Former Guitarist Rick Hunolt joins EXODUS onstage at First 'Bonded By Blood' 40th-Anniversary Concert

April 25, 2025

UC Theatre

Berkeley, CA

On Friday night at a completely sold out and packed UC Theatre in Berkeley, California, Bay Area thrash metal pioneers Exodus celebrated the 40th anniversary of their seminal debut album, Bonded by Blood, with a special performance that paid tribute to the band's legacy and the late vocalist Paul Baloff.

The concert was held on Baloff’s birthday, and featured Bonded by Blood played live in its entirety, along with other early-era tracks such as "Hell's Breath," "Warlord," and "Impaler." Notably, "Impaler" was co-written by Baloff and Kirk Hammett, who left Exodus to join Metallica in 1983.

Rick Hunolt, Rob Dukes, and Gary Holt play in Exodus, April 25, 2025

First we had great performances by Nukem (only caught the last two songs, but would like to see a whole set of theirs, they seemed like a pretty solid band), and Blind Illusion, who sounded fantastic, the new lineup is gelling.

Then Bay Area Thrash metal heroes Death Angel treated us to a blistering set. Fast as hell, with a tight set of fan favorites. I hadn't seen them since the 2 Christmas shows last year, and they always put on a great performance. I was down on the floor, which got pretty packed, , but there was nowhere else I wanted to be for Death Angel than right up front (away from the pit, of course).

Exodus of course ruled the night, what an anniversary party! The place was going off, people were pretty damn into it. Quite a few some “old heads” that don't get out to very many metal shows anymore were there, adding to the excitement. (Not like this old head, who went out to the same club two nights later to see Obituary.)

Rick Hunolt plays with Exodus again on April 25, 2025

A highlight of the evening was the return to the stage of guitarist Rick Hunolt, of the recently announced new thrash band Nefarious, who joined the band on stage as a special guest.

Hunolt, who replaced Hammett in 1983, was a key member of Exodus during their formative years and part of the renowned "H-Team" guitar duo alongside Gary Holt. His tenure with the band spanned from 1983 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 2005, contributing to classic albums like Pleasures of the Flesh (1987), Fabulous Disaster (1989), and Tempo of the Damned (2004).

Hunolt's enthusiastic appearance added a layer of heartfelt tribute and nostalgia to the performance. He played on 3 songs, Brain Dead, Piranha, and Deliver Us To Evil, as well as the previously mentioned final encore song Impaler. There was an enthusiastic response from the standing room only crowd, underscoring his enduring impact on the band's sound and the thrash metal genre as a whole.

The event not only honored the legacy of Bonded by Blood and Paul Baloff but also celebrated the contributions of Rick Hunolt, reaffirming his place in Exodus's storied history.

For more from Rick Hunolt, check out the first single One Nation Enslaved from Nefarious’ upcoming debut album Addicted to Power.