Zetro out (Again). Dukes (Back) In. LFG.

Kicking off Good Friendly Writing Fun, a blog series about Exodus

Steve “Zetro” Souza is, to me, the voice of Exodus. That will never change, but I respect it if you prefer Paul Baloff or Rob “Put Up Your” Dukes more. I grew up on Fabulous Disaster and Impact Is Imminent, while Blood In Blood Out and Persona Non Grata receive most of my love these days when listening to this band that keeps crushing everything in their path.

News of Exodus parting ways with Zetro—for the third time, mind you—was broadcast via socials on January 15, 2025. The outfit’s Facebook and Instagram pages, along with thrash metal fan group threads, lit up like the eighth night of Hanukkah. Sadness was expressed, as Zetro is the band’s longest tenured vocalist and, let’s face it, PNG is a blistering effort that deserves to be run back by the same crew. Those who dig Dukes are ecstatic, and rightfully so. His initial stint in Exodus produced some brutally beautiful work, in new directions.

What I can understand about the interactions on the socials is the hyper-competition regarding the vocalists in question and the albums to which each added their talent. Natural conversation, but as you might expect given the online setting, people push boundaries and buttons too often. What I can’t understand is why some fans were legit pissed off that there was no explanation put out in the ether by the band or Zetro right away. Would it have been nice to know? Sure. But who the hell am I?! None of us are privy to people’s health or life, their mindset let alone the physical toll touring takes, and we have ze(t)ro idea about any legal aspects.

Moot point, now that we know Zetro was fired. Gary Holt has since said “the marriage was done and over.”

Generation Kill with, of course, Rob Dukes on the mic played a show under the moniker Shovel Headed Kill Machine in February 2024. I was at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey, on that cold night to witness this slice of history. If I had to guess, there were 150 people at the blessed venue. The pit was small but active. The band ripped through 11 tracks from the Dukes era, plus “A Lesson In Violence” encore. “March Of The Sycophants” is bonkers from the opening note, but they never faltered. “The Sun Is My Destroyer”—not for the faint of heart, you best know your stuff—proved how well rehearsed they were.

When people saw video and heard the positive vibes, several commented that the set should be on the festival circuit in Europe. Made sense to me, but there were no other SHKM gigs until they made a return trip to Dingbatz in August 2024. Identical Exodus songs in a similar-but-not-identical order, while Black Sabbath’s “Into The Void” was added to the mix. Maybe the energy wasn’t as great this time, but the boys were tight. Dukes sang Exodus tunes yet again. Aces.

It's too far of a stretch to say that these SHKM shows were a warmup for his reentry. Who knows when the sides even started talking. Exodus delivered beating after beating last year in Europe and the United States. We all felt the momentum. Forward march. I’ll tell you what, though: Seeing and hearing is believing, and it was obvious that Dukes could still sing and scream the shit out of Exodus songs. I just wasn’t considering that he would be able to sing and scream the shit out of Exodus songs in Exodus again. Whether this whole situation is ironic or surreal or otherwise, that’s for you to decide.

I love simplicity, even more as I age. When I read the Exodus post that day in the middle of January, all I thought was the guys had to make an adjustment, but the adventure continues—new album, Bonded By Blood 40th anniversary—so let’s rage. That’s thrash for you, and I love the attitude. I also loved what Rob Dukes matter-of-factly wrote on the socials: “Pretty stoked to be back singing about Satan and the horrors of the world with my boys again.”

Yup.

I’m going to miss Zetro. Big time. But buckle up. Good friendly violent fun in a perhaps more punishing way—let’s not say “better” or “worse,” it’s just slightly different—is coming soon. It begins at the Metal & Beer Fest in Philadelphia in April. Can’t wait.