Exodus (band)

Exodus is an American thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Exodus has five members in the band; the current band members are Steve Souza, Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson and Tom Hunting. Former guitarist Rick Hunolt is currently touring with Exodus and filling in for Gary Holt while Holt is filling in as a guitarist for Slayer after the death of Jeff Hanneman.

Career 

The band was formed in 1980 by band member Tom Hunting and now-former band members Kirk Hammett, Tim Agnello, Carlton Melson and Keith Stewart. The band is named after the 1985 novel, Exodus by Leon Uris.

Tim Agnello was later replaced with Gary Holt who has stayed in the band since. Kirk Hammett left in 1983 to join now-famous thrash metal band Metallica, and was eventually replaced by Rick Hunolt. Carlton Melson was eventually replaced by Rob McKillop, with Keith Stewart being replaced by Paul Baloff. With these members They released their debut album, Bonded by Blood, on April 25, 1985, which is considered by many listeners to be the band's best album.

They then fired Paul Baloff and replaced him with Steve 'Zetro' Souza, and released two more albums, Pleasures Of The Flesh and Fabulous Disaster until signing to a major label and replacing Tom Hunting with John Tempesta. The band then released the album Impact Is Imminent, which was considered a disappointing album compared to Fabulous Disaster. Rob McKillop was replaced with Michael Butler and the band then released Force Of Habit. The songs on this album were a little slower than their previous songs. After touring for this album, Exodus broke-up as thrash metal was becoming less popular.

Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt reformed Exodus in 1997 and brought back members Tom Hunting and Paul Baloff, as well as adding new member Jack Gibson. They played shows throughout the year and released a live album called Another Lesson In Violence, and broke up again in 1998.

The band reformed again in 2001 with the same members as the previous reunion. Paul Baloff died from a stroke in 2002. Some people believed Exodus would break up again because of this. Instead, Steve Souza was invited to rejoin the band, and they released the Tempo of The Damned album in 2004 with his vocals.

Over a year, three members were replaced. Steve Souza left the band whilst they were touring in South America and was replaced with Rob Dukes. Rick Hunolt left to concentrate on his family life and was replaced with Lee Altus. Tom Hunting left due to nervous problems that made him leave in 1989 after the Fabulous Disaster album, and was replaced with Paul Bostaph.

Their first album since these replacements was Shovel Headed Kill Machine, in 2007, Paul Bostaph left and Tom Hunting returned to the band again, before releasing another album, The Atrocity Exhibition...Exhibit A. In 2008, the band re-recorded the songs from the Bonded By Blood album and released them on an album called Let There Be Blood. In 2010, the band released their next album, Exhibit B: The Human Condition.

Steve Souza has recently replaced Rob Dukes after his departure in 2014, becoming their frontman indefinitely. With this lineup, the band released the  Blood In Blood Out record in 2014. They are currently touring the world, with the end date scheduled at 11/26/16.

Band members 

Current
Gary Holt – guitars (1980–1993, 1997–1998, 2001–present)
Steve Souza - vocals (1986–1993, 2002–2004, 2014-present)
Lee Altus – guitars (2005–present)
Jack Gibson – bass (1997–1998, 2001–present)
Tom Hunting – drums (1980–1989, 1997–1998, 2001–2004, 2007–present)

On tour with the band
Rick Hunolt - guitars (2012-present) (a full time member during the following time periods. 1983-1993, 1997-1998, 2001-2005)

Former
Paul Baloff - vocals (1982–1986, 1997–1998, 2001–2002)
Rob Dukes – vocals (2005–2014)
Steev Esquivel - vocals (2004)
Kirk Hammett - guitars (1980–1983)
Tim Agnello - guitar (1980)
Mike Maung - guitar (1983)
Carlton Melson - bass (1980)
Jeff Andrews - bass (1980-1983)
Doug Williams - bass (1985-1986)
Rob McKillop - bass (1983–1991)
Michael Butler - bass (1992–1993)
John Tempesta - drums (1989–1993)
Paul Bostaph - drums (2005–2007)

Discography

Albums
Bonded by Blood (1985)
Pleasures of the Flesh (1987)
Fabulous Disaster (1988)
Impact Is Imminent (1990)
Force of Habit (1992)
Tempo of the Damned (2004)
Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)
The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A (2007)
Let There Be Blood (2008)
Exhibition B: The Human Condition (2010)
 Blood In, Blood Out (2014)
 Persona Non Grata (2021)

References

Other websites 
Official website

Musical groups established in 1980
1980s establishments in California
1980 establishments in the United States
1980s American music groups
Musical groups disestablished in 1993
1990s disestablishments in California
1993 disestablishments in the United States
Musical groups established in 1997
1997 establishments in California
Musical groups disestablished in 1998
1998 disestablishments in the United States
1990s American music groups
2000s American music groups
Musical groups established in 2001
2001 establishments in California
2010s American music groups
Thrash metal bands
Musical groups from California
Richmond, California