In a new interview with Portugal's Metal Global, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has opened up about the departure of vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza and the return of Rob Dukes, painting a remarkably candid picture of a band revitalized and re-energized by the lineup change. Holt described the current energy within EXODUS as "remarkable," drawing a stark and unmistakable contrast with the tensions and frustrations that preceded Souza's exit in January 2025.
Holt likened the split with Zetro to "a failed marriage," explaining with characteristic bluntness: "If you don't love touring anymore, we can't make a living. This is what we do. We play shows, we write music, we get in a van or a bus and we go out there and give everything we've got. If that fire's not in your heart anymore, then it's time to go separate ways." The guitarist's frankness underscores the practical realities of life in a working thrash metal band — one that depends on constant touring and relentless activity to sustain itself both financially and artistically in a genre that offers few shortcuts.
Dukes, who previously fronted EXODUS from 2005 to 2014 and appeared on four studio albums including "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" and "The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A," returned to the fold with what Holt describes as renewed hunger and genuine enthusiasm. The vocalist's first concert back with the band came on April 5, 2025 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest in Philadelphia, marking his first EXODUS performance in nearly eleven years. Reports from fans in attendance unanimously described a ferocious, cathartic show that electrified the venue.
The revitalized EXODUS are preparing to release their thirteenth studio album "Goliath" on March 20 via Napalm Records — Dukes' first studio recording with the band since 2010's "Exhibit B: The Human Condition." Holt has called the album "the most diverse and devastating record we've ever made," featuring guest appearances from Peter Tagtgren of HYPOCRISY and violinist Katie Jacoby. The album will be toured extensively, with the "Krushers of the World" European run alongside KREATOR, CARCASS, and NAILS launching the same day as its release.