In the second of four weekly installments, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt offers commentary on the songs that will appear on the band’s new album, Exhibit B: The Human Condition, which is scheduled for release in Europe on May 7th and in North America on May 18th.

'March Of The Sycophants' - "I wrote this after our most recent election, after watching the angry mobs of white people, afraid of change, and the town hall meeting of old senior citizens screaming out against socialism all the while screaming for the government to keep their hands off of their socialized medicare."

'Nanking' - "This one is about the Japanese occupation of Nanking, China in 1937, and the insane level of brutality unleashed on the populace, include the systematic raping of the women of Nanking."

'Burn, Hollywood, Burn' - This is about my total hatred of reality TV stars - people famous for doing nothing more than being born rich or giving birth to too many kids at once, and my utter disbelief that anyone would watch it in the first place.”

Exhibit B: The Human Condition tracklisting:

The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles'

'Beyond The Pale'

'Hammer And Life'

'Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)'

'Downfall'

'March Of The Sycophants'

'Nanking'

'Burn, Hollywood, Burn'

'Democide'

'The Sun Is My Destroyer'

'A Perpetual State Of Indifference'

'Good Riddance'

'Devil’s Teeth' (bonus track)

Exodus recently uploaded 'Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)' and a demo version of 'Hammer And Life' - the band’s ode to original vocalist Paul Baloff (R.I.P.) - onto their MySpace page.

Exodus will join EX DEO, DECAPITATED and BEHEMOTH on their run through Spain and Portugal this coming June.

Exodus' confirmed European dates include:

June

18 - Vantaa, Finland - Myötätuulirock
20 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
21 - Bilbao, Spain - Rockstar (with Ex Deo, Decapitated, Behemoth)
22 - Lisbon, Portugal - Cine Teatro (with Ex Deo, Decapitated, Behemoth)
23 - Sevilla, Spain- La Sala (with Ex Deo, Decapitated, Behemoth)
24 - Madrid, Spain - La Sala (with Ex Deo, Decapitated, Behemoth)
25 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1 (with Ex Deo, Decapitated, Behemoth)
26 - Collegno, Italy - Gods Of Metal Festival

July

3 - Roitzschjora, Germany - With Full Force Festival
8 - Gävle, SWeden - Getaway Rock Festival
10 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metal Camp

Exodus will play two album release shows with Heathen in Los Angeles and San Francisco before they fly out to Europe to tour the festival circuit:

June

11th - Los Angeles, CA Key Club (with Heathen, Bonded By Blood, plus two local openers)

12th - San Francisco, CA - Slim's (with Heathen, Anvil Chorus, and Passive Aggressive)

Exodus filmed two videos on April 1st in Los Angeles with director Jon Schnepp (Metalocalypse) on the old set of the television sitcom Night Court.

States video director Jon Schnepp: "Exodus asked me to do a music video for their new album, so I listened to their powerful new album, Exhibit B: The Human Condition. and I ended up making two videos for them: ‘Hammer And Life’ and ‘Downfall’! Gary Holt and the band really dig my ideas. I think their music is incredible and they always give me 100% at the video shoot. Working with these legends of thrash metal again has been a blast!”

Exodus drummer Tom Hunting had this to say about the video shoot: “Jon Schnepp is the MAN! He brought a lot of fun to the day and didn’t want me to play muffled drums because he wanted the cymbals to shimmer like they do in a live performance. With me, I see a drum kit and I have to hit it! [laughter] So yeah, they were the real thing - my new Yamaha Oak Custom Kit with a silver sparkle fade. I love them!”

Bassist Jack Gibson shares: “I loved Night Court… one of the great t.v. show themes. I was playing that bass riff all day long! My girlfriend was in the video dressed in almost nothing! It's cool, she always wanted to be in a rock video. She actually worked it out with Jon by herself… I didn't even get the gig for her. We had a good time checking out the other sets there. The hospital, the office rooms, the houses. We even got it on in one of the jail cells!”

Visit Exodus online at this location.

(All photos by Charity Bidegain)