Hirax should be one of the most respected
names in metal. Despite only having a few full-lengths amongst a legion of EP’s,
splits, and other releases, they always deliver quality. I have yet to come
across a Hirax release I didn’t enjoy. In 2014, with their new album “Immortal
Legacy”, the band further cements their spot in thrash metal history with yet
another raging disc of tunes. Throughout the entire release there is not a
single moment of compromise or disappointment; the band provides plenty of
material to headbang to, and even when they do leave the thrash realm
momentarily (see “Atlantis (Journey to Atlantis)”) they do so to create
something interesting.
Most of the tracks here are pretty speedy.
The band doesn’t break into insane 250 BPM type songs, but they provide more
than enough fury to mosh to. Songs like “Black Smoke” and “Immortal Legacy” do
a stellar job of combining hard-hitting riffs with memorable vocal lines. As
you might imagine, Katon De Pena is still the driving force of this band. Over
the years his vocals have become a bit more reined in, but that’s more because
he learned how to sing rather than because his abilities are diminishing. In
fact, he sounds better on “Immortal Legacy” than any other Hirax release. He
can push his voice into overdrive and deliver huge screams, but his singing
voice is fantastic too. It is his ability to combine these two sounds
seamlessly into any song that is really impressive. It prevents the tracks from
getting stale because Katon can mix up his vocals seemingly at will.
It’s hard to criticize “Immortal Legacy”. There
are perhaps certain tracks here that are a bit weaker, especially on the second
half of the album, but there is nothing that is outright bad. The production is
solid, as nobody is fighting for attention. The guitar solos are louder than
everything else (as they should be), and are quite plentiful as well. Even
though there are 12 tracks, there are a few shorter tracks to break things up,
and the album is over surprisingly quickly. Overall, “Immortal Legacy” is an
impressive record. While Hirax doesn’t pump out albums as quickly as all of
their peers, they always deliver when they do. This album was written for fans
of thrash by fans of thrash. Katon knows this genre inside out, and once again,
he has proven he’s among the best at it.
Highlights
"Black Smoke"
"Victims of the Dead"
"Immortal Legacy"
Final Rating
4.25/5 or 85%.
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