During their September 9th show at Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ, Exodus welcomed former vocalist Rob Dukes on stage to perforn "The Toxic Waltz" Fan-filmed video is available below.
Dukes was with the band from 2004 - 2015.
Rob Dukes, the vocalist who was a member of thrash metal titans Exodus between 2004 and 2015, got together with the band for a one-off performance of "The Toxic Waltz." The show in question took place in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday, September 9. What's more, he shared the vocal duties with the band's current singer Steve Souza.
Dukes spoke with Metal Godz Radio in February about his band, Generation Kill, and their new release, MKUltra. He also revealed his favourite Exodus singer. Check out the interview below.
On the new record, MKUltra
Dukes: "The way we pulled this record off and to have it so well received is really cool. I'm really proud of it. I think it's the best thing I've done in my career musically to this day."
On his favorite Exodus singer
Dukes: "Well, I have to say Baloff. Baloff basically idolized Paul Di'anno, who had a little bit of punk rock going on in the beginning of the on the first two Iron Maiden records. He could sing, but he was also had a little bit of punk and and gnarliness to him, and Paul was emulating Paul Di'Anno. He was trying to be Paul Di'anno, but his skill-set was making it up as he was going along, and I find something romantically brilliant about that. Of just going in without having a plan - 'I don't know what I'm going to do...' - and then making this thing that turned out to be a really great piece of music that will live with us forever. Bonded By Blood is one of the best records of all time and in the metal world. I'm going to go with Paul's, my favorite Exodus singer."
Generation Kill released their crushing single "Never Relent", featuring the inimitable Gary Holt of Exodus fame, back in May 2021. They followed up with "Into The Black", taken from MKUltra. Check out the official video below.
Dukes: "The story 'Eight O'Clock In The Morning' by Ray Nelson inspired the lyrics, and I watched a doc on 'They Live', which took me down the rabbit hole of short stories and books so I took the idea and ran with it. The G Kill boys gave me a barn burner with a really cool ending to work with. Shooting the video was good fun. We had a blast hanging together and doing this. Hunter Chapman did a killer job and the bugs and heat didn't deter us from having a blast."
With breakneck speed, dizzying guitar solos, and uncompromising vocals, the medieval wartime theme of the visual accompaniment is a gruesomely appropriate fit for the brutal single. Thrash buffs should also note that "Never Relent" is the first collaboration with both Rob Dukes and Gary Holt since Dukes' departure from Exodus. Speaking on the release, Dukes shares:
"I’m really proud of 'Never Relent'. I was inspired to write the lyrics after reading about certain tyrannical leaders in history like Vlad the Impaler and Genghis Khan. It turned out to be one of the most brutal tracks on the album, which is why it made sense to have Gary play on it with us."
Gary Holt also commented, "I’m super fired up to have been able to contribute a solo to the new Generation Kill song 'Never Relent'. The song is ripping on its own, to be able to contribute a solo to it was super kick ass! Crushing song! Check it out ASAP!”
