Hirax is an important Thrash Metal/Crossover band in U.S.A. since middle 80s and today they still go in the same spirit and sound.
As Morbidzine we made a cool interview with Katon De Pena who is the band's leader/frontman.
MORBIDZINE: Hi Katon. First I must thank you for accepting this interview and spending your time with us. How are you? What has Hirax done since the last EP called "Assassins Of War" in 2007?
KATON: Many tours. We’ve been to many places: U.S.A., South America, and Europe... Especially, we had two successful shows in France and Germany. The response to our new CD and tour was quite crushing. Nowadays, we are preparing for concerts and shows in Mexico. Honestly, when we perform in that excellent country, we give our craziest shows. The listeners there are very brutal... I can’t find the right words to describe it. We’re also quite busy these days. We’ll be back in Europe with a new tour in May 2008. Also, we have an EP called "Chaos and Brutality" that will be released in Europe by Selfmadegod Records. Between tour and concert dates, we spend time writing songs for the new album. We’re planning all of this for early 2008.
MORBIDZINE: Has the last EP met your expectations? What did the critics say?
KATON: The reviews were positive and we got great feedback. But even so, we’ve never been worried about reviews. We’ve just tried to do our job and dedicate ourselves to playing and writing true metal music. The fans who support us have always been our main priority. They also supported our new EP "Assassins of War." The songs, the cover artwork – all of it satisfied us. We always want to deliver something valuable to the people who embrace our music. Highest quality METAL! 100% THRASH!!
MORBIDZINE: "Assassins Of War" showed us that Hirax's sound is still heavy and vicious. You’re playing high-energy thrash metal again with clean production, old-school sound, proper thrash vocals, and killer riffs in the traditional style. Will we see this in your new albums too?
KATON: YES! And even more. People who know us well should know we recorded "Assassins of War" in only three days. If you don’t have much time, you must work harder. We don’t like over-polishing music. We value keeping it hard, furious, and raw. Our next recording will take longer. Prepare for a record focused on a THRASH METAL ASSAULT. We’ll continue performing with stability, and HIRAX is stronger than ever! The next album will be CRUSHING, KILLER, and DESTROYER. It’ll have even more speed and violent elements. No ballads or soft songs. HIRAX is like a hellish machine delivering real metal.
MORBIDZINE: Let’s go back in time. Can you tell us about the founding of Hirax? What inspired the name?
KATON: I founded the band in 1984. I picked the name HIRAX because it sounded different. We wanted to play a kind of music that no one else was doing – noisy and fast. That’s always been our mission. Today, HIRAX is known for exactly that. The legend continues!
MORBIDZINE: When and where was your first show? What was the audience’s reaction?
KATON: Our first real show was in Monterey, California. Death Angel and Slayer also played. Even back then, the audience was crazy and wild. The fans’ true reaction was what mattered most.
MORBIDZINE: When we reviewed your early albums "Raging Violence" and "Hate, Fear and Power", we saw top-notch performances. Those were quality old-school thrash/speed records with unique vocals, shredding guitars, short songs like crossover bands, and punk/hardcore-inspired riffs. Who were your biggest influences?
KATON: Our early influences included Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Neos, Siege, Larm, Motörhead, Venom, and many more. Later bands told us we inspired them – Napalm Death, Deceased, Cannibal Corpse, The Haunted… It was a great honor. I believe crossover/thrash metal has strongly influenced extreme metal.
MORBIDZINE: Your music includes thrash, punk, crossover, speed, and hardcore. How do you define it?
KATON: THRASH METAL! Crossover, heavy metal, and punk. We’re a mix of all these styles, but we have our own original sound. I don’t think any band sounds like Hirax.
MORBIDZINE: Why did you leave Metal Blade after "Hate, Fear And Power"? Were there disagreements?
KATON: At that time, Metal Blade didn’t understand our style or our dedication to the underground. We were going in a different direction than most bands on their roster. They had bands like Slayer, Celtic Frost, Destruction, Voivod, and Trouble — and then HIRAX. But they didn’t get what we were doing. We knew people would follow us regardless. Our dedication to true metal hasn’t changed — and never will. FOREVER THRASH METAL!
MORBIDZINE: After leaving Hirax in 1989, you stayed active musically. You appeared in other projects like Piranha. What happened during that time?
KATON: Piranha wasn’t my band – it was Paul Baloff’s (Exodus). I left Hirax and he briefly replaced me. I later formed another band, Phantasm, with Ron McGovney (original Metallica bassist) and Gene Hoglan (drummer from Death, Testament, Dark Angel). We recorded a demo in 1987, added live tracks, and released it as "Wreckage." You can find it on www.BlackDevilRecords.com. I highly recommend it.
MORBIDZINE: What led you to reactivate Hirax in 1999?
KATON: Fans kept writing letters asking when we’d return. There was an unreleased song "Dying World Shock" released as a split with Spazz, and it reignited interest in Hirax. We reunited and played a show in 2000. It was released as an EP called "El Diablo Negro." It was a great start. HIRAX returned stronger than ever, and we owe it all to the fans.
MORBIDZINE: You released "Barrage of Noise" in 2003. What was the response?
KATON: Actually, we released it in 2001, but the fanbase grew steadily. In 2003, we were invited to play at "Bang Your Head" in Germany alongside bands like Angel Witch, Y&T, Dio, and Twisted Sister. That album helped put us back on the metal map.
MORBIDZINE: You formed a new lineup. What do you think of your new bandmates, especially Miguel?
KATON: Miguel played three gigs with us, but then Fabricio Ravelli returned. Lance Harrison (lead guitar), his brother Steve (bass), and Tim Thomas (guitar) joined too. Now, HIRAX is a KILLER MACHINE! We’re ready for WAR!
MORBIDZINE: What are your future plans?
KATON: Lots of touring! And a new CD is on the way – early 2008. We’ll be busy for the next few years. Tour dates are on www.HIRAX.org or www.myspace.com/HIRAX
MORBIDZINE: You’re close friends with Celtic Frost’s Tom Warrior. How did that begin?
KATON: We’ve been friends since his Hellhammer days. He’s still one of the real, true metal legends. We last met on the East Coast when both our bands were touring. We missed each other a lot. We’ll always be defenders of true metal. It’s in our blood.
MORBIDZINE: Personal question – what bands do you listen to?
KATON: Classics like Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Venom, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden. Also: Aria (Russia), KAT (Poland), Baron (Spain), Sabbat (Japan), Trust (France), Sarcofago (Brazil), and many more. I don’t like Nu Metal. I prefer old-school and underground bands, and I constantly search for more.
MORBIDZINE: Black Devil Records has released great underground bands. What are the challenges?
KATON: Time and money. My wife and I run the label. We’d love to sign more bands, but we’re too busy. Fan mail, interviews, site updates, orders… plus touring non-stop. We barely sleep.
MORBIDZINE: What do you think of new metal genres like Nu Metal or Industrial?
KATON: I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU! These styles are worthless. They’re just trends. They’ll die soon. Real metal will always reign! Damn the rest!
MORBIDZINE: Katon, thanks for this amazing interview. We’re looking forward to your new albums!
KATON: Thanks for your unwavering support. The new HIRAX album is coming! See you on tour! PUT YOUR FIST UP AND SCREAM LIKE THE DEVIL!!