

In November 1992, the fifth album Force of Habit was released . Musically, the band took their foot off the gas pedal and focused more on groovy songs. A short time later, John Tempesta switched to Testament and ended up with White Zombie . The band then broke up. Holt founded the band Wardance together with Jack Gibson, Tom Hunting and the singer John Miller , which broke up after only one demo.

Reunion, break, comeback (1996-2004)

Lee Altus 2018

In 1996 there was a brief reunion with alto singer Paul Baloff. Except for bassist Jack Gibson, the band now consisted of the original line-up of the Bonded By Blood album. Exodus toured North America and Europe , including an appearance at Dynamo Open Air . The following year, Another Lesson in Violence was released via Century Media, another live album . Because the album was poorly advertised and a video-recorded concert was not released, the band ended their collaboration with Century Media. Since the band members were struggling with massive drug problems, the musicians decided to let the band rest.

There was another hiatus until September 2001, when Exodus took part in the "Thrash of the Titans" benefit festival for the benefit of will singer Chuck Billy, who was suffering from cancer. After the festival, the band began to write new songs and played individual concerts in and around San Francisco. Efforts were halted when Paul Baloff died of a stroke on February 2, 2002 in an Oakland hospital . His mother had succumbed to the same doom at the same age. Baloff was artificially kept alive for a while. Since Baloff had no relatives at the time, the band had to decide whether or not the life support machines should be turned off.

Instead of giving up, Exodus brought Souza back into the band and played some “Tribute to Baloff” concerts and played at Wacken Open Air for the first time . Rumors about a new album quickly surfaced. Together with British producer Andy Sneap, Exodus recorded the comeback album Tempo of the Damned , which was released on February 2, 2004 on Nuclear Blast . The album, on which a cover of the AC / DC classic "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" can be found, hit like a bomb and catapulted the band back to the top of the thrash metal movement. Exodus has headline tours in Europe while opening North America for a much younger band like Sum 41 . The concert in San Francisco, played on the occasion of the album's release, was released on DVD a year later under the name Live at the DNA .

The Dukes Era (2005 to 2014)

Rob Dukes

In 2005 there was another upheaval. Shortly before leaving for concerts in Mexico , Souza abandoned his colleagues. Souza was then shown outside the door. In the short term jumped Exhumed vocalist Matt Harvey for the remaining concerts one, who had previously played with Hunting and Holt at Wardance. Tom Hunting left the band for health reasons, Rick Hunolt for family reasons and drug problems . Lee Altus ( Heathen , ex- Die Krupps ) and Paul Bostaph (formerly Slayer, Testament and Forbidden ) were signed as replacements . The new singer was the previously unknown Rob Dukes, who until then had worked as a guitar technician for the band.

Together they recorded the album Shovel Headed Kill Machine , which was released in autumn 2005. In mid-2007 Hunting returned to the band. Paul Bostaph joined the band Testament. Many new songs were created during the studio time, so the band decided to release two new albums within a few months. The eighth album The Atrocity Exhibition - Exhibit A was released on October 26, 2007, but the second part, Exhibit B: The Human Condition , was not released until May 2010. In summer 2008 Exodus performed at the Summer Breeze in Dinkelsbühl .

In addition, a new recording of the debut album Bonded by Blood was released in October 2008 with Let There Be Blood . From February 2011 on, Gary Holt also helped out with the band Slayer after their guitarist Jeff Hanneman was unable to play guitar due to a spider bite . Rick Hunolt, who dropped out in 2005, helped out for the Exodus concerts in summer 2012.

Souza's return (since 2014)

In June 2014, the band announced the separation from singer Rob Dukes. Steve "Zetro" Souza returned to Exodus to replace him. Gary Holt justified the vocalist change in an interview with disagreements over the sound of the tenth studio album Blood In, Blood Out , which was released in October 2014. Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett contributed a guitar solo to the song Salt the Wound .

Discography

Studio albums

year Title
music label
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placementsTemplate: chart table / maintenance / without sources
(Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)
Remarks
DE DE AT AT CH CH UK UK US US
1985 Bonded by Blood
Combat Records
- - - - -
First published: April 25, 1985
1987 Pleasures of the Flesh
Combat Records
- - - - US82 (20 weeks)
US
First published: October 8, 1987
1988 Fabulous Disaster
Combat Records
- - - UK67 (1 week)
UK
US82 (17 weeks)
US
First published: January 30, 1989
1990 Impact Is Imminent
Capitol Records
- - - - US137 (9 weeks)
US
First published: June 21, 1990
1992 Force of Habit
Capitol Records
- - - - -
First published: August 17, 1992
2004 Tempo of the Damned
Nuclear Blast
DE67 (1 week)
DE
- - - -
First published: February 2, 2004
2005 Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Nuclear Blast
- - - - -
First published: October 4, 2005
2007 The Atrocity Exhibition - Exhibit A
Nuclear Blast
DE74 (1 week)
DE
- - - -
First published: October 23, 2007
2010 Exhibit B: The Human Condition
Nuclear Blast
DE32 (2 weeks)
DE
AT49 (1 week)
AT
CH53 (1 week)
CH
- US114 (1 week)
US
First published: May 7, 2010
2014 Blood In, Blood Out
Nuclear Blast
DE29 (1 week)
DE
AT38 (1 week)
AT
CH30 (1 week)
CH
UK71 (1 week)
UK
US38 (2 weeks)
US
First published: October 14, 2014

Web links

Commons : Exodus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

swell

  1. a b c d Holger Stratmann (Ed.): Rock Hard Encyclopedia . Rock Hard GmbH , Dortmund 1998, ISBN 3-9805171-0-1 , p. 112-113 .
  2. a b c d e f g h Exodus at laut.de
  3. SLAYER With EXODUS Guitarist GARY HOLT: First Video Footage From SOUNDWAVE Kick-Off Show. Blabbermouth.net, accessed October 23, 2014 .
  4. EXODUS Parts Ways With Singer ROB DUKES, Welcomes Back STEVE 'ZETRO' SOUZA. Blabbermouth.net, accessed October 23, 2014 .
  5. Thomas Kupfer: Behind bars . In: Rock Hard , October 2014, page 14