Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recently discussed the parallel evolutions of his band and Metallica during the formative years of the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal scene. In a new interview with Metal Hammer Spain, the musician reflected on the commercial divergence between the two pioneering groups and the resulting impact on the genre.
“I think the thrash bands that came after [us] — ’cause, obviously, the first two in the Bay Area were us and Metallica — were really chasing what Metallica did. That’s why most of ’em started doing ballads and they started following the blueprint a little, whereas Exodus kind of did our own thing. And for better or for worse, we made our own decisions. We tried our hardest not to be like Metallica.”
He then assessed the current musical standing of both legendary acts. “Everybody makes their own musical decisions. Metallica were the best of all of us. I mean, I don’t think so anymore — I think Exodus crushes them, but that’s my own humble opinion.”
Despite his preference for his own band’s current output, Holt offered immense praise for Metallica‘s landmark 1986 release. “But Master Of Puppets, to me, is the best metal album ever made. I f**king love it. I’m jealous, that album is so good. It makes me jealous. Some people like Ride The Lightning better. I think Master Of Puppets is a masterpiece. That album and Stained Class [by] Judas Priest are, to me, the two best metal albums of all time. Lee Altus likes Ride The Lightning better [than Master Of Puppets]. To me, it’s no choice. It’s, like, no — it’s f**king Master Of Puppets.”
The competitive history between the two acts dates back decades. Speaking to the U.K.’s Metal Hammer in 2021, the guitarist recalled a New Year’s Eve concert ringing in 1986, where Exodus shared a bill with Metallica, Megadeth, and Metal Church. “We were getting wasted after the show, and James was laughing and saying, ‘Haha, that’s the last time you guys’ll ever support us.’ And it was the last time we ever supported Metallica,” he stated at the time, asserting that Exodus “stomped [Metallica] into the dirt” that night.
During that same 2021 conversation, writer Dave Everley suggested that without Exodus, the thrash scene would not exist. Gary Holt agreed: “Absolutely. I’ll own that. We created the violent scene.”
He elaborated on the early club days, noting that competition was fierce but friendly. “The scene was rad,” he added. “You could go to a different club five nights a week and never see the same band twice. There wasn’t thrash metal competition, ’cause in the beginning there was only us and Metallica. The first time I ever heard with them was when we played with them, and it felt like looking in a mirror. Later on, there was some competition. The bands were all friends, and we hung out together, but Exodus owned Ruthie’s. Everybody was gunning for us, but nobody could take us.”
The ties between the two acts are deeply rooted, highlighted by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett‘s early tenure in Exodus. He played alongside guitarist Tim Agnello, drummer Tom Hunting, and vocalist Keith Stewart before leaving to join Metallica two years prior to the release of the seminal 1985 Exodus debut, Bonded By Blood. While Exodus is often placed just outside the “Big Four” of 1980s thrash metal—Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax—their debut heavily influenced subsequent acts like Testament, Death Angel, and Vio-Lence.
