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HATRIOT
Dawn Of The New Centurion

Massacre (2014)
Rating: 9/10

Steve “Zetro” Souza and colleagues are back, hot on the heels of their impressive debut opus Heroes Of Origin (2013) which blew me away. And I’m more than happy to report that Hatriot’s second slab of burning metal, Dawn Of The New Centurion, is another thrash feast of crushing riffs, pounding drums and infectious songs sure to rip your face off.

However, this time round – if it was at all possible – Hatriot are even more ferocious, lacerating flesh and severing bone with opening assault ‘From My Cold Dead Hands’ in which Zetro sounds like a man possessed as his noticeable rasp takes on even more aggression, and is accompanied by some deathly sneers too as the twin guitar attack of Kosta Varvatakis and Justin Cole annihilates all in its wake.

The great thing about Hatriot is that we have an intriguing combination of Zetro’s experience and the energy of the young guns around him, particularly Cody and Nick Souza who are keeping the thrash firmly in the family as they churn out impressive bass and percussion respectively.

‘From My Cold Dead Hands’ is a volatile composition, beginning with classic metal orchestration comprised of whining guitars and tumbling drums before it morphs into a platter of fury, belligerence and hostility. ‘Your Worst Enemy’ begins with a shuddering bass-line, but then rushes headlong as a destructive thrash torrent of raging drums and snarling vocals of intent.

Yes, Hatriot are still of that 80s thrash ilk, but it slots so effortlessly into the modern climate because it’s so effective and rampant. Those detractors who felt that the death of thrash was signalled by the rise of the recent revivalists should look no further than Hatriot who’ve not resorted to modern dynamics in their quest for thrash domination.

Dawn Of The New Centurion is classic thrash from its bones to its flesh, featuring excellent melody which rises from the chords of chaos and percussive panic. The maturity of the Oakland, California-based band shines through with the epic strains of ‘The Fear Within’, which begins as a traditional metal gallop of glossy chugs and stony drums. It’s the most accessible and slowest track on the opus, boasting subtle touches of caressing guitar and melodic framework, and is sewn together with some fantastic solos and aching harmony before its final pugnacious rattle.

‘Honor The Rise And Fall’ begins in a similar vein, echoing Metallica at their most reflective as the guitars rise from the ashes, allowing the track to develop as a mid-paced cruncher until Zetro’s hideous introduction, taking the track into speedier depths.

The bass once again becomes king on ‘Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious’ with its tongue-in-cheek aggression and Exodus-styled melody. This is pure moshing madness, a sure-fire winner when it comes to prompting the crowds into frenzy. Hatriot are tighter than ever as they knit together stirring chords and solid percussion, evoking images of Metallica circa Ride The Lightning (1984). As expected, Zetro is a true maniac on the mic, frothing, sneering and spewing out those lyrics like some politician of the perverse or toxic narrator hell-bent on world domination.

‘Silence In The House Of The Lord’ is another seven-minute heart-pounder running on classic thrash gas, exuding menace and swagger, but the real punishing allure of this record lies with the charging vengeance of ‘World Funeral’ – with its earthy gang chants – and the brooding, bruising title track.

‘Dawn Of The New Centurion’ is another where Zetro rules as the master of all thrash vocalists. His style has never changed, meaning that the band merely shift around his expressions of hate and wit, resulting in throbbing segments of aggression which are rarely bettered by anyone within the field.

The closing track of this opus is ‘Consolation For The Insane’, which is another pummelling cacophony of blazing guitars, racing drums and cantankerous bass, and is rounded off by the angry yelps of Zetro who sounds like he could start an argument in an empty room!

I’ll say it time and time again about Hatriot; forget the pretenders, because these guys are the real deal when it comes to thrash metal vehemence. This has everything any real thrash fan craves in a thrash metal record, and it spits venom throughout. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to let go of those old thrash metal albums that you never thought could be better, because Hatriot’s sophomore slab signals the dawn of a new beast.

Neil Arnold