The band is scheduled to begin recording four new tracks on October 13 at Shiva Industries Studio in Santa Ana, California. John Haddad will produce the tracks "Lucifer's Inferno" and "City of the Dead" for the compilation "Speed Kills
Again", to be released on the new label Heavy Artillery, a subsidiary of Punk Core Records. The other two tracks, "Summon the Death Dealers" and "Crown of Thorns", will tentatively be released on limited edition vinyl through Black Devil Records. The compilation will also feature two songs each from MERCILESS DEATH, WARBRINGER, VIOLATOR, ENFORCER, MELTDOWN, and AVENGER OF BLOOD.
"HIRAX has never been a conventional metal band," said vocalist Katon W. De Pena. "We realize the importance of the younger bands and we have always reached out to them the same as the older metalheads. Punk Core Records started this subsidiary label so that they could release thrash metal bands. They really support underground music. Their Punk Core division has released great acts such as THE CAUSALITIES, THE VIRUS, and LOWER CLASS BRATS."
This will be the first studio recording with recent additions Lance Harrison (lead guitar), Steve Harrison (bass), and Fabrico Ravelli (drums) joining HIRAX founding member vocalist Katon W. De Pena and lead guitarist Glenn Rogers, who has just received an endorsement from Jackson Guitars.
HIRAX plan to record their full length record, "Assassins of War", beginning in early 2007. The band recently sold out of the first pressing of its first DVD, "Thrash Till Death".
Following a four-date tour of Mexico, HIRAX's first-ever U.S. tour will begin in Philadelphia on November 10.
"We are fired up to do these upcoming tour dates!" said De Pena. "This is the first time in HIRAX history that we will be doing an extended tour. We have played New York and Boston before and the fans TOTALLY KICK ASS! They are very loud. We are looking forward to playing for them again. We will be playing some new songs from our upcoming album, 'Assassins of War', for the first time live as well as HIRAX classics. The band is looking forward to tear it up for the East Coast thrashers."
HIRAX tour dates:
Oct. 29 - Circo Volador, Mexico City, DF
Nov. 10 - The Boiler Room Philadelphia, PA
Nov. 11 - North Six, Brooklyn, NY
Nov. 12 - Middle East, Boston, MA
Nov. 13 - TBA, Albany, NY
Nov. 14 - Bug Jar, Rochester, NY
Nov. 15 - Jigsaw, Cleveland, OH
Nov. 16 - Lawrenceville Moose, Pittsburgh, PA
Nov. 17 - The Sterling Hotel, Allentown, PA
Nov. 18 - The Ottobar, Baltimore, MD
Nov. 19 - Legion Hall, Wallingford, CT
Dec. 09 - Bulldogz, Phoenix, AZ (all ages)
Dec. 15 - Annies Social Club, San Francisco, CA (21 and up)
Dec. 16 - Safari Sam's, Hollywood, CA (all ages)
