Gary Holt, the guitarist of EXODUS, has initiated the songwriting process for the band’s upcoming studio album
Serving as the successor to “Persona Non Grata,” which was released via Nuclear Blast in November 2021, this LP marks the next chapter for the group.
In an Instagram post on Sunday (June 25), Gary shared a snapshot of his guitar setup at home along with a message that read, “Riffing out HARD AF…. Fully in writing mode now, assembling the pieces of the next album opener. Most brutal crushing thing ever. I am stoked. Very. WHY SO HEAVY”.
Recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California, “Persona Non Grata” was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS, produced by the band, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Notably, the band enlisted the talents of Swedish artist Pär Olofsson for the album artwork, marking their third collaboration.
“Persona Non Grata” followed EXODUS‘ 2014 release, “Blood In Blood Out,” which marked the return of Steve “Zetro” Souza as the lead vocalist after the departure of Rob Dukes, who had held the position for nine years. Steve had previously fronted the group from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.
Recently, the group canceled their scheduled European tour for summer 2023. This decision was made to allow Gary Holt to attend to his family, as his brother had recently been hospitalized in Italy.
Three months ago, Hachette Books announced that it had acquired Gary‘s upcoming memoir. “A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way” is described in a press release as “a no-holds-barred memoir from the preeminent thrasher’s life in metal, from its humble (but not quiet) beginnings in the San Francisco Bay Area through today’s current resurgence in worldwide popularity, as he lived big, played fast and crashed hard, written in collaboration with Adem Tepedelen.”
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