Interwiew to Katon From Hirax

"Definitely the Spanish culture is a big part of HIRAX. We will continue to write some songs for our fans who speak español..."
Interwiew by Luis Landeo
hi katon how are you?
Doing GREAT! HIRAX is now preparing for our next European tour. We leave at the beginning of November 2011. This is probably our most difficult period at this point in our career... the reason is that we are multi-tasking.... at the same time that we are rehearsing for our concert dates... we are also writing our new album / CD. Needless to say... we are busier than ever before.Can you tell me about the new projects of HIRAX?
Besides touring... we are working really hard on the songs for the upcoming album. We are writing a lot of HEAVY riffs! We are focusing on arranging all of the material that we have been composing. The new songs have a lot of riffs...more than ever before!!! I think our fans will be surprised at the amount of material compiled into each song! Obviously we are going to maintain our THRASH METAL roots! But the riffing will be a style all our own. I know that people will notice these elements more... once they hear the new songs! CRUSHING riffs... with a LOT of speed thrown in to KILL the listeners! We want to rip your face off with our music and leave your skull with a big smile on it!!Are you thinking to produce a new album?
YES!!! That is our main goal for early 2012! I can tell you this... in all honesty - THIS WILL BE AN EPIC THRASH METAL ALBUM!!! All of our fans deserve it! and that is what we are going to give them!What can we expect from this album?
Everything that you have heard from us and more!!! By the time you are done listening to our new album. You will probably think to yourself... HIRAX has done it again. Another train ride to hell!! on this THRASH METAL BEAST!!! Our legacy of brutal thrash metal is going to continue and live on... until the world explodes!!You have released the cd "el rostro de la muerte" and an ep entitled "El diablo negro"... Are you thinking of releasing an entire CD in Spanish one of these days?
YES, Definitely the Spanish culture is a big part of HIRAX. We will continue to write some songs for our fans who speak español. We are proud of them... and we hope that they will always be proud of us.Last year you had a South American Tour which was made in order to promote your latest album "El rostro de la muerte". What was your perception of Peru when you passed through this country?
Very amazing people. We loved learning about Peru and it's history. The people were GREAT! and very PROUD! and supportive of HIRAX's music. We are looking forward to returning to this great country soon!!!Which place of Peru did you like the most, Katon?
We have only been to Arequipa and Lima... both are great cities ... but different. If you have been there... then you already know that. Both audiences that we preformed for were very loud!! the slam pits were very big! MASSIVE stagediving!! It is true to say that our shows in Peru were some of the best concerts in South America. We loved it!!!What do you think about peruvian food?
The food is probably the BEST that I have had anywhere in the world!!! I was in heaven. The chicken was the BEST! I loved trying the drink Chicha!Do you think back this year with a new southamerican tour?
HIRAX will return to South America March - April 2012. We are looking forward to seeing all of our fans.A split of you and the Brazilian band Violator was released last year. Have you ever share stage together?
Yes... 4 times! Japan, Mexico, Brazil, etc. They are great guys and good friends of our. In Brazil ... we are label mates - Kill Again Records - puts out our music. They are our thrash metal brothers!!!What do you think of the South American Thrash Scene?
A lot of good bands. New and Old. Many bands from Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and many more. We have played with many of those bands and have huge respect for them!! There is more than just thrash metal.... there is Black Metal, Grindcore, Speed Metal, etc. We listen to it all!! We are also good friends with bands like- Ratos de Porão, The Force, Masacre, Witchtrap, Neurosis, Transmetal, Slaver, and a lot of other great bands. We think that the South American metal scene is VERY GOOD!Being HIRAX a well known band in the Amerian Thrash Metal vein, you have always been part of splits with new Thrash Metal bands or not so known bands, very underground ones. Do you consider this is the best way a big band can support new bands instead of being part of splits whith reknown bands such as Metallica, Slayer among others ?
Yes. It is also good for both bands. It turns their music on to new audiences. Especially if the bands are from different countries. It is the best way to get your music out there to the underground audiences who love and truly support this kind of music.I would like to take something from the history of HIRAX and something from your evolution. When you started you played with bands such as: Metallica, Exodus, Slayer. Would there be any possibility of seeing you playing togethere in a DVD like in the past?
Maybe some day. There is some very, rare footage that we haven't released yet. But it is not something that we are considering to do at this moment.Currently Thrash Metal adapts a new sound, something we can notice in bands as Trivium, Sanctity among others, leavin the real Thrash Metal Sound from the 80s behind. What do you think of it?
I wouldn't know. I do not listen to those bands. Mostly I listen to old school thrash metal and old school heavy metal. So I know nothing about fans that you just mentioned. I don't even know what they sound like.Do you think this pretty new school sound could affect the internatonal Thrasher scene?
I don't know what you mean by affect but I can tell you this those bands will have their audience. And bands like HIRAX, Exodus, Testament, Overkill, Nuclear Assault, Slayer, etc. will have our own die hard fans who will stand by us forever. That is really all that matters.How is the Thrash Metal scene in USA?
It's o.k. From personal experience I can tell you that the Los Angeles, CA Thrash Metal Movement has grown intensely in the last few years. And I am proud to say that. The last 2 shows that we played.... 1 at the Key Club with Armored Saint and 1with Evil Dead at the Hollywood, House of Blues were great successes! A lot of fans came out to see us. The Los Angeles metal scene is alive and well. Other strong states for the thrash metal explosions are happening in Texas, New York, California, Boston, Philadelphia, etc.Do you consider that usa its very tied to the mainstream unlike South America or Asia?
Not really. Mainstream music is popular everywhere. That is why it is called mainstream. Real metal has a bigger fan base outside of the U.S.A. There is really no money to support underground bands so, in the USA there is no money to learn about them. There are no radio shows or video shows to help promote our kind of music... so you have to rely on the internet to really find out about underground bands. That is just the way it is in the U.S.A.Do you have any message for your fans?
Yes, I do have a message for the fans... but I'm not going to tell you how to live your life. Just try to live the best life you can and do whatever makes you happy. To all of the HIRAX die hard fans out there. we look forward to seeing you on tour! Thank you for your support.

To know more about Hirax:
http://www.hirax.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/HIRAX/35532019955
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/hiraxofficial
HIRAX video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_VfDAFS5n4
iTunes.com: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/hirax/id125651743