When Rob Dukes acquired the decision to rejoin Exodus, it got here as an entire shock. “It’s like a loopy factor to occur. I did not count on it. I did not know I used to be getting a cellphone name earlier than I acquired it,” he recalled in a latest interview with Nikki Blakk of San Francisco’s 107.7 The Bone (transcribed by Blabbermouth).
“And I had to consider it, you understand what I imply? I’ve an entire life that I constructed up. So it was sort of, like, ‘All proper, nicely, let me discuss it and give it some thought.’ After which I used to be, like, ‘All proper, cool. Let’s do it, man. Let’s go have enjoyable.’ Yeah.”
That sudden cellphone name, which got here proper round Christmas, marked the beginning of a brand new chapter for Exodus and for Dukes, who had been away from the band for a decade. As Exodus gears up for the discharge of their follow-up to Persona Non Grata, the vitality across the band feels each acquainted and freshly energized.
“We’re monitoring vocals proper now. Properly, they’re just about doing the whole lot, so that they acquired the drums achieved after which some guitars and so they’re doing the rhythms and all that,” Dukes defined. “After which me and Jack [Gibson, bassist], him doing the bass, we sort of commerce on and off days, ‘trigger I can solely go for 2 or three hours after which I am sort of spent for the day till the subsequent day.”
The brand new album will characteristic 11 tracks. “It is 11. And it is fucking heavy as fuck, man. I imply, it’s fucking heavy and darkish and funky,” Dukes emphasised. However he was fast to level out that the fabric is not one-note. “There was just a little little bit of Motörhead-y rock stuff occurring. I am, like, ‘Oh, cool, man. This can be a little departure from the norm.’ It was actually cool. And so I get to step outdoors the field just a little bit, which is good, man. It is sort of cool. Good problem.”
When requested how this new materials compares to the band’s previous work, Dukes was clear: Exodus will all the time sound like Exodus. “Properly, Exodus is all the time gonna sound like Exodus as a result of they do not sound like anyone else. And that is simply Gary [Holt, guitarist] and Tom [Hunting, drummer], and Lee [Altus, guitarist]. The way in which they do issues is simply completely different.”
“I actually cannot examine it to anything, however there are components of the whole lot, however they’ve stepped outdoors these components additionally, and so they’re doing a pair issues that I am, like, ‘Wow, that is fucking new. All proper, cool. Yeah, I am in.’ You understand what I imply?” he added. “And it will be cool, man. And it would not take away from the fucking heaviness of it or something. It is just a bit completely different, however it’s fucking cool.”
Regardless of the modifications, the band stays firmly rooted within the thrash steel custom they helped outline. Dukes stated Exodus remains to be “undoubtedly setting the bar fairly excessive in relation to thrash. I imply, Gary and Tom, they’re simply fucking unbelievable, man. And I really feel actually honored and privileged to be part of it.”
Getting again into the swing of issues has introduced its personal challenges — particularly with 2025 marking the fortieth anniversary of Bonded By Blood, the band’s iconic debut. “This album has been with me so lengthy, I really feel silly after I do not bear in mind [some of the words],” Dukes admitted. “However one factor I do is I sort of… It is like this factor when you consider one thing that is developing that you’ve got hassle remembering. You are not within the second that you just’re in, after which that second turns into compromised. And so I have been leaping traces. However I have been okay with it.”
“I really remembered much more than I believed I used to be gonna, and I did a rehearsal two days in the past and I did not use any notes. And I sort of realized, ‘Okay, so that is the one I am having hassle with. This one I am having hassle with.’ So, I made notes for these. However we’ll see, man. It’s going to be all proper.”
Remembering lyrics is one factor—remembering the place you might be is one other. “I all the time had a factor, like after I would tour, I’d use a cheat sheet for a pair reveals after which three or 4 reveals in, I did not want it anymore,” Dukes stated. “However for a pair reveals I’d depend on it as a result of I’d [be, like], ‘What is the first phrase of that verse?’ And it was developing and I would not bear in mind it. After which I appeared down and go, ‘Oh, okay. That is it.’ And as soon as I knew the primary phrase, I used to be high quality. After which muscle reminiscence got here in. And, like I stated, 4 or 5 reveals, I did not want it anymore. I finished doing it. I simply have to write down what metropolis I used to be in, ‘trigger I’d neglect. I’ve stated the fallacious metropolis a few instances, which is sort of embarrassing. I attempt to make a joke about it.”
Exodus performed their first present with Dukes again within the fold on April 5 on the Decibel Journal Metallic & Beer Fest: Philly, held on the Fillmore in Philadelphia. That efficiency was the band’s first with him in practically 11 years.
