‘Exodus‘ have announced Goliath, their 12th studio album, arriving March 20, 2026 via Napalm Records. The Bay Area thrash legends waste no time proving the album lives up to its name, dropping lead single “3111” alongside news that its official video was deemed too brutal for YouTube.
The opening track hits like a freight train. Dissonant chords give way to breakneck thrash intensity, tackling the narco violence that plagued Juarez with unflinching directness. “The song is about the narco killings in Juarez, and ‘3111’ is the estimated number of murders for 2010 alone,” the band explains. It’s heavy subject matter delivered with the kind of sonic brutality ‘Exodus’ built their reputation on.
Gary Holt addressed the video’s YouTube rejection directly, confirming it will see release “at a later time and place.” When a band four decades into their career still gets censored, they’re clearly not playing it safe.
Goliath marks a significant milestone for ‘Exodus’ beyond just being their highest charting record’s follow-up. The album welcomes back Rob Dukes, the iconic frontman who first appeared on 2005’s Shovel Headed Kill Machine. The band describes this as “the performance of his life” – a statement that carries weight coming from musicians with nothing left to prove. Dukes’ return fuels ten tracks that showcase ‘Exodus’ at their most diverse and collaborative.
“Are we excited for this record? That’s an understatement. We put everything we had into this record and it’s one of our proudest accomplishments,” the band states. “Wildly collaborative, the most band centric album to date with four songs written by Lee, lyrics by Gary, Rob, Lee and Tom, and just killer all the way around.”
The album wastes no time living up to its massive name. Beyond “3111”, Goliath delivers nine more tracks that balance fury with craft. “Hostis Humani Generis” showcases Dukes’ palpable lyrical delivery cutting through frenetic riffs, while “The Changing Me” brings in Peter Tägtgren from Hypocrisy and Pain for one of the album’s most anthemic moments. The track blends menace and melody, with Tägtgren’s clean vocals interweaving with Tom Hunting’s before both he and Dukes scream the song into its close.
The title track “Goliath” slows the tempo, letting winding leads and ominous strings from violinist Katie Jacoby build atmosphere alongside intricate guitar work from resident axe legends Gary Holt and Lee Altus. Nearly eight minutes of “Summon Of The God Unknown” turns the danger dial to maximum, traversing wicked introductory passages before settling into trudging riffs and heavy metal melody. Closer “The Dirtiest Of The Dozen” leaves nothing in reserve: flurried dueling solos, isolated bass excursions from Jack Gibson, rigorous drum work from Hunting, and a blend of gritty vocals and cutting chants that prove EXODUS still knows how to end an album on a manic high.
What sets Goliath apart is the collaborative spirit driving it. Four songs written by Lee Altus, lyrics from multiple band members, and guest contributions from Peter Tägtgren and violinist Katie Jacoby make this ‘Exodus” most band-centric album to date. Produced by the band and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis (‘Whitechapel’, ‘Nile’, ‘Undeath’), the album carries the explosive authenticity that’s defined ‘Exodus’ since 1985’s Bonded By Blood. The band even hints that a follow-up is already 80 percent complete, though they’re saving that conversation for another day.
‘Exodus’ hits the road hard in support of Goliath, starting with a Canadian tour alongside ‘Megadeth’ and ‘Anthrax’ in February, followed by a massive European run with ‘Kreator’, ‘Carcass’, and ‘Nails’ kicking off March 20 in Lisbon. By late April, they team up with ‘Sepultura’ for a US tour stretching from New Jersey to California.
Goliath is available for pre-order now in multiple formats including picture disc vinyl, limited colored variants, cassettes, and an embossed boxset with poster, flag, picks, and patch.
“The time to let the monster loose is coming,” the band warns. “Bow down.”
GOLIATH TRACKLISTING:
- 3111
- Hostis Humani Generis
- The Changing Me (feat. Peter Tägtgren)
- Promise You This
- Goliath (feat. Katie Jacoby)
- Beyond The Event Horizon
- 2 Minutes Hate
- Violence Works
- Summon Of The God Unknown
- The Dirtiest Of The Dozen
‘EXODUS’ LIVE 2026
CANADA w/ ‘Megadeth’, ‘Anthrax’:
Feb 15 – Victoria, BC @ Save On Foods Memorial Centre
Feb 17 – Abbotsford, BC @ Rogers Forum
Feb 18 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place
Feb 20 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
Feb 21 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
Feb 24 – Saskatoon, SK @ SaskTel Centre
Feb 25 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Centre
Feb 28 – London, ON @ Canada Life Place
Mar 1 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
Mar 3 – Halifax, NS @ Scotiabank Centre
Mar 4 – Moncton, NB @ Avenir Centre
Mar 6 – Québec, QC @ Videotron Centre
EU/UK w/ ‘Kreator’, ‘Carcass’, ‘Nails’:
Mar 20 – Lisbon, PT @ MEO Arena
Mar 22 – Madrid, ES @ Palacio Vistalegre
Mar 24 – Paris, FR @ Zenith Paris
Mar 25 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
Mar 27 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
Mar 28 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo Manchester
Mar 29 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy Glasgow
Mar 31 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal
Apr 1 – Zurich, CH @ Halle 622
Apr 3 – ‘s-Hertogenbosch, NL @ Brabanthallen
Apr 4 – Essen, DE @ Grugahalle
Apr 5 – Frankfurt, DE @ Jahrhunderthalle
Apr 7 – Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
Apr 8 – Ljubljana, SI @ Media Center
Apr 9 – Vienna, AT @ Gasometer
Apr 10 – Ludwigsburg, DE @ MHP Arena
Apr 11 – Munich, DE @ Zenith
Apr 12 – Prague, CZ @ Forum Karlín
Apr 13 – Budapest, HU @ Barba Negra
Apr 15 – Warsaw, PL @ COS Torwar
Apr 17 – Hamburg, DE @ Inselparkhalle
Apr 18 – Berlin, DE @ Uber Eats Music Hall
Apr 20 – Riga, LV @ Palladium
Apr 21 – Helsinki, FI @ Black Box Finland OY
Apr 23 – Stockholm, SE @ Annexet
Apr 24 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
Apr 25 – Copenhagen, DK @ Poolen
USA w/ ‘Sepultura’:
Apr 29 – Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont
May 1 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
May 2 – London, ON @ London Music Hall
May 4 – Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Theater
May 5 – Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
May 6 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
May 7 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven)
May 8 – New Orleans, LA @ The Civic Theatre
May 11 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Farm
May 12 – Greensboro, NC @ Piedmont Hall
May 13 – Reading, PA @ Reverb
May 15 – Chicago, IL @ Ramova Theater
May 17 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
May 19 – Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
May 21 – Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre
May 22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
May 23 – Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
May 25 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
May 26 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
May 28 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre
May 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
