EXODUS's New Album Will Be 'An Absolute Thrash Metal Masterpiece,' Says STEVE 'ZETRO' SOUZA

EXODUS recently entered the studio in Lake Almanor, California to begin recording its long-awaited new album for a tentative early 2021 release via Nuclear Blast Records.

The San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' next disc will be the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was their first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Souza discussed the progress of the recording sessions for EXODUS's new LP in the latest installment of his "Zetro's Toxic Vault" video series.

Speaking about the musical direction of the new EXODUS material, Zetro said (see video below): "This album has everything that a heavy metal fan and EXODUS fan wants. It's very brutal, it's very violent, it's very fast. The lyrics are very aggressive and really deep subject matter. It doesn't disappoint.

"As for [guitarist] Gary Holt, him being the major songwriter and the main songwriter, I feel that he's written an absolute masterpiece — an absolute thrash metal masterpiece. It's got all of the elements that an EXODUS record should have. It's not even done yet, and I'm really already proud of it."

Souza went on to say that he can't reveal any songtitles or other details about the next EXODUS record other that the fact that it is "quite fucking brutal."

"If I was to let you know where I'm at right now vocally, I am two-thirds done through the album," he said. "Actually, I've been kicking ass lately, and the songs are heavy.

"A lot of different Zetro going on on this album, I think. There's a lot of hills and valleys. I explored a lot of different angles, and I think that everybody's gonna really like it.

"I've gotta say, me as being a heavy metal fan, this is a great heavy metal record, man," he reiterated. "To me, it is. And it's not even done. Leads aren't even really on the thing yet, so there's still a lot of work to get done. And [mixer] Andy Sneap has not even gotten it in his hands yet fully. Actually, the only things at this time that are fully done are the drums. So, other than that, we're all still kind of piecing it together. I think Gary just finished his last rhythm — I believe his rhythms are now finished. So it's on to finishing the vocals, playing lead guitar and [bassist] Jack [Gibson] finishing what he has left to do."

EXODUS's next studio album will be the group's first since the completion of SLAYER's final tour. In 2011, Holt began filling in for Jeff Hanneman at SLAYER live shows, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS.