EXODUS Singer: 'We Don't Stray Away From The Formula'

EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza spoke to Metal Wani at last month's Download festival about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out" album. He said: "I haven't written anything lyrically. I do have songs, musically, in my phone, though, of stuff that Gary [Holt, guitar] has already written and put together. And Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] and him have been together through the year, playing songs and jamming."

Asked if there is pressure on EXODUS to deliver the goods every time they make an album, Souza said: "I don't think so. I think you just do what you know how to do. And you're the best judge of what you think is heavy, because we know EXODUS better than anybody. And if it creeps us… We're not trying to set new standards by going, 'Oh, we're gonna try this. This is gonna be really cool. And people will dig this. It's not necessarily what we've done in the past, but it's still heavy.' We don't stray away from the formula. We just go out there. It's about sheer violence, brutality and make 'em wanna get out in the pit and beat the shit out of each other."

Holt confirmed in a recent interview that EXODUS is "hoping to be in the studio late this year or early 2018" to begin recording its next disc.

Regarding the musical direction of the new EXODUS material, Holt said: "Of the stuff I've written so far, I think the songs are shorter, but I think they're also at the same time more progressive than the last album. It's a little outside the box. It's really super crushing, but I think people will be surprised.

"It's an EXODUS album, but as of now, the stuff Tom and I have been putting together is a bit different," he added. "It's got those subtle changes that make for a departure, but it will still stay true to the core of the band's sound."