Review by Felix on March 19, 2026.

It was a very good day when I heard the news that Rob Dukes had left Exodus. The fact that his successor was also his predecessor struck me as an implicit admission that Gary Holt had backed the wrong horse with Dukes. But I never stop learning. Now Dukes is the successor of his own successor. Either Holt is insane or in the whole US of A do only two thrash metal singers exist. Or both. Now, you might say that none of this would be so bad – if the new/old frontman could actually sing. But that's not the case. He barks like an average dog that's been made to fetch a thrown ball one too many times. Seen from this perspective, his performance comes as no surprise. Dogs do not to think about things like charisma, intonation or emphasis. Expressiveness? Never heard about it. Honestly speaking, I hope Zetro returns by 2029 at the latest. This current wannabe is simply not worthy of the legacy of Paul Baloff, the greatest thrash vocalist of all time.

But sorry, I forgot to tell you what this text is all about. We are confronted with "Goliath", Exodus' 132h full-length ("Let There Be Blood" does not count in my opinion and it is, to express it more apodictically, completely irrelevant.) The bad news is: Dukes is the vocalist, but the good news is: Dukes is the vocalist. Thus, there are still four guys left who can save the album from mediocrity. Especially the original members Hunting and Holt have a firm place in my thrash metal heart, but why didn't they stop the recording process when it became clear that the album's sound was unduly modern and artificial. I did not expect a new "Bonded By Blood" mix which focuses on the essentials and I admit that we can speak of a vigorous mix, but is this the only parameter? The full-length sounds overproduced as hell, not sterile (thanks God), but also not overly agile. By the way, "Goliath" is a cool album name, however, the title track does not really work. I listen to a slow crawler with a solid bass line that has been found in the leftover area of Overkill's "Horrorscope" session. Okay, it is one of the better leftovers, but I prefer the title track of D.D. and Blitz – and I wish Exodus would have chosen a more typical, faster song for the naming of the output. The directly following "Beyond The Event Horizon" starts promising. Its furious vitality is impressive and everything seems fine. But at 1:40 the number begins to get first cracks. It is almost drowning in a mid-tempo part, but Hunting returns to high velocity beats before everything is lost and the excellent riffing make this track to a highlight at the end of the day.

Maybe right now you think that I am allergic to mid-tempo. That's true to a certain degree, but even an apostle of narrow-mindedness like me can enjoy a song like the dragging "Nanking" from "Exhibit B…" as well. Nevertheless, I am sure that the reputation of Exodus is built on two pillars – fantastic riffs and high speed. The first element can be found in most songs, the second one is all too often neglected. Admittedly, I moan about trivial things. "Goliath" is light years away from perfection, but still a good album and some parts of it grow with every new spin. But I am writing about the band which released the best thrash debut ever and I cannot forget the overwhelming potential of its nearly legendary leader. Having said this, it is a disappointment that almost no song fascinates right from the beginning. No wow-effect, I inhale "only" a solid dose of musical violence. Yes, Exodus still deliver neckbreaking sections and their authenticity is beyond doubt again since the day that dust has covered "Force Of Habit" completely. But even if I try to chase away the ghosts of the eighties that keep whispering song titles like "Exodus", "Strike Of The Beast" or "Fabulous Disaster" in my ears – the new songs do not show the real, full force of the band. Take "The Changing Me", it starts with wonderful cascades of guitar tones and a punchy, thundering rhythm section. The verses also wallow in heaviness, everything sounds superb, even Dukes is not able to ruin the song. But does the pretty melodic chorus really does the make song better? One can get used to it, no doubt about it, but it is no sequence that reflects the strength of Exodus. Anyway, let's see "The Changing Me" as one of the best tracks here.

Unfortunately, the stormy yet non-thrilling "Hostis Humani Generis" as well as the faceless "Promise You This" continue the line of expressionless, modern Exodus tracks that do nothing but produce constant noise. No doubt, the final quality check has failed in these cases. Other tracks, in particular "Violence Works" and "Summon of the God Unknown" for instance, resemble a stomping crowbar. In their best moments, they spread some cruel vibes due to their mercilessly effective guitars that use the space created by the mid-tempo approach. More or less the same can be said about the surprisingly arranged opener "3111" – but I cannot understand why Exodus do not show their most vital side at the beginning. "3111" is okay, but nothing that drags me into the album immediately.

Conclusion: "Goliath" contents mainly good material, but the Exodus DNA does not (always) shimmer through all songs. While young bands like Warfield do not shy away to refer to the glorious early days of Holt's crew and comparable old heroes, the legend itself has only a loose connection to its roots. Instead, one celebrates a raw AC/DC groove ("2 Minutes Hate") – it is definitely no bad idea, the song works pretty well with the exception of the somewhat harmless solo, but does its face matches with the band's history and brand? With the expectations of the fans? Decide for yourself. In my humble opinion, "Goliath" is neither black or white. Just like the speedy closer "The Dirtiest Of The Dozen", it does definitely more things right than wrong. Nevertheless, I do not find more than one or two songs for my imaginary Exodus best of tape.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10