EXODUS Drummer Interviewed By ROCK MY MONKEY TV (Video)

Michael Arms of Rock My Monkey TV recently conducted an interview with drummer Tom Hunting of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS during the "Metal Alliance" tour with ANTHRAX, HIGH ON FIRE, MUNICIPAL WASTE and HOLY GRAIL. You can now watch the chat below.

In a recent interview with Denver Westword, Hunting was asked what he misses about the golden days of thrash. "I miss the album sales," he replied. "People download it for free now. Bands like us, DEATH ANGEL and TESTAMENT, we have to play live. But it's okay because as long as people come out and support the music live, which they do; attendance is up, merch sales are up. The only thing I can equate that to is maybe people aren't buying the records, so they come out and support the music live. But this music is best delivered live anyhow. We're not a slave to touring, but it's how bands like ours make money and are still able to sustain ourselves doing this. So, from that standpoint, it's a positive because I get to travel all over the world. As we get older, and I look at it realistically, I have this thing where I realize that we're a lot closer to there than we are to here, and there is the stopping point. Because, let's face it, this is going to stop at some point. So I'm going to squeeze all the adventure I can out of it between now and then and make some good music and really awesome connections along the way."

On the topic of what surprises him nowadays, Hunting said: "What surprises me is when you see young people in the audience who aren't forty-something and they're singing every word. Even people who speak very broken English or don't even speak English — they still know what you're saying in the music. That surprises me, to see people that are young digging this type of music. Kids also, if they like something that's current and they're a fan of, say, SLIPKNOT or LAMB OF GOD, maybe they want to see what spawned all of that. Maybe they want to do some research. From that standpoint the Internet is a good thing because it provides exposure you normally wouldn't have."

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has spent the last two years filling in for SLAYER founding axeman Jeff Hanneman who in January 2011 contracted necrotizing fasciitis, likely caused by a spider bite, and has been undergoing surgeries, skin grafts and intense rehab since.

EXODUS' latest album, "Exhibit B: The Human Condition", was released in North America on May 18, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The CD sold around 4,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 114 on The Billboard 200 chart.

EXODUS' previous album, "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A", opened with 3,600 units back in October 2007.