Testament

For thousands of years, the word Exodus has been used to describe a massive human migration—an epic journey so powerful that the earth itself seems to tremble at its beginning. All such grand exploits start with a quiet awareness of what lies beyond. Yet four decades ago, EXODUS had no way of knowing just how far their own journey would take them: how high they would rise, how hard they would fall, and how many times they would rise again.

The formation of the beast now known as EXODUS began in Richmond, California, in 1979. While many would later join their journey as fans, there is no denying that the early 1980s marked a period of explosive growth for thrash metal—particularly in California’s Bay Area. Still just kids learning their instruments, Tom Hunting, Kirk Hammett, Tim Agnello, and Keith Stewart began by covering classic rock, punk rock, and Iron Maiden songs at backyard birthday parties. In an era before digital convenience, tape trading and grassroots music sharing fueled a relentless hunger for new sounds—one that fiercely shaped the band’s drive to learn, play, and ultimately write their own music.

Although Kirk Hammett famously departed the band prior to their genre-defining debut Bonded by Blood, guitarist and principal songwriter Gary Holt had already become a deeply rooted foundation of EXODUS. In 1982, the band added the unparalleled and now tragically deceased Paul Baloff as vocalist, cementing their sound and placing what would become one of the most infamous thrash albums of all time firmly on the map.

“We were living for heavy metal—it was rad. It was a great time to be alive,” remembers Holt.

With a newly semi-solid lineup—Hunting, Holt, Baloff, Hunolt, and McKillop—Bonded by Blood was finally unleashed in 1985. The importance of this album, and its influence on countless heavy metal artists who followed, cannot be overstated. “A lot of bands hit their peak a couple albums in,” Holt recalls. “We busted right out the gates with this face-melting thrash masterpiece. That first time when the shipment came in, and I opened the box and held that Bonded by Blood vinyl in my hands… that’s a feeling you’ll never replicate.”

In 1987, EXODUS released their second full-length album, Pleasures of the Flesh. The record marked a major transition, following Baloff’s departure and the arrival of vocalist Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza, who would go on to define the band’s voice for generations of fans. Eight more studio albums would follow. Despite lineup changes, periods of inactivity, family illness, and even death threatening to derail their momentum, EXODUS endured—continuing to write, perform, and command respect as true royalty within the kingdom of heavy metal.

Now celebrating 40 years as a band, reflecting on the history of EXODUS rekindles memories that remain larger than life. “What stands out most to me was getting to play our first tour with Venom in 1985, and then going to Europe with them afterwards,” recalls founder and drummer Tom Hunting. “Being 19 or 20 years old on a double-decker bus, traveling the world with no real concept of time or budget—we were just like, ‘Wow, this is awesome.’”

For this small-town California band, networking and touring alongside their idols opened doors to a completely new world. “Playing the Dynamo Festival for the first time in 1989, in front of what must have been 20,000 people—that was life-changing,” says Hunting.

The current EXODUS lineup consists of Tom Hunting (drums), Gary Holt (guitar), Lee Altus (guitar), Jack Gibson (bass), and Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza (vocals). More than four decades later, the band still maintains a writing process rooted in the same raw energy and camaraderie that defined their earliest days—proving that EXODUS remains as vital, ferocious, and uncompromising as ever.

San Francisco’s Death Angel are a product of the bustling Bay Area thrash metal scene of the 1980s. Combining serious guitar crunch and speed with technical precision, they crafted complex thrash filled with time changes and intricate arrangements. The band is widely regarded as one of the genre’s “big eight,” alongside Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Exodus, and Overkill.

Emerging in 1982, the group found underground success with their first two albums — 1987’s The Ultra-Violence and 1988’s Frolic Through the Park — before stepping into the mainstream with their 1990 major-label debut, Act III.

Death Angel aren’t just a band — they are a family. Formed in the early ’80s by cousins Mark Osegueda (vocals), Rob Cavestany (lead guitar), Gus Pepa (rhythm guitar), Dennis Pepa (bass), and Andy Galeon (drums), the group was notably precocious. They recorded their 1986 Kirk Hammett–produced Kill as One demo while still in their teens. In fact, drummer Galeon was only 14 years old when Death Angel released their debut album, 1987’s remarkably mature The Ultra-Violence on Enigma Records.

The following year’s sophomore effort, Frolic Through the Park, introduced subtle refinements, highlighted by the uncharacteristically humorous and accessible single “Bored.”

Signing with Geffen Records seemed like the logical next step toward stardom, and Death Angel delivered with their third album, 1990’s career-defining Act III.

Act III Highlights

“Seemingly Endless Time”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIzVe7-hSzg

“Veil of Deception”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJIBWz2h_5M

“A Room With a View”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Lgy6AMb10