Gary Holt discusses Metallica’s legacy and why he thinks Exodus outperforms them today

Exodus guitarist Gary Holt discussed the band’s musical development in a recent interview with Metal Hammer Spain, especially in light of fellow metal icons Metallica’s enormous financial success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as per Blabbermouth.

I think the thrash bands that came after [us] — ’cause, obviously, the first two in the [San Francisco] Bay Area were us and Metallica — were really chasing what Metallica did. That’s why most of ’em started doing ballads and they started following the blueprint a little, whereas Exodus kind of did our own thing. And for better or for worse, we made our own decisions. We tried our hardest not to be like Metallica.

Everybody makes their own musical decisions. Metallica were the best of all of us. I mean, I don’t think so anymore — I think Exodus crushes them, but that’s my own humble opinion. But ‘Master Of Puppets’, to me, is the best metal album ever made. I fucking love it. I’m jealous, that album is so good. It makes me jealous. Some people like ‘Ride The Lightning’ better. I think ‘Master Of Puppets’ is a masterpiece. That album and ‘Stained Class’ [by] Judas Priest are, to me, the two best metal albums of all time. Lee Altus likes ‘Ride The Lightning’ better [than ‘Master Of Puppets’]. To me, it’s no choice. It’s, like, no — it’s fucking ‘Master Of Puppets’.

Upcoming shows:

EU/UK Tour  w/ Kreator, Carcass, Nails

• 29.03.26 UK – Glasgow / O2 Academy Glasgow
• 31.03.26 LU – Esch-sur-Alzette / Rockhal
• 01.04.26 CH – Zurich / Halle 622
• 03.04.26 NL – ’s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) / Brabanthallen
• 04.04.26 DE – Essen / Grugahalle
• 05.04.26 DE – Frankfurt / Jahrhunderthalle
• 07.04.26 IT – Milan / Alcatraz
• 08.04.26 SI – Ljubljana / Media Center
• 09.04.26 AT – Vienna / Gasometer
• 10.04.26 DE – Ludwigsburg / MHP Arena
• 11.04.26 DE – Munich / Zenith
• 12.04.26 CZ – Prague / Forum Karlín
• 13.04.26 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra
• 15.04.26 PL – Warsaw / COS Torwar
• 17.04.26 DE – Hamburg / Inselparkhalle
• 18.04.26 DE – Berlin / Uber Eats Music Hall
• 20.04.26 LV – Riga / Palladium
• 21.04.26 FI – Helsinki / Black Box Finland OY
• 23.04.26 SE – Stockholm / Annexet
• 24.04.26 NO – Oslo / Sentrum Scene
• 25.04.26 DK – Copenhagen / Poolen

USA Tour w/Sepultura

• 04/29/26: Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont
• 05/01/26: Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
• 05/02/26: London, ON @ London Music Hall
• 05/04/26: Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Theater
• 05/05/26: Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
• 05/06/26: Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
• 05/07/26: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Heaven)
• 05/08/26: New Orleans, LA @ The Civic Theatre
• 05/11/26: Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Farm
• 05/12/26: Greensboro, NC @ Piedmont Hall
• 05/13/26: Reading, PA @ Reverb
• 05/15/26: Chicago, IL @ Ramova Theater
• 05/17/26: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
• 05/19/26: Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
• 05/21/26: Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre
• 05/22/26: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
• 05/23/26: Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
• 05/25/26: Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
• 05/26/26: San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
• 05/28/26: Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre
• 05/29/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern