For Gary Holt, guitarist and stalwart of Exodus, the work never really stops, even after laying down 18 new tracks for what will become two separate albums. During a recent stop in Novi Sad, Serbia, on Exodus‘s European tour, Holt sat down with journalist Jadranka Janković Nešić and shared some insight into the band’s current recording phase, their evolving dynamics, and the inevitable march of time.
“It’s [going to be released as] two totally separate records,” Holt explained (via Blabbermouth), “but we kept writing and kept writing and we had so much material that we just [thought], let’s work extra hard and so when it’s time to start thinking about a [second] new album [after the first new one], we could relax a little bit.”
Eighteen tracks might sound like overkill to some, but for Holt, the surplus is a safety net and a sign of renewed creative energy: “I wish we had 20 songs done [instead of 18], ’cause then we would have the next album done, and then I could go on vacation or something. I’ve never had one.”
This productivity streak isn’t at the expense of quality either. Holt was quick to point out that none of the new material feels like filler: “They’re all great. They’re all amazing. There are 18 songs, and they’re all totally awesome. It’s hard to pick which ones [will end up on the first new album]. But we did it so we could work less later.”
Time, as he candidly admitted, is a major factor in how they approach their output now.
“We’re getting older. I’m 61 years old. By the time we think about releasing the next album, that’s gonna be three years [from now], so I’m gonna be that much older. And then I can go on vacation in between albums. Like I said, I’ve never gone on vacation. I’ve had vacations where I played guitar to be, but I’ve never gone on a vacation where I didn’t have to play to be there.”
Still, slowing down may not come naturally: “After the whole [second new] album [is done] and all, yeah, I’m gonna go [on vacation] somewhere,” he said. “I don’t know how not to work, though. I’m a workaholic. My wife will have to tell me to shut the phone off.”
Even when at home, Holt’s version of rest is still a kind of labor: “But at home, where I live in the country, it’s a lot of work living there in the woods. So, I’m working, but it’s working on my house, and I like that. I live in the country, yeah. No city life for me anymore.”
As for the sound of the upcoming records, Holt made it clear that fans should brace for both the expected and the unexpected.
“It’s 100 percent Exodus and at times 100 percent different,” he said. “There are some surprises on it. It’s super heavy. There’s some moments that are so fast. There’s moments that are super slow. Just satanic, evil as fuck.”
While many bands now lean into standalone singles, Exodus continues to value the album as a complete form: “We write albums. We’ve never concerned ourselves with singles. That’s why in the past some of our songs were 11 minutes long, ’cause we didn’t care. A song’s done when it’s done. If it’s three minutes, cool. If it’s 11 minutes, that’s cool too.”
The conversation also turned to a recent, major change within the band: the departure of longtime frontman Steve “Zetro” Souza and the return of Rob Dukes. Holt avoided airing any dirty laundry but didn’t shy away from addressing the shift.
“Well, I don’t wanna go into any details ’cause there’s no bad blood. It’s just we’re all getting older, and we want to be happy. And he was not happy. He was very unhappy. He was awesome on stage and awesome in the studio, and awesome to the fans, and there’s no problem with that. And I loved his performance, and his voice is as great as ever. But it’s the time when you’re not on stage when it becomes to where it’s bringing everybody’s spirits down.”
And at their age, morale counts: “This is a hard job to do when you’re our age. Every single time I go to the airport to go on tour, I’m sad, ’cause I’m leaving my grandchildren and my kids and my wife and my house, and it’s hard. But once I get out here [on tour], I’m with my brothers and I have fun.”
“And if that part isn’t fun anymore, then none of it’s fun. Maybe on stage — maybe. But we’re happy now. Rob‘s here and all five of us hang out and spend a lot of time together, and we have a good time,” Holt added.
Bringing Dukes back wasn’t just a safe choice, but the only one that made sense for Holt.
“I’m set in my ways,” he admitted. “I don’t like change. So changing singers was never in my future plans. I don’t like change at all. I’m stuck in my ways. The idea of finding a new person whom you don’t know and you don’t know if your personalities work, that was never an option for me. I mean, I could find someone half my age who’s got tons of energy and [is] awesome and has got visible abs muscles and jumps off the top of the drum riser, but I might not have anything in common with him…”
Then, with a laugh, he added, “[Hiring] some kid that’s the same age as my youngest daughter, it would be weird. I’d feel like a father telling him to clean up his room all the time.”
