Metal and comics will once again come together as one at the 50th anniversary of San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC) with a special live performance from Bay Area thrash metal legends, Exodus. The intimate event, coined Bonded By Con, will commence on Thursday, July 18th at the House Of Blues. Purchase tickets here.

Vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza comments, “It’s our honor to destroy the House Of Blues San Diego for Comic-Con. We’re looking forward to seeing all of the fans of horror, sci-fi and pop culture, as well as the Exodus fans who always come out to get in the pit and do the Toxic Waltz! Comic-Con will never be the same!”

This evening with Exodus is the official Nuclear Blast Comic-Con Kick-Off Party sponsored by Court Of The Dead, Stern Pinball, and Rebellion Republic. Stay tuned for more announcements from Nuclear Blast / Stern Pinball / Rebellion Republic Comic-Con Booth #501 coming soon.

To celebrate their 40th anniversary, Exodus recently unleashed a new single entitled “No Love (Live At Day In The Dirt 1984)”. The thrashers have announced that the aforementioned single - featuring a rare demo version of "Death Row" on the B-side, which is only available on this release - can now also be purchased on limited 7" vinyl at this location.

The formation of the beast we now call Exodus began in Richmond CA in 1979, and although many started their journey as fans a few years down the line, there is no debating that the early ’80’s was a time for major growth in the world of thrash metal, especially in the Bay Area of California.

Day in the Dirt was perhaps the ultimate example of the Bay Area thrash metal underground scene in 1984. A plywood stage constructed in a Berkeley, California park where Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies and Exodus played to a frenzied crowd of headbangers. It was also evident from this show, and others like it, why Exodus was so influential on the Bay Area scene and thrash metal in general. With the eventual release of their first album Bonded By Blood, the band would take their music and their live show to new heights of insanity in the years that followed.

Take a trip back to that incredible time in thrash metal history with the recently unearthed live recording of "No Love (Live At Day In The Dirt 1984)", and listen to the raw power of the original Bonded By Blood lineup of the band that started it all... Exodus!

Check out the track stream here: 

Gary Holt comments: ”Day In The Dirt was almost like the Bay Area thrash metal Woodstock, our own underground version on the legendary Day On The Green shows we all attended so many times. What happened that day at Aquatic Park in Berkeley has gone down in Bay Area lore as an epic day for the underground Thrash scene. The brainchild of the late great Wes Robinson, we were fortunate to have been a key part of such a great show. It was Rick Hunolt's second Exodus show as well I believe!"

Listen and download here.

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming festivities surrounding the 40 year anniversary as well as their highly awaited eleventh album.

(Photographs by Brian Lew)