RAGING VIOLENCE - Raging Violence CD

Before the reunion led by singer Katon DePena in 2000, which continues to this day, HIRAX from Los Angeles recorded just one album, two EPs, and a demo. The latter showed the band still heavily influenced by NWOBHM acts like Jaguar. Their debut album, "Raging Violence" (Metal Blade, 1985), continues to polarize audiences to this day! It may have been one of the most extreme records of 1985, but this came at the expense of the songs and tight teamwork. Although they turned things around on the following EP, "Hate, Fear And Power," they never released another album. After another EP in 7" single format, this phase of HIRAX, now somewhat cult-like, was over.

In 2013, four members "from the old days" recorded five HIRAX tracks with singer Rob Perkins. This is how the demo track "Born In The Streets" made it onto an album for the first time, with then-second guitarist Bob Savage on board. But why these new recordings? Bassist and founding member Gary Monardo explains that they make perfect sense: "The reason we re-recorded the Hirax songs is because the original recordings were faster than we intended, which washed out the sheer heaviness of the riffs. We wanted these recordings to be tight, clean, precise, and extremely heavy. Since Katon's vocals were perceived as polarizing by some fans, we wanted fans to hear the songs with a completely different vocal dynamic."

The three new tracks demonstrate that they haven't forgotten anything. Scott Owen's riffs are and remain signature. The band broke up before a possible release in 2015, and only a few fans knew about the recordings. The musicians are currently in contact again, and who knows what will happen in the coming months...

TRACK LISTING:

1. Born In the Streets

2. Demons Evil Forces

3. Call Of The Gods

4. Fear The War Within

5. The Plague

6. Peace In Anarchy

7. Crutch

8. Assemble The Dead

9. Born In The Streets (Bonus Alternative Version)