Bay Area thrash legends Exodus are putting the final touches on what guitarist Gary Holt describes as an emotional masterpiece. In a new interview conducted at the San Antonio Fear Fest, the bandleader revealed a targeted release date of March 20, 2026, for the highly anticipated follow-up to Persona Non Grata, promising a record that marks a definitive new chapter for the group.
Speaking to Robb Chavez of “Robbs MetalWorks” on November 16, Holt was visibly enthusiastic about the finished product, which features the return of vocalist Rob Dukes.
“It’s f**king awesome. It’ll be out next March, I think — March 20 — and it’s f**king awesome,” Holt said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I mean, it’s so awesome. We’re so proud of this record. Me and [Exodus drummer] Tom Hunting call each other and [I tell him], when I listen to it, it makes me wanna cry, it’s so good. It’s that f**king good. We made something special.”
The recording sessions for the new album were prolific, to say the least. According to Holt, the band entered the studio with a surplus of creativity, resulting in nearly two full albums’ worth of material. The guitarist estimates that “80 percent of the follow-up” to the impending 2026 release is already in the can.
To achieve this level of output, the band adopted an immersive approach, living together for months in what Holt affectionately dubbed a “heavy metal summer camp.”
“We just kept working. We never stopped. We were in the studio for two months. And we tend to record by… We all live together in a house, or sometimes we build a studio in a house,” Holt explained. “But we like each other enough to live together still. A lot of bands — that’s a rarity.”
This communal atmosphere sparked a songwriting frenzy. “When we started recording, we only had four songs done and a million ideas. And Lee [Altus] wrote a ton of stuff; he wrote four out of 10 songs on the new album.”
A major talking point surrounding the new record is the performance of Rob Dukes, who rejoined the band in January following the departure of Steve “Zetro” Souza. Dukes, who fronted Exodus from 2005 to 2014, has apparently delivered a career-defining performance.
“It’s f**king been amazing. When you hear [Rob‘s] vocals on this new record, you’re gonna s**t your pants,” Holt declared. “Rob‘s vocals are, like, at the top of the pyramid on this s**t.”
Musically, fans can expect a diverse assault that covers the entire spectrum of the Exodus sound. Holt described the tracks as “crushing” but emphasized their melodic power.
“It’s just the songs, dude. It’s all about the songs… it’s all anthems. And it’s so varied, this record. So many different aspects of Exodus are in there, from the blinding speed to the slowest, heaviest s**t we’ve ever done.”
While the band has enough material for a second record, Holt admitted they fell just short of completing the sequel entirely. “We still gotta record a little bit more to complete it. Our goal, we fell a little bit short. We have eight songs done. It was hard picking which ones go on this, ’cause I still, to this day, I have panic attacks, like, ‘I should have put that one on it. That song is so sick.'”
The upcoming album will be released via Napalm Records and features a mix by Mark Lewis, marking the first time in decades the band has worked without longtime collaborator Andy Sneap. Lewis, known for his work with Megadeth and Whitechapel, was brought in to give the record a fresh sonic edge.
Exodus played their first show with the returning Dukes earlier this year on April 5 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest in Philadelphia.
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