Before he was shredding with Metallica, Kirk Hammett got his start as lead guitarist for another Bay Area thrash metal band. In 1979, Hammett formed Exodus with high school classmates Tim Agnello, Tom Hunting, and Keith Stewart. With the addition of bass guitarist Carlton Melson, Exodus got its start playing backyard parties and other school functions. While Hammett left to replace Dave Mustaine as Metallica’s lead guitarist in 1983, his original band went on to release 11 studio albums without him. Now, the thrash metal pioneers have parted ways with vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza, welcoming back former lead singer Rob Dukes.
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Exodus Welcomes Back Rob Dukes As Souza Exits
In a post made Wednesday (Jan. 15) to the band’s official Instagram account, Exodus announced it had officially split with frontman Steve “Zetro” Souza.
“We thank Steve for his years fronting the band and all the killer music we made during that time,” the post read. “We wish him only the best in the future and much success with anything he does.”
The post went on to welcome back Rob Dukes, who previously filled the lead vocalist role from 2005 to 2014. “We are beyond stoked to have Rob back ripping up the stage with us and he’s looking forward to crushing everything like only he can,” the band wrote.
Next, the band assured fans that their upcoming record “rolls along as planned.” They last released Persona Non Grata in 2021.
[RELATED: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Talks Guitar-Smashing Writer’s Block and How He Broke the Habit]
This Marks Souza’s Third Exit From the Band
Steve “Zetro” Souza, 60, fronted the thrash metal outfit Legacy (later Testament) before replacing Paul Baloff at the helm of Exodus in 1986.
Souza released five albums with Exodus before the band went on hiatus following 1992’s Force of Habit. After joining the revived band in 2002, he again left the band during their 2004 tour in South America. The split was far from amicable, with guitarist Gary Holt accusing Souza of bailing at the 11th hour.
“If he had been a man and finished his commitments and said that it’s too hard and he can’t do it anymore I’d have shaken his hand and wished him well, but not now,” Holt wrote on the band’s official forum. “He is the enemy.”
Ten years later, Dukes left the band. Exodus then reunited with Souza, who admitted, “I was a bear to deal with.”
Featured image by Larry Marano/Shutterstock
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