At this juncture, it’s unlikely any sort of perfunctory thrash statement is going to come from ‘ole Steve “Zetro” Souza, the man who fronted Exodus during their most commercially successful, yet strife-filled period. His voice has aged nicely, but thrash as a viable, game-changing entity has had its day – 25 years ago. His dismissal from Exodus during their second go-round has reached the 10-year mark, but it’s all systems go with Hatriot, who on their sophomore Dawn of the New Centurion, make amends for last year’s bland Heroes of Origin.
The band’s sound is like a pencil-necked Exodus; not as heavy, perhaps more fluid and melodic, though, which is aces up on cuts like “Your Worst Enemy” and the sprawling “The Fear Within,” which translates to a supposed nod to classic-era Metallica. The pugnacious “Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious” is a veritable syllable-a-thon from Zetro, detailing the plight of Russia’s “Pussy Riot” and other oppressed entities, while his fiery, Bon Scott-caked approach on the title track, and “Silence in the House of the Lord” still have plenty of merit, maybe even moreso in this context than previously imagined.
Interviews with Zetro have indicated Hatriot will be releasing an album a year, which should make it interesting to chart the band’s progress. Of course, they’re a thrash band, so take the word “progress” liberally, as gains might be incremental over time. Never the matter, for Dawn of the New Centurion takes out its predecessor with ease, and the rabid old dog that is Zetro still has plenty of bark…and bite.