Exodus (band)
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Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1982 in San Francisco, California, by Kirk Hammett, Tom Hunting, Paul Baloff and Gary Holt.
After several personnel changes, Exodus split in 1992, reforming in 1996 with new bassist Jack Gibson. This incarnation lasted roughly two years before the band split and reformed again in 2001.
History
In 1983, founding member Kirk Hammett left to join Metallica and was replaced by Rick Hunolt; Rob McKillop was recruited as a bassist. This lineup released the classic title Bonded by Blood in 1985, an album which has been cited as a massive influence on many up-and-coming bands of the time.Shortly before the release of Pleasures Of The Flesh in 1987, Paul Baloff left and was replaced by Steve "Zetro" Souza, who also sang for Legacy, which developed into Testament.
The line-up remained stable for the next few albums, but the band never garnered the success of their peers, such as Metallica and Megadeth. After two fairly heavy releases (Fabulous Disaster and Impact is Imminent)), the band released their first live effort, Good Friendly Violent Fun.
After its release, the band toured off and on for a year and released another studio album, Force of Habit. This was quite a departure for the band, containing several slower, heavier songs with less emphasis on the speed/thrash basis of their older material. A prime example of this is the 10-minute-plus opus "Architect of Pain" - probably the slowest song Exodus ever recorded.
After a few quiet years when heavy metal itself was going through many changes, Exodus released only another live effort, Another Lesson in Violence featuring the return of vocalist Paul Baloff. Exodus disintegrated again, partly due to a falling out with record label Century Media over the way the live album was promoted, and over an aborted attempt at a live concert video which was filmed but never released due to a financial dispute.
In 2001 Exodus reformed again, initially to play the Chuck Billy benefit, the "Thrash of the Titans" mega concert. There was talk of recording a new studio album and the band continued to play local gigs in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. Sadly, in February 2002, Paul Baloff suffered a seizure/stroke and died. Former vocalist Steve Souza was recruited back into the band to finish the rest of their concert commitments.
Although it appeared to outsiders that with Baloff's death Exodus would cease to exist, guitarist Gary Holt was determined to release a new studio record. The result was 2004's Tempo of the Damned released on Nuclear Blast Records. An oddity of the recording sessions was that one track, "Crime Of The Century", was dropped under mysterious circumstances. The song chronicled Exodus' time under Century Media (of which Nuclear Blast is a subsidiary). Although it was publicly denied, rumors swirled that Century Media forced the song off the record. "Crime" was replaced with "Impaler"; a song written back when Kirk Hammett was still in the band, and which was featured on the Another Lesson In Violence live record.
In 2005 Rick Hunolt decided to leave the band to concentrate on his family life, although Holt claims it was because of his suposed meth addiction. He was replaced by ex-Heathen guitarist Lee Altus. Tom Hunting also left, citing medical problems, and was replaced by Paul Bostaph, formerly of Slayer and Testament, among others. Steve "Zetro" Souza also left under disputed terms in 2005, and was replaced by Rob Dukes, whose first recorded performance for the band is 2005's Shovel Headed Kill Machine.
Members
Current members
- Rob Dukes - Vocals (2005-)
- Gary Holt - Guitar (1981-1992, 1996-1998, 2001-)
- Lee Altus - Guitar (2005-)
- Jack Gibson - Bass (1996-1998, 2001-)
- Paul Bostaph - Drums (2005-)
Former members
- Paul Baloff - Vocals (1981-1986, 1996-1998, 2001-2002) (Deceased)
- Steve "Zetro" Souza - Vocals (1986-1992, 2002-2005)
- Kirk Hammett - Guitar (1981-1983)
- Rick Hunolt - Guitar (1983-1990, 1996-1998, 2001-2005)
- Geoff Andrews - Bass (1981-1983)
- Rob McKillop - Bass (1983-1990)
- Michael Butler - Bass (1990-1992)
- Tom Hunting - Drums (1981-1989, 1996-1998, 2001-2005)
- John Tempesta - Drums (1990-1992)
Discography
- Bonded by Blood (1985)
- Pleasures of the Flesh (1987)
- Fabulous Disaster (1988)
- Impact is Imminent (1990)
- Good Friendly Violent Fun (live album, 1991)
- Lessons in Violence (compilation, 1992)
- Force of Habit (1992)
- Another Lesson in Violence (live album, 1997)
- Tempo of the Damned (2004)
- Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)
Trivia
- Soccer star David Beckham has been seen wearing a Bonded by Blood t-shirt, though he knows nothing of the band. For a brief time in 2004, well-worn shirts from old metal bands were a fashion item.
- Les Claypool of Primus, who was a schoolmate and friend of Kirk Hammett's, was asked to join the band as a bass player in 1980, but declined, citing a taste for free-form jazz at the time.
External links
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