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Exhorder is heading into a new chapter — and doing it without the drummer who helped define their modern era.
The New Orleans groove-metal legends announced this week that Sasha Horn has parted ways with the band after more than eight years behind the kit, citing a desire to step back from life on the road and focus on his personal life. Stepping in as his temporary road replacement is Corey Pierce of God Forbid fame, who will join the band for "The Tour of Unsound Minds" next month.
The split appears entirely amicable. In a statement, the band praised Horn warmly: "All of our best to Sasha in his journey, and we thank him for the time, contributions, and sacrifices he made alongside us for all of these years. Best of luck and nothing but love from us moving forward."
Horn himself addressed fans directly, striking a tone that was reflective rather than bitter. "After eight and a half years, two albums, and countless touring cycles, it is time for me to permanently step away from my position at Exhorder," he wrote. "All things have come to that split in the path." He noted that he's seeking more time with family, continuing his education, and pursuing his own creative projects — and he was careful to leave the door open. "This is not a farewell," he said. "This is a time-out."
The timing comes as the band wraps up a two-year touring cycle behind their 2024 Nuclear Blast album Defectum Omnium — a natural breaking point if there ever was one. With that cycle now complete, Exhorder says their creative canvas is clear and the writing process for their fifth album is already underway. The search for a permanent drummer is ongoing.
In the meantime, Pierce is more than a capable placeholder. The God Forbid veteran brings serious heavy metal credibility to the fill-in role, and the band sounds genuinely excited about the pairing. "We are excited to jam with Corey," they said, "and to bring our live show back to the eastern states for the first time in 2026."
Horn's departure marks yet another significant lineup shift for a band that has navigated considerable turbulence since their 2018 reformation. Guitarist Vinnie LaBella — who co-wrote much of Mourn the Southern Skies — exited in early 2020. Guitarist Marzi Montazeri followed in 2022, replaced by former Cannibal Corpse axeman Pat O'Brien. That leaves vocalist Kyle Thomas as the band's sole remaining founding member, a distinction that carries a lot of weight for a group widely credited as a primary architect of the riff-heavy power-groove style that Pantera would go on to popularize worldwide.
Through all of it, Exhorder keeps moving forward — leaner, hungrier, and apparently ready to write the next chapter. Album five is on the horizon. The drum throne is open. Stay tuned.
