Hirax
in concerto @ Blue Rose Saloon, Bresso (MI), 3 aprile 2015

Assorted metalheads and '80s nostalgics, gather around, Hirax is in town. Are you all ready for an evening of thrash metal and beer? The Blue Rose Saloon in Bresso, just outside Milan, grasping the opportunity of the Easter weekend, has organized a great double bill, managing to bring the seasoned Hirax on one side and the revived Tank on the other, old legends of the NWOBHM's golden years, who have recently started making noise again. For those who might not be entirely clear on whom we are talking about, Hirax was, in the mid-eighties, among the many bands that played on the Californian stage, at a time that, aside from the usual giants of the genre, also saw a proliferation of perhaps lesser-known formations that nonetheless managed to place vinyl grooves here and there that still drive fans wild today. The band had a brief life back then, leaving behind two LPs and the reputation of a "cult band", only to return to circulation with the new millennium, scattering the past fifteen years with a multitude of albums, EPs, and splits. While this makes their discography quite fragmented and not all releases easily obtainable, it must be recognized that our heroes have worked hard both in studio and live and do not live off the aura of a nostalgic group from the past. Led, as usual, by the great Katon De Pena, a singer as charismatic as he is little known, Hirax stopped by Milan to promote their latest effort, "Immortal Legacy", an album that, apparently, adds little to what’s been said in the past and won’t make you shout 'miracle,' but still provides a healthy dose of vintage thrash metal. The attendance in the venue went beyond the rosiest expectations, with about eighty people already present during the performance of the last support group, the Australians Desecrator, indicating a level of "inebriated participation" that by the end of the Americans' performance would underpin a "singular" sideshow, one of those where you're unsure whether to complain or laugh. "Hellion Rising" opens the dance, showing a cohesive group that takes no prisoners, with Katon as the undisputed leader of the scene. The musical splinters of Hirax seem to be the perfect example of a certain type of thrash, fast, raw, and aggressive, also thanks to tracks sometimes having minimal duration, the exact opposite of a perhaps too produced and verbose metal that recently seems to have gained ground (who thought of the latest Exodus?). The presence as headliners gives the Americans the opportunity to explore widely, proposing more recent tracks, like "Black Smoke," alongside older pieces, like "El Diablo Negro," which fifteen years ago marked the return of the Californian group to the scene, up to "Hate, Fear and Power," "Destroy," and the concluding "Bombs of Death," crazy splinters directly from the days of vinyl records and cassette demos. If the train for fame and glory seems to have passed a while ago, relegating Hirax to a niche group, it’s undeniable that, at least live, the four from Buena Park know how to be the protagonists of the evening, with a Katon who, in terms of charisma and audience engagement, is undoubtedly second to none. And speaking of the audience, here’s what was anticipated earlier: it's no surprise that one drinks to excess at a thrash metal concert, but the alcohol level of much of the audience was such as to wonder how much self-control some amusing long-haired individuals in the front rows had left. Despite the genuine free-for-alls flying under the stage, at a certain point Katon and his associates preferred to momentarily halt their performance to highlight the presence of a few characters who, due to a few bottles too many of Jack Daniel's, started to become rather bothersome both to the musicians and their instruments. Heaven opened! The audience then divided into two (almost) opposing factions, those waiting patiently for someone to explain to the saboteur in Spanish that it was time to calm down, and those supporting the Hispanic’s cause, no less getting irritated, discovering only past midnight on a sad Friday evening that their youth idols didn’t so much promote abstaining from alcohol as "drinking responsibly." Once matters were clarified, more or less, and after the spoiler crashed to the ground at the first mosh pit, Katon and company realized the battle was lost from the start and that it was better to let go and move on. Mega finale, then, with the showpieces from the days of yore and with the good De Pena eager to reassure the fans that after the concert he would stop to drink with them at the local bar, as wearing the label of a teetotaler certainly wouldn’t encourage selling any tour T-shirts. What one must do to earn a living. Happy thrash metal to everyone and see you next time!

Setlist:

1. 100,000 Strong
2. Hellion Rising
3. Baptized By Fire
4. Lucifer's Inferno
5. Blind Faith
6. Black Smoke
7. Earthshaker
8. Hate, Fear and Power
9. Hostile Territory
10. La Boca de la Bestia
11. Destroy
12. El Diablo Negro
13. Broken Neck
14. Bombs of Death