Ex-EXODUS guitarist Rock Hunolt has recorded a guest guitar solo on the band’s upcoming album, tentatively due in early 2021 via Nuclear Blast.
Hunolt‘s appearance on EXODUS‘s next disc was revealed by EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt, who shared a short video of his former bandmate putting down his track in the studio.
Holt wrote in an accompanying caption: “Rick Hunolt laying down a SICK guest solo on this record! And by the way, MY TRACKS ARE DONE!!!!!”
Longtime EXODUS fans will recall that Hunolt — the other half of the famed EXODUS “H-Team” who is on every studio recording from 1985 through 2004 and co-wrote some of the band’s best-known songs such as “A Lesson In Violence” and “Deliver Us To Evil” — left EXODUS after the band’s highly acclaimed 2004 reunion album, “Tempo Of The Damned”. Following his departure, Hunolt was replaced by HEATHEN guitarist Lee Altus.
Back in April 2019, Hunolt rejoined Holt and other EXODUS members Tom Hunting (drums) and Steve “Zetro” Souza (vocals) to perform several of the group’s classic songs during a METAL ALLEGIANCE concert in San Francisco, California.
EXODUS‘s last album, 2014’s “Blood In Blood Out”, was notable for featuring a guest appearance by former EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, who left the band in 1983 to join METALLICA.
Three years ago, Hunting was asked by Metal Wani if the next EXODUS disc could include another collaboration with Hammett. He responded: “We’ll bring Kirk back, if he wants to come in and do a solo, for sure. And there might be a Rick Hunolt sighting on the new record too; you never know.
“At this point, we feel like it’s good to celebrate the history of the band and all the important people that have been in the band along the way,” Tom explained.
The original lineup of EXODUS consisted of guitarists Hammett and Tim Agnello, Hunting and vocalist Keith Stewart. Guitarist Gary Holt joined the band in 1981, while Kirk left two years before EXODUS‘s debut album, “Bonded By Blood”, saw the light of day.
Souza is now on his third stint with EXODUS, having previously fronted the band from 1986 to 1993 and 2002 to 2004. A decade following his second departure, Souza returned to the fold in 2014, just in time to appear on “Blood In Blood Out”.
EXODUS‘s new album is being recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California. The LP will be the group’s first since the completion of SLAYER‘s final tour. In 2011, Holt began filling in for Jeff Hanneman at SLAYER live shows, and became the band’s full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS.
