When Rob Dukes received the decision to rejoin Exodus, it got here as a whole 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 received it,” he recalled in a current 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 speak about 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 every thing, so that they received the drums completed after which some guitars they usually’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 a bit of little bit of Motörhead-y rock stuff occurring. I am, like, ‘Oh, cool, man. It is a little departure from the norm.’ It was actually cool. And so I get to step outdoors the field a bit of bit, which is sweet, 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 totally different.”
“I actually cannot evaluate it to anything, however there are parts of every thing, however they’ve stepped outdoors these parts additionally, they usually’re doing a pair issues that I am, like, ‘Wow, that is fucking new. All proper, cool. Yeah, I am in.’ 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 totally different, however it’s fucking cool.”
Regardless of the modifications, the band stays firmly rooted within the thrash steel custom they helped outline. Dukes mentioned Exodus continues to be “undoubtedly setting the bar fairly excessive with regards 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 keep 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 arising that you’ve hassle remembering. You are not within the second that you simply’re in, after which that second turns into compromised. And so I have been leaping strains. However I have been okay with it.”
“I really remembered much more than I assumed 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 might use a cheat sheet for a pair reveals after which three or 4 reveals in, I did not want it anymore,” Dukes mentioned. “However for a pair reveals I might depend on it as a result of I might [be, like], ‘What is the first phrase of that verse?’ And it was arising and I would not keep 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 effective. After which muscle reminiscence got here in. And, like I mentioned, 4 or 5 reveals, I did not want it anymore. I ended doing it. I simply have to jot down what metropolis I used to be in, ‘trigger I might neglect. I’ve mentioned the mistaken metropolis a few instances, which is kind 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 Steel & Beer Fest: Philly, held on the Fillmore in Philadelphia. That efficiency was the band’s first with him in almost 11 years.
