Sunday 29 July 2012

Interview with Steve "Zetro" Souza on Hatriot's New Album

Hatriot:
Steve "Zetro" Souza - Vocals
Kosta Varvatakis - Guitars
Michael Esparza - Guitars
Cody Souza - Bass
Alex Bent - Drums

Zetro may be a familiar name to many of you with an impressive pedigree including Exodus and Legacy (Testament) and he returns to us now the guise of Hatriot all set to start recording their debut album "Heroes of Origin" in August this year.

Combining Zetro's experience of the old school thrash scene with some new blood contributing to ensuring the music is still relevant today, this will be an album to look out for. Heavy Metal Bullet caught up with Zetro to find out some more about what to expect from the upcoming album.
"I am like their fearless leader"
Heavy Metal Bullet (HMB): With an impressive history behind you what do you think will make Hatriot stand out from the other bands you have been a part of?
Zetro: I think my experience and my name will obviously give Hatriot a head start with everything. Actually the youth that comes with this band is what will set Hatriot apart from my other projects in the past. I am like their fearless leader. Every practice is a lesson, I tell them what to expect when this thing gets rolling. We never had that in Exodus or Legacy because we were all young and just learning as we went. Now I can take the youth and guide them so we don't make any mistakes. It's a really cool thing.

HMB: Do you think there are expectations placed upon this record considering the bands you have been a part of before?
Zetro: I expect it to be killer, I won't let anything else go out and my past history speaks for itself. The fans know what to expect from me as far as my vocal style goes, that hasn't changed. What has changed is the band is a lot heavier than a lot of what I have done, the music is more aggressive, the lyrics are sicker than ever. This album is going to kick your ass, I can promise that.

HMB: Where did the name Hatriot come from?
Zetro: The Hatriot name came from the Exodus song "Scar Spangled Banner". The band is the natural "next step" from what I was doing during my last run with Exodus, so the name Hatriot kind of ties my history with them to the new band. Plus it sounded pissed off and aggressive, just like a thrash metal band should be, so I went with it.
"The music is more agressive, the lyrics are sicker than ever. This album is going to kick you ass"
HMB: What should people expect from the upcoming record?
Zetro: Expect ten songs of straight up kick your ass thrash metal. The record is going to be called "Heroes of Origin" and it will be all killer no filler. I only put my name to music that I think is top notch, and the new Hatriot record is definitely that. I haven't strayed from the vocal style the fans expect to hear when they listen to something from me, so it will be familiar, yet fresh at the same time.

HMB: Do you have any routines/rituals prior to recording or are you more of a take it how it comes person?
Zetro: I listen to the music extensively, almost relentlessly. Like right now I am memorising the material and we are rehearsing five times a week. So I guess that's the way I prepare for it. I take the music home with me and just drill it over and over.
"We didn't realise the club was run by the Mafia over there"
HMB: Who would you say has influenced the music of Hatriot?
Zetro: I would say the old school thrash scene is obviously the biggest influence, but with the guys in the band being younger they bring in a lot of new elements as well. You will hear a lot of triplets in the music, maybe some blast beats from time to time. I think it's a perfect mix of the old sound and the newer, modern sound.

HMB: What or who would you say got you into metal music?
Zetro: I've always liked hard rock and metal music. I always tell the story of when I was eight years old my father took me out to buy a Led Zeppelin record, that was the beginning of it. In the 70s I listened to mostly hard rock but by the 80s it was definietly all metal. I listened to the most extreme music that was out there.

HMB: Anny funny band related stories you can share?
Zetro: Ummm... let me give you one from England. We (Exodus) trashed a dressing room at the Hummingbird in England. We didn't realise the club was run by the Mafia over there, the Jamaican Triad. The venue had messed up our rider and we were trashing the place to retaliate, not realising these guys were literally going to try and kill us. Sure enough, these Jamaican guys showed up with guns. Our manager told the godfather guy what had happened and that it was nothing against them and that we would pay for it. So they hunted down the guy who didn't hold up the end of the bargain, the guy who stiffed us, and they kicked his ass! The next time we came to England we played a different club and these same Mafia guys came out and they loved us. But they wanted to kill us the year before!

While you wait in eager anticipation for the release of "Heroes of Origin" why not use the time wisely, click on any of the links below and find out some more about Hatriot for yourselves!

Hatriot Website
Facebook
Twitter

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