Hirax
From:
Orange County,
CA,
United States
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Hirax News
Below is our complete Hirax news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 1 - 20 of 98 1 2 3 4 5 Last
Headline News
70,000Tons Of Metal Announces Destination Change
70000TONS OF METAL, The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, has announced a change in the destination for its 2026 voyage. The upcoming edition of the festival at sea, taking place from January 29 to February 2, 2026, will now sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, the Bahamas aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.
Originally planned to return to Labadee, Haiti, the decision to reroute the journey was made out of an abundance of caution and with the well-being of all Sailors, artists, and crew as the top priority.
"While Labadee has been a great port of call on past sailings, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation in Haiti and its surrounding regions," said Andy Piller, Skipper of 70000TONS OF METAL. "Ensuring the safety and comfort of our Survivors is non-negotiable. With that in mind, we’ve made the proactive decision to change course for 2026. Nassau provides a welcoming alternative that allows us to maintain the world-class experience our Sailors expect — both on board and ashore." More...
Dark Angel Announces Tour
West Coast thrash metal legends Dark Angel will embark on "The Extinction Level Event" North American Tour this fall, their first domestic trek in over three decades.
Dark Angel’s first North American tour since the early 1990s celebrates their forthcoming comeback album, Extinction Level Event (Reversed Records), their first new album since 1991.
Formed in 1981 – the same year as Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Mercyful Fate, and Sodom – Dark Angel earned a devoted cult following as pioneers and architects of the burgeoning thrash metal sound. The genre-defining We Have Arrived (1985), Darkness Descends (1986), Leave Scars (1989), and Time Does Not Heal (1991) helped shape a musical movement alongside their peers.
Renowned for their ferocity and precision, the band’s signature blend of speed, technicality, and intensity made them beloved by headbangers around the world, as evidenced by the t-shirts and patches brandished by fans in the years since the band’s original run. The blistering “Circular Firing Squad” gave the thrash faithful another taste of the new album when it dropped last month. It followed April’s release of the title track, written by late co-founding guitarist Jim Durkin.
“Musically, lyrically, and vocally, I’m so stoked about this album,” says Gene Hoglan, the iconic drummer and “Atomic Clock” who powered classic albums and tours by Death, Testament, Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, Dethklok, and the all-star Death tribute, Death To All.
Dark Angel’s modern line-up features classic era members Hoglan and guitarist Eric Meyer; bassist Mike Gonzalez, vocalist Ron Rinehart, and the latest addition, Laura Christine, who first performed with them in 2022. “I’m really excited about Dark Angel right now,” Hoglan says. “And everyone who’s heard the new album is losing their minds.”
Support acts for The Extinction Level Event North American Tour vary by date, boasting a diverse blend of metal styles: Sacred Reich, Hirax, Vio-Lence, Midnight, Void, and Interceptor. More...
Report
Brutal Assault's First Day Was Almost Perfection
Brutal Assault. Have you heard of it? It’s one of the largest summer metal festivals in all of Europe. There are upwards of 150 bands that play touching on just about every heavy genre imaginable. It normally takes place during the first weekend of August and it always occurs on the grounds of an 18th century Czech military fortress located in Jaromer, Czech Republic.
Similar to Wacken, Hellfest and Graspop Metal Meeting, Brutal Assault has a very loyal contingent of fans that attend year after year from all over the globe. This was my fourth Brutal Assault and I don’t foresee myself taking a break from it anytime soon. This year’s line-up was fucking incredible. All my favorite genres were represented well and there were plenty of bands that I’ve never seen before that I was finally going to get to “check that box.”
I had nine bands marked for the first day of the four-day marathon and it began with the grindcore OGs, Terrorizer. I’ve seen them a couple of times before in different line-up variations but today’s with Pete Sandoval and David Vincent making up half of the original lineup was the best one yet. What made this set even better was they only played material from their classic masterpiece, “World Downfall.” If you were to ask me to describe what grindcore is with a single album, this would be it. Peering over at David Vincent from time to time, it’s apparent that he loves playing these songs. He just grooved to them the whole time I was there. I loved this current version of the band and I hope it continues to be a thing (R.I.P. Jesse Pintado).
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David Vincent of Terrorizer
Next up was legendary Los Angeles thrashers, Hirax. I’ll preface this next part with that I’m kind of old. Not AARP old, but I think older than most of you that will read this report. There’s probably been no less than fifteen or so times that I could have seen Hirax during a span of 30 years and for whatever reason, I just never got around to it. That was embarrassing to write.
Today, I hated myself even more for taking that long. They were everything that I thought they would be, but so much better. Vocalist Katon De Pena truly enjoys being on stage and he is constantly engaging the audience. The crowd that was there during their set were hardcore fans and already knew their songs by heart. This was one of several “Wow!” moments for me during the entire festival. I’m so glad I got to finally experience Hirax and it won’t be thirty years before I see them next time!
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Hirax
The next band on my list would play on the same stage after Hirax, but first it was time to refuel. Brutal Assault probably has the largest variety of victuals to choose from of any festival I’ve ever attended. There is something for everyone. Every dietary restriction imaginable is not an issue at Brutal Assault, you are covered. For my meal, I chose to go with what I call “Greek Lo Mein” but in actuality, it was gyro meat and noodles. However I describe it, it was carbs and meat. Just what I needed to get through the rest of the day/night.
The band Finntroll is an acquired taste. Their quirky take on blackened folk metal sets them apart from other bands that side on black or folk metal exclusively. Maybe it’s the prosthetic troll ears? Or, maybe it’s the upbeat, happy sounding riffing paired with scowling vocals? Finntroll’s sound skirts right down the middle of the two genres and it’s awesome. I’ve seen them twice before but this was my favorite set out of all of them. This stage (Obscure Stage) was too small for them in my opinion. There were people stretched out all the way to the where the festival grounds open up for the vending, portable bathrooms, and merch tents.
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Mathias Lillmåns of Finntroll More...
Report
Exodus, Exumer & Hirax Invade Islington
When it comes to metal's many sub-genres, thrash metal may well be the most exciting. Inspired by punk, it took the speed and aggression of the genre and mixed it with the intricacies of metal, becoming something which could switch between serious and fun easily, and with the energy contained in the music, it's almost a sonic fountain of youth. If ever there was a band that took the aggression and fun of thrash to the extreme, it was the Bay Area's own Exodus. Founded back in 1979 by guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Tom Hunting, along with Keith Stewart and Tim Agnello, the band became legendary in the iconic California thrash scene and their debut, "Bonded By Blood," is an unquestionable classic. They've released a further ten albums since then, along with live releases and lineup shake ups but in 2024, they're as strong as ever. With the release of their new live record, "British Disaster: The Battle of '89 (Live at the Astoria)," it seemed like the perfect time to see them once more in London, this time with some very special guests.
Opening the show tonight was fellow Bay Area thrashers Hirax. On a personal note, I've waited literally half of my life to see Hirax, so expectations were high. I'm glad to report that expectations weren't just met, they were exceeded. Still led by vocalist Katon de Pena (although fans of both bands will know that there was a brief period where former Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff fronted the group,) the singer is still in magnificent form, belting out old favourites such as "The Plague" and "Warlords Command" with sheer ferocity. The rest of the band are playing to their fullest too, keeping the songs sounding fresh and fierce and the crowd were into every minute of it.
Katon endeared himself to the London faithful, continuously engaging with them, while also trying to get as many songs in as possible since the doors opened later than scheduled. New songs "Drill Into The Brain," "Drowned Bodies" and "Faster Than Death" all sounded excellent and easily on par with the best tracks of their career. Hirax promised to come back to London with a longer set and I can't wait for them to do so, because this was so much fun from start to finish and maybe if I'm really lucky, they'll play "Unleash The Dogs Of War" then too. More...
Hirax Unveils "Relentless" Music Video
California thrash metal veterans Hirax has released a new music video for the song, "Relentless." You can check it out below. The song comes from the band's forthcoming EP, "Faster Than Death," their first release in ten years, which is scheduled to be released on August 1st through Doomentia Records.
The band will be teaming up with fellow thrashers Exumed for a tour of Europe this summer, which will include supporting slots for Exodus. More...
Brutal Assault Adds Four Thrash Titans
You can look forward to a sharp dose of 80s thrash on the Josefov stages. Three names
from the American scene will be there: Forbidden and Heathen with their Bay Area
thrash, and Hirax with their characteristic maniacal blend of speed and thrash metal.
German band Exumer, known for their classic old-school approach, will complete the
quartet - a must for all Exodus and Slayer fans.
Brutal Assault will take place in the Czech Republic at the Josefov Fortress during August 7-10, 2024.
Festival passes are available HERE! More...
Hirax Releases New Single "Drill Into The Brain"
California thrash metal veterans Hirax has released a brand new song titled, "Drill Into The Brain." You can check it out below. The song is the first single to be aired from the group's forthcoming new album, "Faster Than Death," which is scheduled to be released later this year. The record will be the band's first full length album in ten years, following the 2014 release, "Immortal Legacy."
Hirax To Record New Album In April
Californian thrash metal veterans Hirax has announced that they will begin recording their new album next month. A short statement from the band reads as follows:
"Hirax To begin recording new album Friday April 28th, 2023 At Beach Avenue Studio! Currently in songwriting mode at home in Los Angeles California. Demos are being finalized and completed.
"More news very soon."
This will mark the band's first full length album since 2014's, "Immortal Legacy." It will also be the first record to feature the current lineuo of longtime vocalist Katon de Pena and new members Neil Metcalf (guitars,) Chris Aguirre (bass) and Danny Walker (drums.)
Monument Of Misanthropy To Open Brutal Assault 23
Monument Of Misanthropy announce they will be performing with Suicidal Tendencies at the warm-up party of this year's edition of Brutal Assault Festival in Jaroměř, Czech Republic. The warm-up party will take place on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Root, Gride and Beast Within The Sound will join them as support acts.
Time schedule for Tuesday August 7: More...
The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal-Docu Out In January
An impressing list of musicians, record executives, journalists and more have taken part in the upcoming two-part ‘Inside Metal‘ documentary DVD, ‘The Rise Of L.A. Thrash Metal‘. Directed by Bob Nalbandian, the DVD will land on January 19th and showcases narration from Megadeth bassist David Ellefson.
Below you can watch a clip from the DVD in which Gene Hoglan (Testament, etc.) can be found discussing his first encounter with Metallica vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield back in 1981:
As the title suggests, the docu will focus on the early/mid-80s rise of thrash metal. Among those who were interviewed for the series are: More...
Hirax Posts Tour Trailer
U.S. Bay Area thrash group Hirax recently announced upcoming summer tour dates in Europe alongside Raven and Kill Ritual kicking off on June 7th in Belgium.
Today, Hirax has unleashed a teaser video for the tour, which can be seen below. Catch these upcoming Hirax 2017 tour dates around the world:
w/ Raven and Kill Ritual
June 07 – Roeselare (BEL) “De Verlichte Geest”
June 08 – Essen (GER) “Turock”
June 09 – Hamburg (GER) “Bambi Galore”
June 10 – Rotterdam (NLD) “Baroeg”
June 11 – Tilburg (NLD) “Little Devil”
June 12 – Osnabruck (GER) “Bastard Club”
June 13 – Dresden (GER) “Chemiefabrik”
June 14 – Dornbirn (AUT) “Schlactaus”
June 15 – Florence (ITA) “Circus Club”
June 16 – Milan (ITA) “Blue Rose Club”
June 17 – Montbeliard (FRA) “Atelier des Môles”
June 18 – Hellfest (FRA) More...
Hirax To Tour With Raven, Kill Ritual
U.S. bay area thrash crew Hirax will share the stage with the British group Raven on a summer tour in Europe. Kill Ritual further joins the tour as special guests, and dates for the trek are as follows:
07-Jun Roeselare (BEL) "De Verlichte Geest"
08-Jun Essen (GER) "Turock"
09-Jun Hamburg (GER) "Bambi Galore"
10-Jun Rotterdam (NLD) "Baroeg"
11-Jun Tilburg (NLD) "Little Devil"
12-Jun Osnabruck (GER) "Bastard Club"
13-Jun Dresden (GER) "Chemiefabrik"
14-Jun Dornbirn (AUT) "Schlactaus"
15-Jun Florence (ITA) "Circus Club"
16-Jun Milan (ITA) "Blue Rose Club"
17-Jun Montbeliard (FRA) "Atelier des Môles"
18-Jun Cisson (FRA) "Hellfest" (HIRAX only) More...
Hirax Working On Album
Alpha Omega Management is extremely delighted to announce the signing of the legendary U.S. Bay Area thrash group Hirax. Lead vocalist Katon W. De Pena states:
"After an outstanding reception at this year's Maryland Death Fest We are happy to announce our partnership with Alpha Omega Management! With their knowledge and guidance we know that we will make a big impact on the world of thrash metal/heavy-metal worldwide.... They will work with us on planning international tours as well as the upcoming new Hirax studio album! Let the music world be warned, Hirax is coming...."
The management group adds: "We have a huge pleasure to welcome Hiraxand its charismatic Frontman and founding member Katon W. De Pena to our Family! The band has no need of long introductions, as being one of the pioneers of the Bay Area thrash metal scene! We're looking forward to bring HIRAX on new international tours, blasting stronger than ever before!"
The band's latest album "Immortal Legacy" is available on SPV Records and work is underway on a new release. You can also catch the band live September 4th at the Rainbow Bar And Grill in West Hollywood, California on the Sunset Strip Outdoor big stage. More...
Petition Launched For Lemmy Statue
Katon W. De Pena from Hirax has launched an online petition seeking support to build a statue of Lemmy Kilmister to be placed at the the Rainbow Bar & Grill in California.
As of this writing, the Change.org petition - available here - has just under 3,600 signatures. The petition reads:
"People around the world would like to have a statue to pay respects for this rock n roll legend. He frequented this well known restaurant and would serve as a memorial. We the undersigned are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now."
The legendary Motorhead frontman passed away at the end of December at the age of 70. You can read our tribute to the iconic singer here, and footage from his last show ever is also online at this location.
Maryland Deathfest Names 45 More Acts For 2016
Promoters for Maryland Deathfest have announced 45 more acts for the 2016 edition of the annual Memorial Day festival bash. Among the list - U.K. doom metal legends Paradise Lost, U.S. doom metal upstarts Crypt Sermon, the reformed Swedish death act Centinex, U.K. legends Discharge, U.S. thrash legends Hirax, soon to be defunct legends Nuclear Blast, U.K. classic metal legends Satan and the mighty Bay Area thrash act Testament.
Tickets for the event will be available soon. Head over to this location for more information.
The freshly named act list is:
The Afternoon Gentlemen (UK)
Buzzov*en
Centinex (Sweden)
Claudio Simonetti's Goblin (Italy)
Crypt Sermon
Dehumanized
Demonical (Sweden)
Demonic Christ
Deranged (Sweden)
Discharge (UK)
DOOM (UK)
Dopethrone (Canada)
Dragged into Sunlight (UK)
Gets Worse (UK)
Ground More...
Column
Thrashback Thursday: Unleash The Dogs Of War
Hirax are truly one of those old school thrash bands that define the term, "hidden gem." Beneath the big names of Anthrax and Slayer and the not quite as famous names such as Testament and Death Angel, there's some excellent groups to be found, and one of the first that I found in my search for more thrash, as well as one of my personal favourites, was Hirax. They were formed in Orange County, California in 1984 and were led by their charismatic singer, Katon W. De Pena, unique for not only being one of the few black musicians in the thrash scene, but for his one of a kind singing voice, with a cadence all of his own. They released two albums, "Raging Violence" and "Hate, Fear and Power,"before losing their record deal, independently releasing a demo entitled, "Blasted In Bangkok," before Katon left the group to start a new outfit called Phantasm with Gene Hoglan and original Metallica bass player Ron McGovney, while Hirax brought in former Exodus singer Paul Baloff for a brief period before disbanding altogether.
Over time, underground interest had built up and in 2000, Katon decided to bring the band back, convincing original members Scott Owen, Gary Monardo, and John Tabares to join in as well and release the "El Diablo Negro" EP later that year. Within time, there was a major lineup shift and Katon was left as the sole original member, putting together an all new lineup in time to record and release a new album, "The New Age Of Terror" in 2004. It was an excellent return for the band, cited by some critics as the best in their catalogue and featured some fantastic tracks such as, "Hostile Territory" and "Hell On Earth," but the song which stood out for me, was the closing, "Unleash the Dogs of War," which contains one of the catchiest chouruses in thrash metal history and a punishing intro. It also showcases Katon's voice perfectly and was a big part of what made "The New Age of Terror" not just a great album, but a great statement that the old thrash metal bands who had returned or were considering returning, could still rock out as hard as ever and teach the young guns a thing or two. More...
Hirax Releases "Hellion Rising" Music Video
California old school thrash legends Hirax have released a new music video for the track "Hellion Rising."
The song appears on the band's latest effort "Immortal Legacy," which is available now through SPV/Steamhammer Records. Check out "Hellion Rising" here:
Hirax Touring With Nervosa
Nervosa will be coming over to Europe this Summer to go on tour with Hirax and play at the Summer Breeze festival. Confirmed dates for the trek are as follows:
09.07 - Trutnov (CZH) “Obscene Extreme”
11.07 - Gdansk (POL) “Atlantic Club”
12.07 - Szczecin (POL) “Slowianin Club”
13.07 - Warsaw (POL) “Progressja”
14.07 - Berlin (GER) “SO36”
16.07- Kosice (SVK) “Colliseum Club”
17.07 - Pohori (CZH) “Agressive Fest”
18.07 - Balingen (GER) “Bang Your Head” HIRAX ONLY
19,07 - Egelsee (GER) “Schwarzer Adler”
21.07 - Tolmin (SLO) “Metal Days”
22.07 - Dornbirn (AUT) “Conrad Sohm”
23.07 - Kassel (GER) “K19”
24.07 - Hörnerkirchen (GER) “Headbangers Open Air” HIRAX ONLY
25.07 - Steenwijk (HOL) “Stonehenge”
26.07 - Ostend (BEL) “JH OHK” More...
Hirax Posts Full Album Online
Hirax will release new album "Immortal Legacy" tomorrow via SPV/Steamhammer in North America.
Starting today, Loudwire.com is giving fans the chance to hear "Immortal Legacy" from front to back. Check out the full stream below.
"On our new album we more than ever felt an artistic obligation to our fans to give them a really big-sounding record," says vocalist Katon W. De Pena. "Our philosophy has always been to remember where we come from and stay true to our roots. Our fans know that we will never let them down and that they have helped to raise us up to a level with bands such as Slayer, Sodom, Kreator, Exodus, Overkill, Testament, Annihilator and many others. This record proves that we are at the top of our game musically!" More...
Hirax Streaming New Track "Hellion Rising"
Legendary California thrashers Hirax are streaming the new track "Hellion Rising" from the upcoming release "Immortal Legacy," which drops in North America on March 4th, 2014 via Steamhammer/SPV.
The album's track listing is as follows:
1. Black Smoke
2. Hellion Rising
3. Victims of the Dead
4. Thunder Roar, The Conquest, La Boca de la Bestia - The Mouth of the Beast
5. Earthshaker
6. Tied to the Gallows Pole
7. Deceiver
8. Immortal Legacy
9. S.O.W. (intro)
10. Violence of Action
11. Atlantis (Journey to Atlantis)
12. The World Will Burn
13. Mephistopheles (Digital Only Bonus Track)
13. Mass Hysteria (Vinyl Only Bonus Track)
Check out "Hellion Rising" here: More...