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. 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), bassist Jack Gibson (since 1997), lead vocalist Rob Dukes (who first joined in 2005, and rejoined in 2025) and guitarist Lee Altus (since 2005).
History In 1980 Stewart left later, with Hunting handling lead vocal duties for a short period. Agnello also left shortly after, leaving the band to continue as a trio. Melson was replaced by Jeff Andrews around the same time. Gary Holt joined as Agnello's replacement in 1981. In 1982, the band added vocalist Paul Baloff, who performed on its first three-track demo the same year. The following April, Hammett left Exodus to join Metallica, with Rick Hunolt quickly brought in to replace him. Andrews later left to form death metal band Possessed, and was replaced by Rob McKillop.
With a settled lineup of Hunting, Holt, Baloff, McKillop and Hunolt, Exodus released its debut studio album Bonded by Blood in 1985. 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. He was replaced by former Legacy singer Steve "Zetro" Souza. After the release of Pleasures of the Flesh and Fabulous Disaster, Hunting left Exodus in 1989 and was replaced by John Tempesta. 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. Due to increased tensions between the singer and other members, the band fired Souza after touring throughout 1993, shortly before disbanding.
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. The band returned again in September 2001, before Baloff died on February 4, 2002, after suffering a stroke. Just two days later, it was announced that Exodus would continue its scheduled tour with returning vocalist Souza. The band released its first studio album in twelve years in February 2004, Tempo of the Damned, before Souza left again in September. After Exhumed frontman Matt Harvey initially filled in on vocals, Skinlab singer Steev Esquivel took over for tour dates in October and November, before Rob Dukes was brought in as Souza's official replacement in January 2005.
Further lineup changes took place in 2005 – first Hunting was replaced by Paul Bostaph in May, then Hunolt left in June, with Heathen guitarist Lee Altus taking his place in August. Shovel Headed Kill Machine was released in October, which was Bostaph's only recording with the band as Hunting returned in March 2007. In 2012, Hunolt returned as a touring guitarist in place of Holt, who had begun touring with Slayer in place of Jeff Hanneman. Holt later joined Slayer as an official member, with Heathen's Kragen Lum joining Exodus for tour dates in 2013. In June 2014, Dukes was dismissed from Exodus and replaced by the returning Souza.
On January 15, 2025, the band announced the departure of Souza, and subsequent return of Dukes.
Members Current ImageNameYears ActiveInstrumentsRelease contributionsTom HuntingGary Holtall Exodus releasesJack Gibsonall Exodus releases from Another Lesson in Violence (1997) onwardsLee Altus2005–presentguitarall Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) onwards, except Double Live Dynamo! (2008)Rob Dukeslead vocalsall Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) to Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010), except Double Live Dynamo! (2008)
Former ImageNameYears ActiveInstrumentsRelease contributionsKirk HammettguitarTim Agnello1979–1981rowspan="3" Keith Stewart1979–1980lead vocalsCarlton Melson1979–1981bass guitarJeff Andrews1982 Demo (1982)Paul Balofflead vocalsMike Maung1983guitarrowspan="2" Evan McCaskey1983 Rob McKillop1983–1991bass guitarRick HunoltguitarSteve "Zetro" Souzalead vocalsJohn TempestadrumsMike Butler1991–1993bass guitarForce of Habit (1992)Paul Bostaph2005–2007drumsShovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)
Touring ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsNotesPerry Strickland1989 drumsStrickland performed with Exodus following Hunting's departure in 1989, and prior to Tempesta's joining.Gannon Hall1993 Hall and Kontos both filled in following the departure of Tempesta at the end of the band's 1993 tour.Chris KontosMatt Harvey2004 lead vocalsHarvey substituted for Souza in September 2004, prior to his official departure from the band.Steev EsquivelEsquivel performed with Exodus for tour dates in late 2004, following Souza's departure in September.Kragen LumLum has performed with Exodus for tour dates in 2013 and from 2015 to 2019, as Holt continued touring with Slayer.Brandon Ellis2022 guitarEllis, from The Black Dahlia Murder, filled in for Lee Altus for Exodus' 2022 summer European tour.Mike Schleibaum2023 bass guitarSchleibaum, from Darkest Hour, filled in for Jack Gibson on December 10, 2023, at Preserving Underground. He continued to play bass when Gibson had to sit out the tour.
Timeline
Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesLate 1979–Early 1980Keith Stewart – vocals Kirk Hammett – guitar Tim Agnello – guitar Carlton Melson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsrowspan="5" Early 1980–Early 1981Kirk Hammett – guitar Tim Agnello – guitar Carlton Melson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drums, vocals1981Kirk Hammett – guitar Carlton Melson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drums, vocalsMid 1981Kirk Hammett – guitar Jeff Andrews – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drums, vocalsLate 1981–November 1982Kirk Hammett – guitar Gary Holt – guitar Jeff Andrews – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drums, vocalsNovember 1982–April 1983Paul Baloff – vocals Kirk Hammett – guitar Gary Holt – guitar Jeff Andrews – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsUntitled 1982 demo (1982) Die by His Hand (1983)April–May 1983Paul Baloff – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Mike Maung – guitar Jeff Andrews – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsrowspan="2" May–June 1983Paul Baloff – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Evan McCaskey – guitar Jeff Andrews – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsJune 1983–June 1986Paul Baloff – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Rob McKillop – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsRehearsal '83 (1983) Bonded by Blood (1985) Double Live Dynamo! (2008)June 1986–July 1989Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Rob McKillop – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsPleasures of the Flesh (1987) Fabulous Disaster (1989)July–November 1989Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Rob McKillop – bass guitar Perry Strickland – drums December 1989–1991Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Rob McKillop – bass guitar John Tempesta – drumsImpact Is Imminent (1990) Good Friendly Violent Fun (1991)1991–1993Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Mike Butler – bass guitar John Tempesta – drumsForce of Habit (1992)1993Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Mike Butler – bass guitar Gannon Hall – drums rowspan="2" 1993Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Mike Butler – bass guitar Chris Kontos – drums Band inactive 1993–19971997–April 1998Paul Baloff – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsAnother Lesson in Violence (1997) Double Live Dynamo! (2008)Band inactive April 1998–September 2001September 2001–February 2002Paul Baloff – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsFebruary 2002–September 2004Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsTempo of the Damned (2004) Live at the DNA 2004 (2005)September–October 2004Matt Harvey – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsrowspan="6" October–November 2004Steev Esquivel – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsNovember–December 2004Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drums, vocalsJanuary–May 2005Rob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsMay–June 2005Rob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Rick Hunolt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Paul Bostaph – drumsJune–August 2005Rob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Paul Bostaph – drumsAugust 2005–March 2007Rob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Lee Altus – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Paul Bostaph – drumsShovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)March 2007–June 2014Rob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Lee Altus – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsThe Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A (2007) Let There Be Blood (2008) Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010) Shovel Headed Tour Machine (2010)June 2014–January 2025Steve Souza – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Lee Altus – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsBlood In, Blood Out (2014) Persona Non Grata (2021)January 2025–presentRob Dukes – vocals Gary Holt – guitar Lee Altus – guitar Jack Gibson – bass guitar Tom Hunting – drumsGoliath (2026)
References
External links Exodus official website