We live in perilous times, but if you look back over the past four decades, this hardly is the first time it seemed like our very existence was at stake. The original waves of thrash bands in the early 1980s had their own version of Republican bullshit to endure, and they also didn’t have a suitable opposition leader to dethrone Reagan, thus the fires of this brand of music came firing out of the canon, fully ablaze.

Long-time thrash legends Hirax have endured the ages very well, coming out of California in the early ’80s and establishing themselves as one of the tried-and-true leaders. Yes, they didn’t gain the acclaim of a Metallica or Anthrax or Slayer, but here they are, still turning out quality thrash that sounds as fresh now as the style did in its origin. Still at the helm is lifer Katon W. De Pena, as unmistakable a voice as you’ll ever hear, and he and his band are cooking on “Faster Than Death,” their first new full-length in 11 years. De Pena is joined by a new lineup on this record in guitarist/bassist Neil Metcalf and drummer Danny Walker, and they lay waste over nine tracks and just 22 minutes, every second of it channeled, politically and socially charged, and bound to kick your ass.

“Drill into the Brain” starts with, you guessed it, the sound of a drill, and this opener rushes by with reckless abandon, opening the thrash gates like only Hirax can, getting in and out in a little more than a minute. “Armageddon” is speedy as hell, De Pena’s classic vocals toggling the line between wild howls and power-style sirens. The bass acts as a steely spine as the guitars launch into overdrive, ripping to a molten end. “Drowned Bodies” blasts the doors in, the bass thickening along with the metallic crunch, guitars taking off and dashing. The chugging blasts harder as rock is dislodged from earth, De Pena declaring, “Rather die than live like a slave.” The title track erupts, De Pena howling, “Your time has come, make way for the gods of war,” as speedy, trudging madness consumes everything whole. 

“Psychiatric Ward” is another quick blast, dashing and bludgeoning, the vocals spat like hot nails, the riffs gaining more energy and slicing back at bone. “Relentless” tears open, the drums stampeding, the cries of, “Warfare! Iron fist!” breaking down doors. De Pena lambastes the greedy politicians and makes a very on-the-nose accusation of, “The corporations are filthy rich,” which sadly won’t end anytime soon. “Revenant” has guitars floating before the temperatures skyrocket, yowled vocals landing hard across the chest. The playing mashes and trucks, a classic thrash feel having its way, the pace causing blood to race to your face. “Warlord’s Command” is a re-recording of a track from the band’s 1985 debut album “Raging Violence,” and it gets a punishing remake while maintaining the spirit of the original. Closer “Worlds End” torches, De Pena howling, “Survive or die!” over the molten chorus. Guitars lather as the tempo destroys, the bass mauls, and everything comes to a raucous end, smoldering in ash.

Hirax remain as vital and punishing as ever more than four decades into their run, and “Faster Than Death” lives alongside the rest of their catalog quite capably. This is classic thrash in the best sense, raging with political anger, societal upheaval, and a sense that heavy metal is alive and well in a form we haven’t seen capably reinvented like death or black metal. This is a powerhouse of a record, one that will add some deadly gems to their already thunderous live shows.

For more on the band, go here: https://hirax.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://armageddonlabel.bandcamp.com/album/faster-than-death

For more on the label, go here: https://armageddonlabel.bandcamp.com/