Hirax (often stylized as HIRAX) is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 yet inspired by cross-genre influences including blues vocalist Sam Cooke, who De Pena once cited as "the greatest vocalist [De Pena] has ever heard."

History

After releasing some demos, Hirax signed with Metal Blade and debuted with their first full-length, Raging Violence, in 1985. After the change, they released their second album, Hate, Fear and Power, In 2003, the band played in Bang Your Head Festival, in Germany. The lineup completely changed, and Hirax released the album Barrage of Noise in 2001 with James Joseph Hubler, Justin Lent (Clusterfux), and Nick Seelinger. This lineup was brief as well.

In 2003, De Pena recruited an entirely new lineup again, and released the album The New Age of Terror in 2004 with guitarists Dave Watson and Glenn Rogers (formerly of Deliverance), bassist Angelo Espino, and drummer Jorge Iacobellis. The lineup was also short-lived due to irreconcilable differences.

The band released their fourth studio album, El Rostro de la Muerte, in the spring of 2009. On July 20, 2013, Hirax performed at the International Festival Convivencia Rock 2013 that took place in Pereira, Colombia. Thirty-six bands played in the three-day festival and 10,000 people gathered each day of the event.

On February 24, 2014, the band released their album titled Immortal Legacy, courtesy of Steamhammer Records.

March 2015 saw the band play in the UK for the first time in their history, beginning with an appearance at Hammerfest in Gwynedd, Wales.

On August 1, 2024, the band released a new EP, Faster than Death. Their first studio album in 11 years, also titled Faster than Death, was originally due for a release on February 21, 2025, however its release date got pushed back to February 28, 2025.

Hirax is currently working on a new album, which is due for release in 2026 or 2027. The band is schedueld to perform at Milwaukee Metal Fest in June 2026.

Members

Current members

  • Katon W. De Pena — lead vocals
  • Jose Gonzalez — bass, backing vocals
  • Mathew Morales — drums
  • Geremi Perez — guitars, backing vocals

Former members

Discography

;Studio albums

  • Raging Violence (1985)
  • Hate, Fear and Power (1986)
  • The New Age of Terror (2004)
  • El Rostro de la Muerte (2009)
  • Immortal Legacy (2014)
  • Faster than Death (2025)

;Split albums

  • Spazz/Hirax (1997)
  • Louder Than Hell (2005)
  • Hirax/F.K.Ü. (Sweden) (2008)
  • Hirax/Violator (Brazil) "Raging Thrash" (2010)
  • Hirax / Sodom, split 7-inch SPV Records "Hellion Rising" (2013)

;EPs

  • El Diablo Negro (2000)
  • Barrage of Noise (2001)
  • Assassins of War (2007)
  • Chaos and Brutality (2007)
  • Faster Than Death (2024)

;Demos

  • Demo 1984 (1984)
  • Demo Rehearsal 1 (1985)
  • Demo Rehearsal 2 (1985)
  • Blasted in Bangkok (1987)

;Compilation albums

  • Anglican Scrape Attic Earache Records (1985), flexi 7-inch, Hirax, Lp Cream, Execute, Sacrilege, Concrete Sox
  • Not Dead Yet (1987)
  • The Best of Metal Blade Records, Vol. 1 (1987), various artists
  • Thrash of the Titans (1999)
  • Thrash Metal Warriors (2007), HIRAX, Toxic Holocaust, Sabat, Kat, etc.
  • Thrash Metal Assassins (2008)
  • Noise Chaos War (2010)

;DVDs

  • Thrash 'Til Death (2006)
  • Thrash and Destroy (2008)
  • True Thrash Fest (2010), Live in Japan

References

  • Merchandise
  • Hirax on Encyclopaedia Metallum - The Metal Archives