First two Hirax albums initially released on Metal Blade records in 1985 and ‘86, getting the remastered treatment for CD and vinyl in 2023. Singer Katon W. De Pena is the remaining original member of the Cali based thrashers since their inception in ‘84. To date they have issued three more albums with different lineups, several singles and EPs. Before I start talking about each album, many forget, or don't know, that Hirax were there too at the birth of thrash metal in Los Angeles and San Francisco playing the clubs with peers Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer. But Hirax were a bit different, fast and furious but brasher and unfocused, chaotic, not as song based like Metallica, or satanic like Slayer Show No Mercy, savage like Exodus Bonded By Blood.
Another major difference the songs were shorter, under three minutes, some barely over a minute, quick bursts of hectic aggression. Plus, Katon's shrill vocal tone and delivery also set them apart, giving Hirax that, as they were called, crossover (thrash) appeal to punk rock fans and skaters, like Suicidal Tendencies at that time, and other west coast bands D.R.I. and Cryptic Slaughter.
Longest song on Raging Violence, "Demons - Evil Forces" at 3:21, contains one of the best opening lyrics in all heavy metal history, "You, you will go down, down to the demons and when you get there, you'll... you'll be down in Hell". This length gives the song time to be a complete song, part slower tempo, riff directed (with solo) that does include a couple changes, unlike others from the fourteen tracks. "Blitzkrieg Air Attack" at two minutes puts its feet in the ground and doesn't move from the straight forward pounding drums and riff. Aside from the opening riffing, "Guardian Protector" also suffers from sameness at a minute and a half. But they manage to fit in a solo. Opening guitars to "Bombs Of Death" could have been on Slayer's Show No Mercy. Drums are all over the place on the title track, but there are moments everyone comes together.
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