Interview to Katon W. De pena of Hirax

Interview by Luis Landeo
Hails Katon and welcome back to Arsenal Del Metalero, well the band will release this April 2013 a new album title: "The Mouth Of The Beast" La boca de la bestia How goes the recording session? (and is the band working with a recording producer? 
The first single off the new HIRAX album is called "La Boca de la Bestia" ("The Mouth of the Beast"). It will be released December 15 worldwide. Following the release of this single the new HIRAX album will be released - Spring 2013 and will be released in all territories worldwide. There is no title for the album just yet but "La Boca de la Bestia" ("The Mouth of the Beast") is the first single off of it. The title/name is going to be a surprise. For the production of the new album we are working with famous producer Bill Metoyer who was for many years the in-house producer for Metal Blade Records and has worked with bands such as Slayer, HIRAX, Armored Saint, Dark Angel, Cryptic Slaughter and many other great bands! The production of the new album so far is amazing and the guitar sound is very brutal!! I think the fans will be completely blown away!

Well the band will release this December 2012 a new single, what is the name of this single? and what is the concept behind the lyrics of this single? and do you think this new album will be another evolution for HIRAX? 
Yes the new HIRAX single will be released worldwide on December 15, 2012. "La Boca de la Bestia" ("The Mouth of the Beast") is a taster of the upcoming album. An example of what the sound will be like and what is to come. Definitely there is a bigger progression in the HIRAX sound and music. The technical guitar playing continues to grow! We are very proud of this new single. The lyrical content is based on some young warriors who are forced into battle and the trials of war. Through the triumphs of war and death they are bonded and become brothers. The main vocal line in the chorus is written in Spanish. We are very excited for the fans to hear our new music!!

Last year when interviewed you, I asked you about if you had in mind a full lenght in spanish, so will be: "La Boca De La Bestia" a full lenght with lyrics in spanish? 
Those songs mean a lot to us and all of our fans but I am still trying to learn more Spanish. It is not my first language but I am trying to learn more and more each year. I love the language and obviously I love all of our friends that speak Spanish! We write those songs and dedicate them to all of the Spanish speaking fans. Maybe one day there will be a HIRAX album and all all in Spanish. But for now we will keep trying!

Last year the band played with Sodom in Lima-Peru, obviously the show had some problems with lima authorities, but how was share stage with Sodom in Peru? what can you tell about it? 
Yes last year we played with them Sodom in Lima Peru which was a fantastic Concierto! We did have problems with the authorities as to all ages. Some of the younger kids were not allowed to come into the concert. Which was very, very sad ... we HIRAX promise to come back and play for all fans!! As to playing with our friends, Sodom ... it was great!! They are very good humans/people. We get along with them greatly! Myself and Tom Angelripper had a great time drinking Jack Daniels backstage after the show!! I can only say that we are very honored to work with such a humble and honest band ... Sodom are great people!

After of the release of the single, you are thinking in a tour what places are you thinking visit in this next tour? 
After the release of the new HIRAX single "La Boca de la Bestia" ("The Mouth of the Beast") HIRAX will be doing three special concerts. Two in Brazil December 15th & 16th ... for the first time we will be playing Rio de Janeiro & Rio Negrinho - SC... and one more concert at the end of the year December 22 in Los Angeles California. HIRAX will play at the Key Club on December 22. These 3 concerts are for the special release of the new HIRAX single. Then at the beginning of the year 2013 the new album will come out and HIRAX will return to South America. Feature dates will be - Columbia, Chile, Argentina, obviously Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia ... more dates to be announced. Then we will go back to North America & probably Southeast Asia, Japan and we will also return to Europe in 2013 - Italy, Germany, France, Holland, Scandinavia etc.

I forgot asked you in the last interview, but I know in first years of the band, you was connected with bands of the bay area: Slayer, metallica, and well we dont have to forget HIRAX first singer was Paul Baloff (Ex Exodus) (R.I.P) are hirax keeping in touch with those bands? and do you think exist a possibilty of play with that band in stage again? 
Yes HIRAX has been very well known as friends of the Bay Area metal scene and the Los Angeles metal scene. When we started out in Los Angeles it was HIRAX, Metallica, Slayer and Dark Angel and then we went to the Bay Area and played with Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Possessed and many other great bands. Paul Baloff was not the first singer for HIRAX, I am Katon W. De Pena. Paul Baloff (RIP) came in after I left in 1987. He was in the band for a brief time. He is a very good friend of mine, I only have good things to say about him. Then he left and I came back into the band. That is basically that the lead vocalist history of HIRAX. To this day we are still in contact with a lot of the Bay Area bands as well as play concerts together many times throughout the years. I'm sure we will do more dates together in the future.

Well this question dont nothing to do about HIRAX, but the Remembering day of the death of Chuck Schuldiner is comming (December 13th) and I know you was a very good friend with Chuck, so how do you remember your friend? 
Chuck Schuldiner was a great friend of mine! I knew him before he started Death ... the original name before that was a Mantas. I knew and as a very young kid and he was my penpal. I only have fond, great memories of him of seeing him rise up as a musician. I am very saddened about his death, even to this day. I remember the last time I talked to him (which was about a month before he died) he called me. He was very happy that I had put HIRAX back together and was very encouraging. He was a very great musician yet very humble. He will be missed forever!

Well Katon I will be pendient for the release of this new album do you have a last message for end this interview? 
Yes the new HIRAX will coming in 2013 Spring ... I promise you it will be epic and very powerful thrash metal! Over-the-top! I would like to thank all of the HIRAX fans worldwide for their diehard support! We will see you again on tour in 2013! Thank you very much!! Metal till death! 

For more about Hirax: 
http://www.hirax.org