Misplaced Pages

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), lead vocalist Steve Souza (who first joined in 1986), bassist Jack Gibson (since 1997) 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.

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years Active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Tom Hunting	1979–1989 1997–1998 2001–2005 2007–present	drums lead vocals (1979–1982)	Bonded by Blood (1985) Pleasures of the Flesh (1987) Fabulous Disaster (1989) Good Friendly Violent Fun (1991) Another Lesson in Violence (1997) Tempo of the Damned (2004) Live at the DNA 2004 (2005) all Exodus releases from The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A (2007) onwards
	Gary Holt	1981–1993 1997–1998 2001–present	guitars backing vocals	all Exodus releases
	Steve "Zetro" Souza	1986–1993 2002–2004 2014–present	lead vocals	all Exodus releases from Pleasures of the Flesh (1987) to Force of Habit (1992) Tempo of the Damned (2004) Live at the DNA 2004 (2005) all Exodus releases from Blood In, Blood Out (2014) onwards
	Jack Gibson	1997–1998 2001–present	bass backing vocals	all Exodus releases from Another Lesson in Violence (1997) onwards
	Lee Altus	2005–present	guitars	all Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) onwards, except Double Live Dynamo! (2008)

Former

Image	Name	Years Active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Kirk Hammett	1979–1983	lead guitar	1982 Demo (1982) Tempo of the Damned (2004) – songwriting credit on one track Blood In, Blood Out (2014) – guest guitar solo on one track
	Tim Agnello	1979–1981	guitars	none
	Keith Stewart	1979–1980	lead vocals
	Carlton Melson	1979–1981	bass
	Jeff Andrews	1981–1983		1982 Demo (1982)
	Paul Baloff	1981–1986 1997–1998 2001–2002 (until his death)	lead vocals	1982 Demo (1982) Bonded by Blood (1985) Another Lesson in Violence (1997) Double Live Dynamo! (2008)
	Mike Maung	1983	guitars	none
	Evan McCaskey	1983 (died 1989)
	Rob McKillop	1983–1991	bass	all Exodus releases from Rehearsal '83 (1983) to Good Friendly Violent Fun (1991) Double Live Dynamo! (2007)
	Rick Hunolt	1983–1993 1997–1998 2001–2005 (substitute 2012–2013)	guitars	all Exodus releases from Bonded by Blood (1985) to Live at the DNA 2004 (2005) Double Live Dynamo! (2008)
	John Tempesta	1989–1993 (substitute 2021)	drums	Impact Is Imminent (1990) Force of Habit (1992)
	Mike Butler	1991–1993	bass	Force of Habit (1992)
	Rob Dukes	2005–2014	lead vocals	all Exodus releases from Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) to Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010), except Double Live Dynamo! (2008)
	Paul Bostaph	2005–2007	drums	Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005)

Touring

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Notes
	Perry Strickland	1989 (substitute)	drums	Strickland performed with Exodus following Hunting's departure in 1989, and prior to Tempesta's joining.
	Gannon Hall	1993 (substitute)		Hall and Kontos both filled in following the departure of Tempesta at the end of the band's 1993 tour.
	Chris Kontos
	Matt Harvey	2004 (substitute)	lead vocals	Harvey substituted for Souza in September 2004, prior to his official departure from the band.
	Steev Esquivel			Esquivel performed with Exodus for tour dates in late 2004, following Souza's departure in September.
	Kragen Lum	2013 (substitute) 2015–2019 (substitute)	guitars backing vocals	Lum has performed with Exodus for tour dates in 2013 and from 2015 to 2019, as Holt continued touring with Slayer.
	Brandon Ellis	2022 (substitute)	guitars	Ellis filled in for Lee Altus for Exodus' 2022 summer European tour.
	Mike Schleibaum	2023 (substitute)		Schleibaum, from Darkest Hour, filled in for Lee Altus on December 10, 2023, at Preserving Underground.

Timeline

Lineups

References

1. ^ David, Leslie (October 2016). "Carlton Melson Interview". Pest Webzine. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
2. ^ Murphy, Tom (March 21, 2013). "Tom Hunting of Exodus on how building a song is like building the best sandwich possible". Westword. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
3. Lane, Melinda Smith. "You Can Call Me AL: A New Song". Christian and Missionary Alliance. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
4. Holt, Gary (Interviewee); Hartmann, Graham (Interviewer) (April 8, 2015). Exodus / Slayer's Gary Holt – Misplaced Pages: Fact or Fiction?. Loudwire. YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
5. "Gary Holt Won't Quit Exodus for Slayer Full Time". Guitar Interactive. April 3, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
6. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (February 4, 2002). "Thrash Metal Pioneer Paul Baloff Dies Of Stroke". MTV. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
7. ^ Dome, Malcolm (September 1, 2016). "The story behind Exodus' Bonded By Blood". Metal Hammer. TeamRock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
8. Grow, Kory (February 13, 2013). "Hear Ill Bill's Boom-Bap Tribute to Exodus Singer Paul Baloff". Spin. Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
9. Zapata, Mark (March 26, 2015). "Interview – Steve "Zetro" Souza of Exodus". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
10. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Exodus: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
11. Jandreus, Peter (October 30, 2007). "Interview with Exodus's Gary Holt". CriticalMass.se. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
12. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Another Lesson in Violence – Exodus: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
13. Ling, Dave (April 24, 2014). "Beginner's Guide To Exodus". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
14. "Exodus To Go Ahead With Live Dates, Zetro Steps Back In". Blabbermouth.net. February 4, 2002. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
15. "Singer Zetro Souza Quits Exodus (Again)". Blabbermouth.net. September 13, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
16. ^ "Exodus: Zetro Souza Sits Out South American Tour, Exhumed Singer Fills In". Blabbermouth.net. September 12, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
17. ^ "Skinlab Singer To Front Exodus On Rescheduled South American Tour". Blabbermouth.net. September 17, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
18. ^ "Updated: Exodus Added To More Dates On Megadeth's U.S. Tour". Blabbermouth.net. October 16, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
19. "Exodus Announce New Singer". Blabbermouth.net. January 26, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
20. "Exodus: Drummer Tom Hunting Out, Paul Bostaph Steps In". Blabbermouth.net. May 10, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
21. "Exodus Part Ways With Guitarist Rick Hunolt". Blabbermouth.net. June 13, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
22. "It's Official: Heathen Guitarist Lee Altus Joins Exodus". Blabbermouth.net. August 9, 2005. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
23. "Exodus Rejoined By Drummer Tom Hunting". Blabbermouth.net. March 13, 2007. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
24. Hart, Josh (May 1, 2012). "Exodus to Be Joined By Former Guitarist Rick Hunolt on Upcoming Tour Dates". Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
25. ^ "Exodus Taps Heathen Guitarist Kragen Lum For Select European Shows". Blabbermouth.net. July 31, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
26. "Exodus Parts Ways With Singer Rob Dukes, Welcomes Back Steve 'Zetro' Souza". Blabbermouth.net. June 8, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
27. "Exodus enlist The Black Dahlia Murder guitarist Brandon Ellis for upcoming tour". Lambgoat. Retrieved June 23, 2022.

External links

• Exodus official website

• Exodus (American band) members
• Lists of members by band