Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recently shared his thoughts on his band’s musical evolution and made bold claims about their current standing compared to Metallica, as reported by Metal Hammer Spain.
Holt discussed how Exodus carved their own path in the thrash metal scene. He explained how they distinguished themselves from other Bay Area bands that followed Metallica’s blueprint.
“I think the thrash bands that came after [us] — ’cause, obviously, the first two in the [San Francisco] Bay Area were us and Metallica — were really chasing what Metallica did,” Holt said. “That’s why most of ’em started doing ballads and they started following the blueprint a little, whereas Exodus kind of did our own thing. And for better or for worse, we made our own decisions. We tried our hardest not to be like Metallica.”
The guitarist then made his most striking statement about the current state of both bands.
“Everybody makes their own musical decisions. Metallica were the best of all of us,” he continued. “I mean, I don’t think so anymore — I think Exodus crushes them, but that’s my own humble opinion.”
Despite his bold claims about current superiority, Holt expressed deep admiration for Metallica’s classic work.
“But [Metallica’s third LP, 1986’s] ‘Master Of Puppets’, to me, is the best metal album ever made,” he said. “I f*cking love it. I’m jealous, that album is so good. It makes me jealous. Some people like [Metallica’s second album, 1984’s] ‘Ride The Lightning’ better. I think ‘Master Of Puppets’ is a masterpiece. That album and ‘Stained Class’ [by] Judas Priest are, to me, the two best metal albums of all time. [Exodus guitarist] Lee Altus likes ‘Ride The Lightning’ better [than ‘Master Of Puppets’]. To me, it’s no choice. It’s, like, no — it’s fucking ‘Master Of Puppets’.”
Holt’s confident statements about Exodus’s current superiority come from decades of experience and a unique perspective on the Bay Area thrash metal scene’s evolution.
Wikipedia reported that Gary Holt joined Exodus in 1981 after Tim Agnello’s departure and became the band’s main songwriter. This made him the only member to appear on all of the band’s albums. His connection to Metallica runs deeper than just being Bay Area contemporaries – Kirk Hammett left Exodus in 1983 to join Metallica, creating a direct link between the two bands that has persisted throughout their careers.
The rivalry between the bands has historical precedent. Blabbermouth noted that Holt has previously claimed Exodus outperformed Metallica during joint shows in 1985 and 1986. This competitive spirit has clearly endured, as evidenced by his recent comments echoing those past boasts about dominating shared gigs during thrash metal’s formative years.
Exodus has remained active and relevant in recent years, with their most recent album being 2021’s “Persona Non Grata.” Louder Sound revealed that following Slayer’s farewell tour in 2019-2020, Holt has focused his energy on touring with Exodus. This includes recent Canadian runs with Megadeth and Anthrax, plus Europe and North America dates scheduled through May 2026.
The guitarist’s bold claims about crushing Metallica now reflect not just personal opinion but also Exodus’s sustained creative output and touring activity. While acknowledging Metallica’s past dominance and his genuine admiration for classics like “Master of Puppets,” Holt’s statements suggest he believes Exodus has maintained the raw thrash metal spirit that originally defined the Bay Area scene. This positions them as the current standard-bearers of the genre they helped create.
