Hatriot – Dawn Of The New Centurion.

‘Dawn Of The New Centurion’, the 2nd album by U.S thrashers Hatriot could possibly have got its title from lead singer and founder member Steve “Zetro” Souza who has just celebrated his 50th birthday, a half century. It could also apply to his welcome return to the thrash metal scene once again only just over a year since releasing their raging  debut Hatriot album ‘Heroes Of Origin’, a very impressive debut featuring Steve’s son Cody on bass and Nick on drums. The icing on the cake were the guitar histrionics of Kosta “V” and on the new album the band are joined by 2nd guitarist J.C. Justin Cole who replaces Miguel Esparza.

Hatriot set the bar high with their debut but ‘Dawn Of The New Centurion’ is almost impossibly more intense and the songwriting creativity is so strong they are already working on the next album! The album spectacularly opens with a sample from a speech actor Charlton Heston  made in 2000 at an N.R.A rally saying about his rifle being taken from his cold dead hands which gives way to the song of the same name. A brief layered guitar intro gives way to the 1st big riff of the album, leading into a foot to the floor stomping rhythm as Steve’s vicious snarls show that his anger is still in his veins. There is no pause for breath as as the bass driven ‘Your Worst Enemy’ follows with surging and frenetic time changes. Other highlights are ‘The Fear Within’, 1 of 3 tracks over 7 minutes long on the album. A brooding, chugging guitar leads into a piercing riff that follows the lead vocal grabbing the listener immediately which gives way to a solemn guitar passage midway as the pace picks up to a climactic guitar workout. This song is a prime example of Hatriot’s progression. ‘Honor The Rise And Fall’ is another showcase for Kosta “V” to show his guitar wizardry as his blistering Schenker like intro precedes into vitriolic neck breaking thrash metal. The quirky title of following song is a bit of a tongue twister called ‘SUPERKILLAFRAGSADISTICACTSARESOATROCIOUS’ with a bottom end heavier than the tread of Godzilla and the guitar solo could have come from the fingers of Eddie Van Halen as the song fades out with a chant of “Free Pussy Riot”, the Russian female punk rock trio currently in jail for protesting against their government.

Personal highlight for me is ‘Silence In The House Of The Lord’, the 2nd 7 minute opus and the time flies by with churning riffs punctuated by yet more insane guitar work topped off by Steve’s most unhinged vocal so far. Hatriot save their most brutal track to close with, ‘Consolation For The Insane’ as we get 5 minutes of maximum velocity metal as the warp speed guitars snake around Nick’s avalanche like drum assault with a fretboard masterclass guitar solo. If the new songs written for the 3rd album are as strong as the these 9 on offer then Hatriot will have a lot of the big names looking over their shoulders as this is the most uncompromising album I have heard for some time!

‘Dawn Of The New Centurion’ is currently available on Massacre Records in a number of formats. A Digipak, a ltd edition Digipak with an exclusive bonus track and a ltd 500 hand numbered vinyl albums with a gatefold sleeve. Hatriot will be touring with UK thrash metal band Onslaught for 8 gigs in Ireland and the UK from July 13th – 21st 2014, also featuring Artillery, a bill not to be missed!

Hatriot band line up :-

Steve “Zetro” Souza – Lead vocals.

Kosta “V” – Guitars.

J.C Justin Cole – Guitars.

Cody Souza – Bass guitar.

Nick Souza – Drums.

Album track listing :-

From My Cold Dead Hands.

Your Worst Enemy.

The Fear Within.

Honor The Rise And Fall.

SUPERKILLAFRAGSADISTICACTSARESOATROCIOUS.

Silence In The House Of The Lord.

World Funeral.

Dawn Of The New Centurion.

Consolation For The Insane.