Steve “Zetro” Souza is a name tied to the history of the Bay Area Thrash movement. Having been the voice that launched Legacy, and later Testament, Steve is best known from several stints as the front man of Exodus and Tenet. His modern thrash band Hatriot is back with their most fully realized material on Dawn of the New Centurion (Massacre). Armed with a young and hungry band, which includes his sons Cody and Nick as the rhythm section, Zetro sounds as fierce as ever on this album.
From the opening track, “My Cold Dead Hands”, you get the idea that Steve is royally pissed off. The band sounds like many in the neo-thrash movement, but obviously have the veteran presence at the helm. After the famous Charlton Heston, pro-NRA sound-byte that opens the album, there is a lot of grandiosity in this track for a thrash song. It will activate the circle pits when they play it live. ‘Your Worst Enemy’ follows next, and you hear Steve at his snarling best. The real weapon of the band is shredder Kosta V., who really lays it down when it comes to his leads. ‘The Fear Within’ is the best track on the album and has an epic feel to it. When the main riffs kick in, you will get goose bumps.
‘SUPERKILLAFRAGSADISTICACTSARESOATROCIOUS’ is a fun song, and I dare you to say that five times fast. The song is heavy as hell, and gives a shout-out to Pussy Riot in the coda. This is not a politically conscious band, just one with a lot of lyrical themes speaking to injustice. ‘Silence In the House of The Lord’ and the power-groove laden title track also stand out. Juan Urtega has produced a lot of the greats of the genre, and like all of his albums these tracks sound very punchy and well balanced too. Maybe the only gripe I have with the album is Steve spends a lot of time growling and I’d like to hear him open up with more melodies next time out. When compared with a lot of the newer thrash bands, Hatriot not only stacks up well, they represent to the fullest.
8/10
KEITH (KEEFY) CHACHKES