Exodus recently announced US tour stops and festival dates for this spring – altogether dubbed the “Swarm of Horror” tour. They kicked things off on April 5 in Philadelphia, PA at the Decibel Metal & Beer Fest. It was the band’s first show with vocalist Rob Dukes in almost 11 years (since May 17, 2014) after former singer Steve “Zetro” Souza was fired at the end of 2024.
In a new interview with Nikki Blakk for 107.1 The Bone, Dukes discussed his return to Exodus and the band’s forthcoming studio album.
Rob Dukes: “It’s like a crazy thing to happen. I didn’t expect it. I didn’t know I was getting a phone call before I got it, and I had to think about it. I have a whole life that I built up. So it was kind of like, ‘All right, well, let me talk about it and think about it.’ And then I was, like, ‘All right, cool. Let’s do it, man. Let’s go have fun.’ Yeah.”
“I found out right around Christmas. I forget what day it was. It was right around Christmas, though. They gave me a list of songs that are possibly in the setlist moving forward. I’ve been listening every day and just trying to remember the words and the phrasings and stuff.”
Fan-filmed video of the Philadelphia show can be viewed below.
Setlist:
“Bonded by Blood”
“Exodus”
“And Then There Were None”
“A Lesson in Violence”
“Metal Command”
“Deathamphetamine”
“Blacklist”
“Piranha”
“No Love”
“Deliver Us to Evil”
The Toxic Waltz”
“Strike of the Beast”
Beginning directly after the Bonded By Blood 40th Anniversary shows, the tour will start in Phoenix, AZ on April 27 and visit several markets across the central US, ending in Asheville, NC on May 13. Amid the tour, Exodus will perform at Sonic Temple, Welcome to Rockville and Milwaukee Metal Fest. All regular tour dates will feature support from Deicide and Misfire (support bands will not appear on festival dates).
Exodus guitarist Gary Holt says: “We are hella stoked to announce the Swarm of Horror Tour with our good friends and death metal legends Deicide, and with our new friends Misfire! This will be pretty much one of the heaviest things on the planet and we can’t wait to destroy everyone! Don’t miss this tour! See you on the road soon!”
North American tour dates (Exodus only):
April
25 – Berkeley, CA – UC Theatre – 40 Years of Blood
26 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues – 40 Years of Blood
US Swarm Of Horror Headline Tour w/ Deicide and Misfire:
April
27 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile
29 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
30 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
May
1 – Little Rock, AR – The Hall
2 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
4 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe @ Old National
6 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
8 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Piere’s
9 – Columbus, OH – Sonic Temple Festival *Exodus only
11 – Birmingham, AL – Workplay
13 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
15 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville *Exodus only
17 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Metal Fest *Exodus only
After a decade-long run fronting thrash legends Exodus, Steve “Zetro” Souza is out, and former vocalist Rob Dukes is back behind the mic. In a move that surprised longtime fans, Exodus recently announced the lineup change on social media, signaling another shift in the band’s ever-evolving frontman saga.
“Exodus have parted ways with Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza,” the band wrote. “We thank Steve for his years fronting the band and all the killer music we made during that time. We wish him only the best in the future and much success with anything he does.”
Dukes previously led Exodus between 2005 and 2014, a period that saw the release of three studio albums: “Shovel Headed Kill Machine” (2005), “The Atrocity Exhibition… Exhibit A” (2007), and “Exhibit B: The Human Condition” (2010). His style brought a raw aggression that complemented the band’s evolving sound, and for some fans, his tenure defined a distinct era of Exodus.
Exodus is:
Tom Hunting – drums
Gary Holt – guitars
Jack Gibson – bass, backing vocals
Lee Altus – guitars
Rob Dukes – lead vocals
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