Hirax

{{about|the band Hirax|the HIRAX telescope|Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment|the animal|Hyrax}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = HIRAX

| image = HIRAX Andres Sossa.jpg

| caption = HIRAX in Pereira, Colombia, July 2013

| landscape = yes

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Cypress, California, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Thrash metal|crossover thrash|speed metal}}

| years_active = {{hlist|1984–1989|2000–present}}{{cite web |url=http://www.blackdevilrecords.com/Biography.htm |title=Hirax Biography |access-date=December 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708012512/http://www.blackdevilrecords.com/Biography.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}

| label = {{hlist|Black Devil|Deep Six|Metal Blade|Mausoleum|Season of Mist|SPV}}

| spinoffs = Phantasm

| current_members = Katon W. De Pena
Jose Gonzalez
Mathew Morales
Allan Chan

| past_members = Scott Owen
John Tabares
Gary Monardo
Lance Harrison
Steve Harrison
Glenn Rogers
Jorge Iacobello
Mike Vega
Francisco Zamudio
Emilio Marquez

}}

Hirax (often stylized as HIRAX) is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena (the band's only original member left in the current line-up), the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with several of their thrash metal peers such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer. The band was an early example of thrash metal, speed metal and crossover thrash,{{Cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/the-new-age-of-terror/genres|title=Hirax - "The New Age of Terror"|website=Blabbermouth.net}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hirax-mn0000681354|title=Hirax | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links|website=AllMusic|access-date=November 17, 2019}} 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."{{Cite journal |date=1984 |title=Hirax |url=https://archive.org/details/MAYHEMNumber7ArnoldMD_201502/page/n15/mode/2up |journal=Mayhem! |issue=7 |quote=My main influence is Sam Cooke. He is an old blues vocalist. He's the greatest vocalist I have ever heard. I hope someday I will be as good as him. |via=Internet Archive}}

History

After releasing some demos, Hirax signed with Metal Blade and debuted with their first full-length, Raging Violence, in 1985. The band was composed of Katon W. De Pena (vocals), Scott Owen (guitar), Gary Monardo (bass) and John Tabares (drums).

In 1986, John Tabares left the band and Eric Brecht (brother of D.R.I.'s vocalist Kurt Brecht) joined.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Larkin, Colin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1154}} After the change, they released their second album, Hate, Fear and Power, which was only 16 minutes and eight songs in length. After this release, the band quit the label and independently released a demo called Blasted In Bangkok in 1987.

But with tensions and disillusions in the band, De Pena decided to leave and form a new band with Gene Hoglan (former Dark Angel drummer), and Ron McGovney (former Metallica bassist). They called themselves Phantasm and released a six-track demo in 1988 (re-issued in 2002 as a CD with the demo and live tracks). After a brief tour with Nuclear Assault, they broke up. In 1989, after De Pena left, the replacement was Paul Baloff (former Exodus frontman). But soon after the band broke up.

=Reunion=

De Pena stayed involved in the regional underground music scene and took a job working at a local music store. In 1997, he featured one of his old songs on a split 7-inch with Spazz, the band of one of his friends. By 1998, De Pena had received enough fan mail and interest which encouraged him to reunite Hirax in 2000. De Pena reunited the band with the original lineup of Scott Owen, Gary Monardo, and John Tabares, releasing the El Diablo Negro EP in 2000. In 2002, the band played in Abrasive Rock Fest.{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=2010|title=Hirax Confirmed For Abrasive Rock Fest|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=May 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031102050132/http://roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=2010|archive-date=November 2, 2003|df=mdy-all}} In 2003, the band played in Bang Your Head Festival, in Germany.{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=9398|title=Hirax Confirmed For Germany's Bang Your Head 2003 Festival|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=May 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040120113600/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=9398|archive-date=January 20, 2004|df=mdy-all}} The lineup completely changed, and Hirax released the album Barrage of Noise in 2001 with James Joseph Hubler, Justin Lent (Clusterfux), and Nick Sellinger. 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.{{cite web | url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111464 | title = HIRAX: New Album Update | access-date = December 26, 2008 | work = blabbermouth.net | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081227111639/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111464 | archive-date = December 27, 2008 | df = mdy-all }} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.pereiraalacarta.com/conciertos/convivenciarock2013-fotos-dia2.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021071625/http://www.pereiraalacarta.com/conciertos/convivenciarock2013-fotos-dia2.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2013|title=Convivencia Rock 2013 - Día 2|work=Pereira a la carta - Encuentra bares, discotecas, restaurantes, hoteles, almacenes y entretenimiento en la ciudad de Pereira|access-date=May 19, 2016}}

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.{{cite web|author=Justin Wearn|url=https://thisdayinmetal.com/hiraxepeuropeantour/|title=HIRAX announce EP Faster Than Death and European Tour|publisher=This Day in Metal|date=May 29, 2024|access-date=August 2, 2024}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/hirax-to-release-faster-than-death-album-in-february-cover-art-revealed|title=HIRAX To Release Faster Than Death Album In February; Cover Art Revealed|magazine=Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles|access-date=November 27, 2024|date=November 27, 2024}}{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2025 |title=Hirax – Faster than Death Review |url=https://www.angrymetalguy.com/hirax-faster-than-death-review/ |website=Angry Metal Guy}}

Members

file:HIRAX!.jpg

;Current

Katon W. De Pena – vocals (1984–1988, 2000–present)
Jose Gonzalez – bass (2024–present)
Mathew Morales – drums (2025–present)
Allan Chan – guitars (2024–present)

;Former

Scott Owen – guitars (1984–1989, 2000)
Gary Monardo – bass (1984–1989, 2000)
Brian Keith – drums (1984)
John Tabares – drums (1984–1986, 2000)
Bob Savage – guitars (1984)
Eric Brecht – drums (1986)
Paul Baloff – vocals (1989)
James Joseph Hubler – guitars (2001)
Justin Lent – guitars, bass (2001)
Shaun Ross – bass (2001)
Dan Bellinger – drums (2001)
Mike Brickman – bass (2001–2003)
Dave Watson – guitars (2004–2005)
Angelo Espino – bass (2004–2005)
Fabricio Ravelli – drums (2005–2008)
Glenn Rogers – guitars (2003–2005, 2006–2007, 2008–2010)
Mike Guerrero – guitars (2011–2013)
Jorge Iacobellis – drums (2004–2005, 2008–2013)
Steve Harrison – bass (2005–2021)
Lance Harrison – guitars (2006–2021)
Mike Vega – drums (2014–2021)
Neil Metcalf - guitars (2021-2024)
Francisco Zamudio – drums (2022–2023)
Chris Aguirre – bass (2022–2023)
Danny Walker – drums (2023)
Emilio Marquez - drums (2024-2025)

=Timeline=

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bar:Baloff text:"Paul Baloff"

bar:Savage text:"Bob Savage"

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bar:Hubler text:"James Joseph Hubler"

bar:Lent text:"Justin Lent"

bar:Rogers text:"Glenn Rogers"

bar:Guerrero text:"Mike Guerrero"

bar:Watson text:"Dave Watson"

bar:LHarrison text:"Lance Harrison"

bar:Metcalf text:"Neil Metcalf"

bar:Chan text:"Allan Chan"

bar:Monardo text:"Gary Monardo"

bar:Ross text:"Shaun Ross"

bar:Brickman text:"Mike Brickman"

bar:Espino text:"Angelo Espino"

bar:SHarrison text:"Steve Harrison"

bar:Aguirre text:"Chris Aguirre"

bar:Gonzalez text:"Jose Gonzalez"

bar:Keith text:"Brian Keith"

bar:Tabares text:"John Tabares"

bar:Brecht text:"Eric Brecht"

bar:Bellinger text:"Dan Bellinger"

bar:Iacobellis text:"Jorge Iacobellis"

bar:Ravelli text:"Fabricio Ravelli"

bar:Vega text:"Mike Vega"

bar:Zamudio text:"Francisco Zamudio"

bar:Walker text:"Danny Walker"

bar:Marquez text:"Emilio Marquez"

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width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)

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bar:Pena from:01/01/2000 till:end color:vocals

bar:Baloff from:01/01/1989 till:31/12/1989 color:vocals

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bar:Rogers from:01/09/2008 till:31/12/2010 color:guitar

bar:Watson from:01/01/2004 till:31/12/2005 color:guitar

bar:LHarrison from:01/01/2006 till:07/05/2022 color:guitar

bar:Guerrero from:01/10/2011 till:30/06/2013 color:guitar

bar:Metcalf from:07/05/2022 till:17/06/2024 color:guitar

bar:Chan from:17/06/2024 till:end color:guitar

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bar:Vega from:01/01/2014 till:07/05/2022 color:drums

bar:Zamudio from:07/05/2022 till:26/02/2023 color:drums

bar:Walker from:26/02/2023 till:31/12/2023 color:drums

bar:Marquez from:01/01/2024 till:end color:drums}}

Discography

;Studio albums

;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){{cite web|url=http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Sodom/Hellion_Rising_-_Water_Boarding/394622|title=Sodom / Hirax – Hellion Rising / Water Boarding – Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives|access-date=May 19, 2016}}

;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{{cite web|url=http://7inchcrust.blogspot.com/2008/05/va-anglican-scrape-attic-7-flexi.html|title=7inchcrust: V/A-Anglican scrape attic 7-inch (flexi)|website=7inchcrust.blogspot.com|access-date=May 19, 2016}}
Not Dead Yet (1987)
The Best of Metal Blade Records, Vol. 1 (1987), various artists{{cite web|url=http://www.blackdevilrecords.com/hirax_discography.htm|title=HIRAX DISCOGRAPHY|access-date=May 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064701/http://www.blackdevilrecords.com/hirax_discography.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2016|df=mdy-all}}
Thrash of the Titans (1999)
Thrash Metal Warriors (2007), HIRAX, Toxic Holocaust, Sabat, Kat, etc.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Various-Thrash-Metal-Warriors-Compilation/release/3386863|title=Various - Thrash Metal Warriors - Compilation|work=Discogs|access-date=May 19, 2016}}
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

External links

{{Official website|http://www.blackdevilrecords.com}}
[http://www.hirax.bigcartel.com/ Merchandise]
[http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=1617 Hirax on Encyclopaedia Metallum - The Metal Archives]

Category:1984 establishments in California

Category:Thrash metal musical groups from California

Category:African-American heavy metal musical groups

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1989

Category:Musical groups established in 1984

Category:Musical groups from Orange County, California

Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2000

Category:Musical quartets from California