HIRAX — Faster than Death (review)

HIRAX — Faster than Death album cover Album · 2025 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Faster than Death" is the eighth full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Hirax. The album was released through Doomentia Records in February 2025. It´s the successor to "Immortal Legacy" from 2014. Although Hirax have remained active and have released some demos, splits, and other minor releases in the 11 years between the two full-length studio albums, it´s still a long time to wait for a new album. In true Hirax style the listener only gets nine tracks and a total playing time of 21:45 minutes (their 1986 sophomore studio album "Hate, Fear and Power" famously only features a 16 minutes playing time), so it´s not like they´ve spend all those years composing a wealth of material for the world to hear.

"Faster than Death" is a release featuring no surprises and for most Hirax fans that´s how it should be. It´s powerful, raw, and either fast-paced or heavier mid-paced thrash metal with lead vocalist Katon W. de Pena´s distinct sounding raw shouting vocals in front. The musicianship is strong and everything is delivered with the right amount of intensity and passion. These guys are professionals and fans of raw old school west coast US thrash metal should find a lot to appreciate here. Raw staccato delivered vocals, powerful thrashy riffing and drumming, and blistering screaming lead guitar work. "Faster than Death" is well produced too and upon conclusion it´s another high quality release from Hirax and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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Vim Fuego wrote:
2 hours ago
I find sometimes you don't want too much if the music is absolutely relentless. Short playing times are quite common for grindcore albums, and it makes sense for a lot of those albums.
UMUR wrote:
14 hours ago
...and I have no problem with a short playing time as long as it´s quality material. Sometimes a release makes even more impact if it´s short and doesn´t overstay its welcome. In my experience it´s very few albums which benefit from being much longer than 45 minutes long. There are of course exceptions.
UMUR wrote:
23 hours ago
I like this one. I think it´s a pretty strong release, although Hirax was never a personal favorite of mine.
adg211288 wrote:
1 day ago
I like Hirax but feel a bit miffed over the length of this one considering how long its been between albums. That it's somehow not their shortest 'album' is not much consolation. Those really short albums were both done in the 80s. All there 'modern' Hirax albums prior to this one have been much more substantial and to my ears the last two were also stronger than this one, which while not bad per se for me would fall under the description of 'huh, is that it?' in more ways than one.

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