HIRAX

The great thing about the original outburst of thrash metal in the mid-80’s is that every band had its own unique sound. METALLICA didn’t really sound like SLAYER. KREATOR didn’t sound like ANTHRAX. And nobody sounded like HIRAX!

Erupting out of that fertile Southern California thrash scene, HIRAX was unique in several ways. They played brief, ragged blasts of grinding thrash that owed more to punk rock than straight heavy metal. In many ways, HIRAX was a precursor of the grindcore scene that would start at the end of the 80’s. They were a true “crossover” band uniting metal and punk. But nothing was more unique than their vocalist, Katon W. DePena...a man of African American and Latin descent who was a devotee of blues singer Sam Cooke. DePena’s unexpectedly melodic vocals made HIRAX sound completely different to all other bands in the thrash domain.

HIRAX got its start in 1984. And here in 2025, they are still bulldozing skulls with their latest record “Faster Than Death”, which is the rawest and most aggressive HIRAX effort since their very first album “Raging Violence”. Katon’s devotion to the underground metal scene is pure and intense and he’s just as enthusiastic about it now as he was back in the 80’s. Therefore, it was nothing less than an honor for me to talk to this veteran voice of thrash metal...

WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: Greetings and hails to you, Katon! “Faster Than Death” marks 40 years since the release of “Raging Violence”. Does that feel like a century ago or is it more like yesterday?

KATON W. DEPENDA: 4 decades is like 100 years in Thrash Metal, it takes a lot of resilience to keep playing at this level! We are still raging 41 years later…. We are still pushing boundaries with our music.

WC:Do the same forces motivate you now as they did back in 1985 or has your approach to things changed significantly?

KWD: The only thing that’s changed is I am 40 years older than I was back in 1984, my main motivation/inspiration is the fans to this day. Their support keeps me going, and I am very grateful for that.

WC:  The new album has a re-recorded version of “Warlord’s Command” from “Raging Violence” on it. Was this done purely to mark the 40 year anniversary or was there another reason for it?

KWD: That’s a great question. I wasn’t really thinking about the anniversary. It was more about paying tribute to the album that started it all for us. “Raging Violence” set the table for us. If it wasn’t for that record, I don’t know where we would be. The new version of “Warlords Command” does our first album from 1985 justice!! We still play songs from our first album in our live set and they always go over very well.

WC: The HIRAX lineup has changed a lot over the years. I see you now have a “studio” band and a “live” band. Is this the direction you’re going in from now on and do you see it giving you more stability?

KWD: Yes, this direction will make it easier for me to play concerts and also to record studio records. Not all musicians like touring, it’s pretty brutal. Traveling from country to country is not easy and some guys don’t like being away from home. And for recording albums, I will definitely work with more studio musicians in the future. For me, it makes it a lot easier to run HIRAX on a daily basis.

WC:Your singing style has always been a unique part of the band. Have you had to make any changes over the years to keep it the same...any different techniques to help your voice?

KWD: The main difference is just lifestyle change, healthier living and not partying till three and four in the morning. That shit kills your voice, you have to take care of yourself. especially as you get older! Simple things like getting rest, drinking water and staying out of the cold weather so you don’t get sick... you have to remember your voice is your instrument.

WC: “Faster Than Death” really seems to me to go back to the very origins of HIRAX. The songs are rawer, simpler and more in your face than your more recent albums. Was this the actual plan all along or did it just naturally turn out that way?

KWD: It was a conscious decision because I feel that MUSIC has gotten way too commercial. Obviously I’m not worried about being played on the radio… yes, the songs are much rawer and faster than the last few records, but it also represents what we were going through when we wrote the record. We were locked down during the pandemic so we had a lot of aggression and frustration to get out. It was the perfect situation to make this kind of a record. I’m very proud of it.

WC:. I hear a bit more of the punk influence on “Faster Than Death”, too. Do you still have a strong punk connection with the band? I remember HIRAX being considered a “crossover” band back in the day.

KWD: Oh yes, that is a part of our DNA, I think there will always be a crossover connection with us similar to bands like THE CRUMBSUCKERS, VOIVOD, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, D.R.I., THE ACCUSED, RAW POWER, S.O.D., NUCLEAR ASSAULT, etc… we all have something to say, and we all love to play fast at break neck speeds.

WC In the last few years, the extreme metal scene has really started to grow again. As a guy who was there for the original glory days, how do you see things now?

KWD: Outside of the United States, territories and countries, such as Japan, South America and Europe, the state of extreme music has been alive and well, but in the last 10 to 15 years, the United States movement has continually grown. A lot more thrash metal bands have popped up in the states.

WC: Do you follow any of the newer bands like ENFORCED or SPIRIT WORLD? Or do you have any younger bands you can recommend?

KWD: I wouldn’t say follow, but I do hear about these bands. Some of the newer bands, I can recommend have been around for at least 10 to 15 years. Compared to HIRAX ,though, they are young bands. MALON (Argentina) even though they are a little bit older, they deserve a mention as a great band. VIOLATOR (Brazil), WITCHTRAP (Colombia), STRIKE MASTER (Mexico), GAMA BOMB (Ireland), RANGER (Finland) are some great international bands. And some older bands I can suggest would be SODOM, VOIVOD, EXODUS, DARK ANGEL, CELTIC FROST,, etc. 

WC: Do some of the younger metal musicians come to you as a mentor or guru of sorts? How does that make you feel?

KWD: Yes, it happens to me quite often and always makes me feel really good, I think that as a veteran of the THRASH METAL scene you should always pay it forward to the younger musicians because they carry on the future of the music. We should do our best to help them forge ahead in the right direction. Many of the bands that used to open up for us are now doing very well in their own right so it’s always great to see them go to the next level!!!

WC: HIRAX has always sung about violence and the apocalypse. Those subjects seem more real than ever in 2025? Does it get kind of depressing to reflect on where things are headed?

KWD: Senseless killing and death are always depressing, but we can’t avoid them or not talk about it, especially now when it is happening more and more. Yes ,you are right A lot of these subjects are featured on our new record and we have spoken about them before, but it just seems that at this time our music concept and themes are more relevant than ever.

WC: What kind of live plans do you have for “Faster Than Death”? Hitting any of the bigger festivals? I would love to see you at Milwaukee Metalfest!

KWD: Yes, after the release on February 28 we will begin playing concert dates throughout the world! It’s interesting you should mention the Milwaukee Metalfest because they did contact us about this year‘s festival. I wasn’t sure about the Festival so I never got back to them, but after running into/meeting Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) at Brutal Assault Festival in the Czech Republic, he made me understand what it was all about “Underground music” so hopefully we’ll be able to perform there next year in 2026.

WC: You’ve always had a special relationship with South America and the Latino parts of the world. Could you tell us more about that relationship?

KWD: Yes, we have a very special connection with all of those cultures, and have been going there for years now! Most of the territories throughout South America, as well as Spain and Mexico and Central America we have toured and built up loyal fan bases, which are following continue to grow every year that we go back!!!! The respect between us and our audiences is mutual. We love each each other they are our extended family - Familia.

WC: Do you see yourself doing HIRAX until basically you physically can’t do it anymore? Or is there a specific timeline for when you call it a day?

KWD: Bottom line, it is all I know how to do and I love it more than life itself so if my body holds up or when it finally gives out - in my mind, I will do this to the day I die.

WC: Have you got any  “Spinal Tap” moments where things went goofy you could share with the readers? I’m guessing you have several to choose from, haha!

KWD: There’s plenty, but here’s a pretty scary one. We were playing down in Mexico in the forest and the stage wasn’t grounded. Everything was powered by generators. During the show, I grabbed onto a steel metal railing with my hand... I almost got electrocuted to death! The audience didn’t know, but right in front of them I was lit up with thousands of volts of electricity! Somehow, I survived it.

WC:Any last words or messages for the HIRAX faithful?

KWD: I thank you for your continued support coming out to the concerts and buying the RECORDS, you have kept us alive and going strong!!! Prepare yourselves, the new “Faster Than Death” album will be out at the end of February on Armageddon Label. 

WC:Thanks so much for taking time to do this! I spoke to you many years ago when Wormwood was just starting and I’m super happy to see the band is still so vital in 2025! Cheers to you!

KWD: It is an honor and thank you for your Diehard support. Hope to see you on the road soon……..

HIRAX