heavy-metal-darkness: Exodus |Goliath |Napalm Records

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Exodus |Goliath |Napalm Records

Release Date March 20^th, 2026
Format CD/LP/Digital
Genre Thrash Metal
Country United States

Exodus formed in the San Francisco Bay Area and helped birth the entire thrash metal movement back in the early eighties. Decades later, the veterans are still tearing heads off and surviving changing trends. For "Goliath", Rob Dukes is back on the microphone, teaming up with Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson, and Tom Hunting. It is an awesome reunion for those who remember his punishing vocal run. They tapped Mark Lewis for production duties, making their jump to Napalm Records a huge metallic event.

I have seen plenty of fans complaining online because "Goliath" drops the constant light-speed aggression. We all worship violent circle pits and non-stop thrashing speed. Only a maniac expects every single album to just be endless neck-breaking tempos. Exodus stepped into a heavier, technical enough, and strictly groove-driven territory this time around, and they made the completely right call. You get serious musicianship and skull-crushing mid-tempo rhythms giving the songs a massive, destructive punch.

"Hostis Humani Generis" brings out the absolute beast in Rob Dukes. His screams cut through the chaotic riffs blasted by Gary Holt and Lee Altus. When you get to "The Changing Me", the guys throw in intense dual guitar work and bring in Peter Tägtgren for extra vocal insanity. The title track, "Goliath", slows things down into a total doom-laden crawl, using pounding drums and eerie strings from Katie Jacoby to build pure menace. "Violence Works" and "2 Minutes Hate" supply a lethal dose of rhythmic rage, seeing Tom Hunting and Jack Gibson destroy everything in their path.

"Summon Of The God Unknown" drags you through twisted melodies and punishing heavy metal darkness. Then "The Dirtiest Of The Dozen" finishes the entire siege with wild dueling solos, crazy bass lines, and insane drum patterns. The guys just unleash everything they have left in the tank. Mark Lewis gave the whole thing an absolutely massive sonic treatment, making every riff sound huge and deadly. Exodus is four decades deep into their career, and they are still out there crushing skulls, taking names, and refusing to play it safe.

Score: 8.0