EXODUS Guitarist GARY HOLT - "MICHAEL AMOTT Is The Modern Day MICHAEL SCHENKER"

November 7, 2021, 2 years ago

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EXODUS Guitarist GARY HOLT - "MICHAEL AMOTT Is The Modern Day MICHAEL SCHENKER"

Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recently spoke with Greg Prato for Guitar World, discussing the band's new album, Persona Non Grata. They also talked gear, tape trading, and a potential "Big Five". Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Guitar World: Who are your favorite modern day metal guitarists?

Gary Holt: "Michael Amott. He’s the modern day Michael Schenker. But he’s his own man – his vibrato, his tone, everything. Zakk Wylde is one of my heroes. But he’s been around a long time – he’s an old guy like me. There are a ton of guys out there that are all so good now. It’s crazy.” 

Guitar World: You just mentioned Michael Schenker. It seems like all the thrash guitarists of the ‘80s list him as a major influence. 

Gary Holt: "It’s our age. In our heyday, UFO were huge – and still are one of my all-time favorite bands. And Schenker is number two on my guitar list…sometimes number 1 – it depends on how I’m feeling between him and (Ritchie) Blackmore on any given day. But I think all of us thrash guys grew up on the same music. And Michael is a phenomenal guitar player and just as good of a songwriter. His catalog of hits is phenomenal – it’s crazy what it is."

Read the complete interview here.

Exodus return with their eleventh studio album, Persona Non Grata, out November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The band recently released the lyric video for the second single, "Clickbait", and today they release a new trailer, in which guitarist Gary Holt discusses the track. Watch the trailer, as well as the lyric video, below:

Literally translating to “an unwelcome” or “unacceptable” person, Persona Non Grata touches on themes of modern societal disgust and degradation. The band gathered at Tom Hunting's house in the mountains where they produced and recorded Persona Non Grata from three home-built studios . Steve Lagudi was at the helm of engineering while the band enlisted Andy Sneap of Backstage Studios to mix the album. For the third time in the band’s history, they returned to Swedish artist Par Olofsson to create the album artwork.

Persona Non Grata will be available in the following formats:

- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt + CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt
- Cassette – Tinted Red
- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!) Long Box (Decibel Magazine Exclusive)
- Double LP
 * Black
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * Electric Blue W/ Black & Bone
 * Gold & Bone Swirl W. Black and Mint Green Splatter
 * Green in Mustard W/ Red Splatter
 * Mint Green & Brown W/ Cyan Splatter (EMP Exclusive)
 * Purple & Yellow Swirl W/ Mint Green & Bone Splatter (UK Indie Exclusive)
 * Bone & Beer Swirl W/ Red & Brown Splatter (Revolver Magazine Exclusive)
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter (Rebellion Republic Exclusive)
 * Blue Swirl W/ Bone * Black Splatter (U.S. Indie Exclusive)
- Mail Order Boxset – Limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide
 * Orange, Red Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * 20 page booklet
 * Slipmat
 * CD + Blu-ray Bonus Disc
 * Patch
 * Flag

Pre-order here. Pre-save here.

Tracklisting:

"Persona Non Grata"
"R.E.M.F."
"Slipping Into Madness"
"Elitist"
"Prescribing Horror"
"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)"
"The Years of Death and Dying"
"Clickbait"
"Cosa Del Pantano"
"Lunatic-Liar-Lord"
"The Fires of Division"
"Antiseed"

"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)":

"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)" video:



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