Exodus, the Bay Area thrash band that launched Kirk Hammett into Metallica

Exodus formed in 1979 in Richmond, California and became one of the founding bands of thrash metal, launching original guitarist Kirk Hammett into Metallica in 1983. Lineup history, the 12-album discography through 2026's Goliath, and documented gear, sourced from the band's own site and Wikipedia.

Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team · 2026-07-06

Exodus is the Bay Area thrash-metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California, best known for launching guitarist Kirk Hammett before he joined Metallica in 1983. The band's debut, Bonded by Blood (1985), helped define thrash metal alongside Metallica and Slayer. The 2026 lineup is Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson, Tom Hunting, and returning vocalist Rob Dukes, touring behind their 13th studio album, Goliath.

Former members(1)

Kirk Hammett
FormerGuitarist
Documented strings, guitars, amps, and effects Kirk Hammett uses with Metallica. The Ernie Ball RPS-10/RPS-11 hybrid set (.010 to .048), the ESP KH signature line, the Mesa Boogie Rackmount Dual Rectifier years, the Randall KH signature era, the current Fractal Axe-FX III live rig, and Greeny. Every claim cited.

At a glance

Role

Band

Active

1979–present (hiatuses 1993–1997, 1998–2001)

Based

Richmond / San Francisco Bay Area, California

Genres

Affiliations

Napalm Records (signed 2023; Goliath, 2026, first release on the label)
Capitol Records (Impact Is Imminent, Force of Habit, 1990–1992)
Metallica lineage: co-founder Kirk Hammett left in 1983 to replace Dave Mustaine

Notable credits

Bonded by Blood (1985), thrash-metal founding document
Tempo of the Damned (2004)
Blood In, Blood Out (2014)
Persona Non Grata (2021)
Goliath (2026), 13th studio album

Sourcing6 citations · reviewed 2026-07-06· by Change Your Strings editorial team

The band, decoded

Exodus is one of the founding bands of thrash metal, formed in 1979 in Richmond, California, in the same East Bay scene that produced Metallica's earliest years, Testament, Death Angel, and Vio-lence (part of the same Bay Area metal lineage that runs through the region). The original lineup was guitarists Kirk Hammett and Tim Agnello, drummer Tom Hunting, and vocalist Keith Stewart, all high schoolers at the time. Gary Holt joined on guitar in 1981, replacing Agnello, and has been the band's guitar-playing constant ever since.

The defining early moment: in April 1983, Hammett left to replace Dave Mustaine in Metallica, on roughly two weeks' notice, and tracked the lead guitar on Kill 'Em All. Rick Hunolt took over Hammett's chair in Exodus, and the band pushed on toward its 1985 debut. Hammett's post-Exodus rig is fully documented today, starting with his Ernie Ball hybrid string set (Regular Slinky RPS 2241), covered in full on his CYS profile.

Exodus has run on and off since (hiatuses from 1993 to 1997 and 1998 to 2001), with singers and drummers rotating around Gary Holt's constant guitar chair. As of the band's own February 2026 bio, the lineup is Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson, Tom Hunting, and returning vocalist Rob Dukes, touring behind their 13th studio album, Goliath.

Discography, era by era

The 13 studio albums, including one re-recording

Bonded by Blood (1985): The debut. Paul Baloff on vocals, Hunolt and Holt on guitars, Rob McKillop on bass, Tom Hunting on drums. A founding document of thrash metal alongside early Metallica and Slayer.
Pleasures of the Flesh (1987): First album with Steve 'Zetro' Souza on vocals, following Baloff's firing after the Bonded by Blood touring cycle.
Fabulous Disaster (1989): Second Zetro-era record. Tom Hunting left the band after this album's cycle, replaced by John Tempesta.
Impact Is Imminent (1990): First of two albums for Capitol Records, the band's major-label push. Tempesta on drums.
Force of Habit (1992): Second Capitol Records album, with new bassist Mike Butler. The band fired Souza after 1993 touring and quietly disbanded shortly after.
Tempo of the Damned (2004): The comeback: Exodus's first studio album in 12 years, with Souza back on vocals after 1997 and 2001 reunion tours (the 1997 reunion produced the live album Another Lesson in Violence).
Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005): First album with new vocalist Rob Dukes, and the only Exodus studio record with Paul Bostaph on drums. Lee Altus joined on guitar this year, replacing Rick Hunolt.
The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A (2007): Produced by Andy Sneap, whose metal-production discography also runs through Judas Priest and Testament (see his CYS profile below). Tom Hunting back on drums.
Let There Be Blood (2008): A re-recorded, updated version of Bonded by Blood. Still counted as the band's ninth studio album in the standard discography, even though it revisits 1985 material rather than new songs.
Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010): Second Sneap-adjacent Dukes-era record, closing out Dukes' first run in the band.
Blood In, Blood Out (2014): Dukes was dismissed in June 2014; Zetro Souza returned for his third stint on vocals.
Persona Non Grata (2021): Souza's most recent album with the band before his January 2025 departure.
Goliath (2026): 13th studio album, first for Napalm Records. Rob Dukes returned on vocals in January 2025. Produced by the band, mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis (Whitechapel, Nile, Undeath), with guest contributions from Peter Tagtgren and violinist Katie Jacoby.

The 2026 lineup and the revolving door

Gary Holt is the only member who has played on every Exodus release. Everyone else, including two of the band's most historically important members, has rotated through at least one departure and return.

Current lineup, per the band's own 2026 bio

Gary Holt, guitar (1981–present): The band's guitar constant since replacing Tim Agnello in 1981, aside from the group's own inactive stretches. Also an official member of Slayer since 2013, after touring in place of the late Jeff Hanneman starting in 2012.
Lee Altus, guitar (2005–present): Joined in August 2005, replacing Rick Hunolt. Also plays in Heathen, the fellow Bay Area thrash band.
Jack Gibson, bass (1997–1998, 2001–present): Joined for the band's first reunion in 1997, then again from 2001 onward once Exodus resumed full-time.
Tom Hunting, drums (founding member, 1979): In and out across the band's history, most recently returning in March 2007 after Paul Bostaph's one-album stint.
Rob Dukes, vocals (2005–2014, 2025–present): First joined in January 2005, dismissed in 2014 for Souza's return, and brought back in January 2025 when Souza departed again.

The revolving door: notable former members

Kirk Hammett, guitar (1979–1983): Co-founder. Left in April 1983 to join Metallica. His current, fully documented rig lives on his own CYS profile, linked above.
Paul Baloff, vocals (1982–1986, 1997–1998, 2001–2002): The original frontman across several stints. Died February 4, 2002, after a stroke.
Steve "Zetro" Souza, vocals (1986–1993, 2002–2004, 2014–2025): Three separate stints, the most recent ending in January 2025 when Rob Dukes returned.
Rick Hunolt, guitar (1983–1993, plus later reunions): Kirk Hammett's replacement, and the co-guitarist across the band's classic Bonded by Blood through Force of Habit run.
John Tempesta and Paul Bostaph, drums: Each covered a Tom Hunting absence: Tempesta on Impact Is Imminent (1990) and Force of Habit (1992), Bostaph on Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005).

Kirk Hammett: the guitarist who left for Metallica

Exodus's best-known alum never played on a proper studio album with the band. Hammett co-founded the group in 1979, wrote and played on its earliest demos, and left in April 1983, right as Metallica needed a guitarist on short notice after firing Dave Mustaine. He tracked the lead guitar on Kill 'Em All two months later. Rick Hunolt filled Hammett's chair in Exodus for the band's classic run, including 1985's Bonded by Blood.

Hammett's gear today has nothing to do with his brief Exodus tenure (no gear from that era is documented, and CYS doesn't guess), but it's some of the most thoroughly sourced gear on this entire site. His current hybrid string setup pairs the plain strings from Ernie Ball's Regular Slinky RPS 2241 with the wound strings from Power Slinky RPS 2242:

Ernie Ball

Regular Slinky RPS 2241 Nickel Wound (.010–.046)

.010 – .046

Price tier: $

Why this one: The plain-string half of Kirk Hammett's documented Ernie Ball hybrid set, the .010, .013, and .017 strings paired with Power Slinky RPS 2242's wound strings for the .028, .038, and .048. Full breakdown on his CYS profile.

E StandardEb StandardMetal

View on Amazon Full review →

For the full amp chain, guitar history (ESP KH-2 'The Mummy,' the Greeny Les Paul), and effects, see the complete Kirk Hammett profile. If you're chasing a thrash rhythm tone in general rather than Hammett's specific rig, start with thrash metal in E standard.

Where to start listening

If you're new to Exodus: Start with Bonded by Blood (1985). Baloff's snarl, the Hunolt/Holt guitar attack, and the record that helped define what thrash metal sounds like.
If you want the comeback story: Tempo of the Damned (2004), the band's first studio album in 12 years, with Zetro back on vocals.
If you want the current band: Goliath (2026). Gary Holt's still the primary riff writer, Rob Dukes is back on vocals, and it's the band's first record for Napalm Records.
If you want the deep cut: Force of Habit (1992), the slower, groove-leaning record that closed out the band's original run before the 1993 to 1997 hiatus.

Next steps

Kirk Hammett's full guitar rig Ernie Ball Regular Slinky RPS 2241 review Kill 'Em All (Metallica), the album Hammett joined for Andy Sneap, producer of Exhibit A Thrash metal strings in E standard

Frequently asked questions

When was Exodus formed?

1979, in Richmond, California. Founding members were guitarists Kirk Hammett and Tim Agnello, drummer Tom Hunting, and vocalist Keith Stewart, all still in high school at the time. Gary Holt joined on guitar in 1981, replacing Agnello, and the classic thrash lineup started coming together from there.

Did Kirk Hammett really found Exodus?

Yes. Hammett co-founded the band in 1979 and played guitar through its earliest demos before leaving in April 1983 to replace Dave Mustaine in Metallica, on roughly two weeks' notice. Rick Hunolt stepped in as his replacement in Exodus.

Who is in Exodus in 2026?

Gary Holt (guitar, since 1981), Lee Altus (guitar, since 2005), Jack Gibson (bass, since 1997), Tom Hunting (drums, a founding member), and Rob Dukes (vocals, who returned in January 2025 after Steve 'Zetro' Souza's departure). All five are credited on the band's official 2026 bio.

What happened to original singer Paul Baloff?

Baloff fronted Exodus through Bonded by Blood (1985) and several later reunions, but died on February 4, 2002, after suffering a stroke. He's still widely regarded as the definitive voice of the band's classic era.

How many times has Steve 'Zetro' Souza been in Exodus?

Three separate stints: 1986 to 1993 (Pleasures of the Flesh through Force of Habit), 2002 to 2004 (Tempo of the Damned), and 2014 to January 2025 (Blood In, Blood Out and Persona Non Grata).

What's Exodus's newest album?

Goliath (2026), the band's 13th studio album and first for Napalm Records. It's produced by the band and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis, and it's returning vocalist Rob Dukes' first studio record with Exodus since 2010's Exhibit B: The Human Condition.

Is Let There Be Blood a new Exodus album?

It's a studio album, but not new material: Let There Be Blood (2008) is a re-recorded, updated version of 1985's Bonded by Blood. It's still counted as the band's ninth studio album in the standard discography, which makes Goliath (2026) their thirteenth overall, not their twelfth.

Where should a new listener start with Exodus?

Bonded by Blood (1985). It's the debut that helped define thrash metal alongside early Metallica and Slayer, and it's still the record longtime members point to when asked what the band is about.