On a 3-decade Exodus, and slaying all the way

IF SLAYER is one of metal's Big Four, then Exodus has to be considered among the Next Four.

Guitarist Gary Holt has a front-row seat for both bands. One of the longest tenured members of Exodus, Holt is playing in both bands this fall, as they've paired up for a U.S. tour. They will stop in the Philly area Sunday, when they share a bill at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby; Suicidal Tendencies opens the show.

"I have the burden of playing twice a night, but it's a good burden to have," Holt said in a recent telephone interview. "It's a lot of work, but it's been going great."

While Slayer is playing primarily from its long catalog, Exodus is touring in support of its new album, "Blood In, Blood Out" (Nuclear Blast Records). It is the band's 10th studio album and first since 2010. It debuted in October and entered the Billboard 200 at a solid No. 38, the highest in the band's history.

With Steve "Zetro" Souza back on lead vocals for the first time since 2004, the album is classic Exodus, with songs on such themes as disillusionment with society, or disenfranchisement from society. On the political side, "Honor Killing" criticizes radical Islam, especially in its treatment of women.

"It's crushing. It's super-aggressive. It's very fast, but it's diverse at the same time," Holt said of the new record, adding that a lot of the songs have a strong angry tone.

"I tend to write the lion's share of the material. I wrote nine of the 11 songs. Once I get into writing mode . . . it's a prolific endeavor."

The album features a guest appearance by Metallica guitarist and former Exodus member Kirk Hammett, among others. It was recorded at Goats 'R Us Ranch & Studios, at the San Francisco Bay Area home of drummer Tom Hunting.

"We were able to record at our own leisure. We weren't staring at a recording studio's clock," Holt said. "We are the clock; we can do whatever we want. That works best for us."

Holt has played with Slayer since early 2011. He got the call from guitarist Kerry King after guitarist Jeff Hanneman became stricken with necrotizing fasciitis, which was said to have occurred after he was bitten by a spider. Hanneman died in 2013.

"We're all super old friends," he said. "Kerry called me up to see if I could fill in for Jeff when he first fell ill, and it just turned into [nearly] four years now. I'm fortunate that I play in two of the best bands in the world."

Holt said he likes the extra workload of playing in both bands.

"Doing the double duty keeps both camps working at once," he said. "It shortens up the length of time I have to be out on tour, because it's two tours in one, which is good. [But] it takes its toll. I have to take care of myself to get through it."

Exodus has been around since 1980, while Slayer was formed the following year. As with many metal bands that have put in that much time, the crowds include fans both around Holt's age (he's 50) and fans a generation younger. Yet both of these iconic thrash metal bands have stayed true to their roots, even after all this time.

"We all continue to learn and evolve and we all continue to learn from past career mistakes," Holt said. "We do [things] the same way as we started. We do whatever the hell we want."