Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza has announced his plans for an upcoming solo tour to South America. He clarified which songs he will and will not perform in a statement shared on Zetro’s Toxic Vault.
The former Exodus vocalist outlined his approach to the setlist. He emphasized his intention to perform as a solo artist rather than representing any specific band.
“I agreed to go to South America on my own merit, as Zetro, not as any band that I played with before,” Souza said. “I’m not gonna do any Tenet. And I’m not doing any Dublin Death Patrol. So let’s just get that out.”
Souza made a distinction about his involvement with Testament’s early era regarding his Testament material.
“Basically, what I’m going to be playing is Testament [material from the] Legacy [days], because, again, I want you guys to know — I never played in Testament; I only played in Legacy,” he explained. “They became Testament after I was out of the band. I know they are Testament songs now, but they were Legacy songs before and songs that I wrote and actually recorded. So I feel very comfortable playing those.”
The vocalist was particularly specific about which Exodus songs he would exclude from his performances.
“And, obviously, I’ll be playing Exodus stuff as well. What I won’t be playing of Exodus — I will not be playing any ‘Bonded By Blood’, and I will not be playing any of Rob’s [Dukes] era songs,” Souza stated.
He concluded by explaining his motivation for the carefully curated setlist.
“I have such a big catalog of songs through my Exodus years, and I wanted to play some of those songs, some of the songs that either the band never played or does not play anymore,” he said. “And they’re good songs, and they’re heavy. And it’s something I wanted to do.”
Souza’s selective approach to his setlist reflects his complex history with both Exodus and Testament. This history spans several decades in the thrash metal scene.
Wikipedia reported that Steve Souza originally joined Exodus in 1986, replacing Paul Baloff as lead vocalist. He was with the band through their rise in the thrash metal scene until 1992. His tenure with the band included some of their most significant releases during the height of the thrash metal movement.
Souza’s relationship with Exodus continued beyond his initial departure. He rejoined the band twice more throughout his career. Last.fm noted that he returned for their 2004 album Tempo of the Damned. He ultimately departed again from the group.
Souza expanded his musical endeavors beyond his work with Exodus and Testament by founding the band Hatriot in 2011. Ghost Cult Magazine documented that he continued his musical career with this project but eventually stepped down from lead vocals in 2015. He handed the role over to his son, Cody Souza.
The vocalist’s decision to exclude Rob Dukes-era material from his solo performances highlights the ongoing dynamics within the Exodus lineup. The band has seen multiple vocalist changes throughout its history. His focus on performing songs from his own contributions to both Exodus and Legacy demonstrates his commitment to showcasing the material he personally helped create during his time with these influential thrash metal acts.
