Exodus will release their new album, Persona Non Grata, on November 19th through Nuclear Blast Records. Stream the first single, The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves), below.
Persona Non Grata is the follow-up to 2014’s Blood In Blood Out, which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers’ 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.
Regarding the songwriting and recording process for Persona Non Grata, Zetro said, “I wrote a couple of songs lyrically, but [guitarist] Gary Holt wrote the brunt of this record, and it exemplifies why he is the real deal in thrash metal or heavy metal. That’s why all you guys that follow him and love his guitar playing and his technique and his style, you have every reason to do that. And this record, after you hear the record, you’re just gonna go, ‘Wow! Zetro was right.’ And then performance-wise, everybody killed it on their performance. Tom was a man possessed. Jack [Gibson, bass] was too; I think it’s the best bass playing I’ve heard on a record for Jack. And those that have heard the record think it’s the best vocal performance that I’ve done.”
Persona Non Grata track listing:
1. Persona Non Grata
2. R.E.M.F.
3. Slipping Into Madness
4. Elitist
5. Prescribing Horror
6. The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)
7. The Years Of Death And Dying
8. Clickbait
9. Cosa Del Pantano
10. Lunatic-Liar-Lord
11. The Fires Of Division
12. Antiseed
6 Responses
It sounds like a cross between Fabulous Disaster and Leave Scars (uhhh. right, Rattlehead?) I ain’t knockin’ it, but I am not sure how much I like it…but I love, love, love that album title.
Shannon, I agree with you that this song does have elements of Dark Angel’s “Leave Scars”, which I think was Dark Angel’s most technical album.
I loved this new song by Exodus. Exodus always creates such brutal thrash music, and Gary Holt is one of the genre’s best guitarists. I don’t really care for Zet’s voice, I never have….I wish the band would have kept Rob Dukes as vocalist cuz I thought his angry voice was great for thrash music. IMO, Zet’s voice sounds kinda cartoony…..
Exodus….Good, friendly violent fun for everyone…particularly me! :o)
Dukes has probably the perfect voice for thrash…he reminds me of Don Doty…but Zetro’s personality fits Exodus…that irreverence …Exodus doesn’t take itself too seriously (but they get down to business when they have to).I agree with you about Gary Holt; he can make ear candy out of this stuff…Hunolt was great too…
Shannon, I agree with your Doty/Dukes comparison. Doty was a great singer for Dark Angel. I’ve never liked Zet’s voice ever since his Legacy (pre Testament) days. Yes, Hunolt was a great guitarist, too. His replacement in Exodus, Lee Altus, is really good, too. Altus’ other band, Heathen, is also a great thrash band.
Exodus’ debut album “Bonded by Blood” is my favorite debut thrash album. If its release wasn’t delayed for a year due to legal issues with the label, I wonder if Exodus would have had more success? After all, they would have been a little more at the forefront of the thrash movement.
I had “Chemikill” on my turntable the other night..talk about musical thrash…that might be the best piece of thrash music ever produced….I used to hang out with Lee’s brother, Alex, back in the day. He is a great guy… I have to listen to Lee’s work more closely. I hung out with Hunolt some too..he could take a two by four…put a piece of metal wire on it…and make it sound great…that’s the truth. So..your assessment of Exodus..ok, all that said about the delays and everything…it also took two years for a follow up, and they were still on Combat…all that said, with Fabulous Disaster, which was their strongest material yet, they were ready to break…and then they couldn’t follow it up…Impact was the wrong album…and by the time Force of Habit came out…which is what they should’ve done, it was too late.
“Chemikill” is a great tune! “Fabulous Disaster” is a great album with Exodus’ only “hit song”, “Toxic Waltz” that received MTV play. “Impact…” and “Force…” were just okay, probably cuz their label, Capitol, influenced the music. My favorite Zet era album is “Tempo of the Damned”. I saw that tour at Brick by Brick in San Diego. I met Zet at that show. My favorite Dukes era album is “Exhibit B…”. My favorite song from Dukes era is “The Ballad of Charles and Leonard”. That song just crushes! \m/