HIRAX are a phenomenon: they belong to the first wave of the US Thrash Metal movement and influenced many succeeding bands, but unlike SLAYER, EXODUS, MEGADETH or METALLICA they were never blessed by financial success. Maybe the extreme underground attitude, especially personified by their mastermind and vocalist Katon W. De Pena, and their connection to the US Hardcore / Punk scene hindered them from being approved by a mainstream audience. On one hand, it’s a real pity that their enthusiam never really paid, but on the other hand, they are one of the few bands from that time that stayed true to themselves and their fans and split up before selling out. Even with their reunion in 2000 they didn’t scratch their own legend like many of the big names in the business did before. After 12 years of non-existence, HIRAX were back to thrash and with “The New Age Of Terror” they prove again that they don’t belong to the waste bin of discarded Thrash Metal heroes. On 11 tracks (including 2 instrumentals) they deliver pure Thrash Metal in the HIRAX vein, driving and raging, without the slightest modern influence. Katon’s vocals are unique and charismatic as ever and account for a lot of the song’s charisma. If you know and love HIRAX from older times, you can buy this album without hesitation and if don’t know them up to now, this is your chance to fill a gap in your Metal history knowledge and to get to know a living Thrash Metal legend. Support them on their way towards sanctification! Website: www.blackdevilrecords.com