Exodus

Gary Holt, born January 24, 1960 in Richmond, California, joined the nascent Bay Area thrash scene in the late 1970s, initially serving as a guitarist for the local group Exodus. The band’s breakthrough came with the 1985 Bonded by Blood, released under Combat Records, which featured the track "The Toxic Waltz". Subsequent albums Pleasures of the Flesh (1987), Fabulous Disaster (1989), and Impact Is Imminent (1990) followed, the latter charting at 173 on the Billboard 200. Exodus signed later to Elektra, touring extensively with contemporaries such as Metallica, Testament, and Anthrax, and performing at the Headbangers Ball tour. The group released Force of Habit (1992), Tempo of the Damned (2004), Blood In, Blood Out (2014), and Persona Non Grata (2021), achieving a peak of 38 on the Billboard 200 with the latter. The band underwent several vocalist changes, including Rob Dukes and Steve Souza, and after signing with Napalm Records in 2023, released Goliath in 2026. The group remains active, supporting major tours with Megadeth, Kreator, and Sepultura.