Whilst Exodus never made it into the Big Four, there’s an argument to be made that without them the entire scene may have been completely different. One of the earliest exponents of thrash metal, with Bonded By Blood, they set out a path for metal which would in a few years result in the scene throwing out some of its biggest proponents in Metallica, Anthrax, and Megadeth. Line-up changes, record label waning support, and inconsistent albums put paid to their legacy, and with only Gary Holt remaining as the torchbearer of the name Exodus, you could be forgiven if they called it a day.
Not to be though, and much like their peers Testament do on their latest, Exodus twelfth album Goliath finds them in rude health. All sneering vocals and 100mph riffs cascade together to create an album which if you closed your eyes could easily be mistaken for being released back in those halcyon days. From the brutal opener of ‘3111’ into the unmistakable classic Exodus sound on ‘Hostis Humani Generis’ (listen to the shades of early Metallica and know where that sound came from) it’s plain that Exodus no longer have a point to prove and can take their place rightly in the pantheon of thrash greats.
Unafraid to mix it up too, on ‘The Changing Me’ they link in with Swedish death metaller Peter Tagtgren for a track which is decidedly non-death metal. A stomping power metal anthem, it reminds that in all the blur of riffs, Exodus always had an uncanny ear for melody. ‘Promise You This’ is one of those snotty thrash anthems made for skateboarding too, although the majority of Exodus fans are probably more inclined to a comfortable seat and a hot chocolate these days (reviewer: I know I am!). The title track is a lurching behemoth allowing for some great guitar work from Holt to shine through some rather unexpected orchestral arrangements. It really is that type of album where surprises lay around each corner.
There’s room for more straightforward thrash too, with ‘Beyond The Event Horizon’ providing enough apocalyptic power to fuel a thousand Bay Area bands. ‘2 Minutes Hate’ is another barnstormer too, with its riffs progressively pushing the track into headbanger manna. It’s a sludgy, grinding track which perhaps shows more than a hint of Slayer (Holt is also a member of this band too). ‘Violence Works’ features some rather gnarly riffs but ultimately falls a little flat. Much more interesting is the sludgy ‘Summon Of The God Unknown’ which takes all its Biblical references and turns it into something, well…biblical. It’s what metal bands do best is when they are exploring ancient gods and history (see Powerslave, Creeping Death, and now this track).
Finishing the album with the full on thrash of ‘The Dirtiest Of The Dozen’ is the only way to see out this rather remarkable set of songs. Guaranteed to stir up mosh pits everywhere, it’s a statement of intent that Exodus are here to reclaim their crown. The band sound more than revitalised and with Goliath have made one of the albums of the year so far. Whether that was on anyone’s 2026 bingo card or not is a moot point as Holt and co have ripped a new hole in metal and placed this album right in the middle. Never feeling stretched, this is all killer with no filler. Superb.
