EXODUS have once again proven that Bay Area thrash metal refuses to pull punches. The music video for "3111," the lead single from the band's upcoming twelfth studio album "Goliath," has been deemed too brutal for YouTube, forcing the thrash legends to release a censored version on the platform while the uncensored cut is hosted exclusively at exodus3111.com. The song confronts the horrifying reality of the drug war in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where an estimated 3,111 people were murdered in 2010 alone — a staggering figure that gives the track its name.
Guitarist Gary Holt, who has steered EXODUS through decades of uncompromising thrash, stated that they "decided to go hard with the leadoff single" because the subject matter demanded nothing less. The video reportedly depicts the brutal consequences of cartel violence with unflinching visual intensity, pushing well beyond what YouTube's content policies allow. For EXODUS, a band that has never shied away from provocative imagery dating back to their classic "Bonded by Blood" era, the censorship is practically a badge of honor.
The "Goliath" album, due March 20 via Napalm Records, represents a significant chapter in the EXODUS story. It marks the return of vocalist Rob Dukes, who fronted the band from 2005 to 2014 before being replaced by the returning Steve "Zetro" Souza. With Zetro's departure in early 2025, Dukes stepped back in, and by all accounts the chemistry was immediate. This is also the most collaborative EXODUS record ever, with songwriting duties shared across the entire lineup for the first time in the band's four-decade history.
Guest appearances from Peter Tagtgren of HYPOCRISY and violinist Katie Jacoby add unexpected textures to what promises to be a bruising thrash assault. The album was mixed by Mark Lewis, marking the first time in over thirty years that EXODUS did not work with Andy Sneap. Early reactions suggest "Goliath" may rank among the band's strongest work since "Tempo of the Damned."