Back on the old site, I had interviewed some artists before I closed down the blog site and regretfully I never transferred over the interviews from that blog onto this one. That is OK because I have recovered the second of the interviews from the In This Corner segment and I have it right here for you, but there is a little disclaimer before your read the interview. This interview was conducted when Steve “Zetro” Souza was still a member of Hatriot. So, by the time this interview was done, he was not back in Exodus. He was promoting the Hatriot record Dawn Of The New Centurion which is a kick ass metal album featuring some amazing songs. Alright now that we got that out of the way, why don’t we check out the interview below:Me: How amazing of an experience has it been to be able to record an album with your sons?
ZETRO – It’s the greatest feeling in the world. This is actually the second record for the band, so having a band with my sons is a reality now, and not some novelty thing. I think it is any father’s dream to share a common interest with his kids, and for me to actually have a band on a worldwide scale with my boys is really awesome. I’m very proud of them. They have worked hard to get to a level of musicianship where they can be taken seriously in this business, and I think it shows on both records. Plus, my life has come full circle now. I had to quit Exodus in 2004 to be able to provide for my kids, and now I have my music back as a priority in my life, and my kids are there with me. So it is fucking great!
Me: I know with the first record Heroes Of Origin, you said that you had treated recording like a football team where practice was important and you were the coach emphasizing execution. Did you use the same approach with Dawn Of The New Centurion?
ZETRO – Absolutely! I treat every show and every rehearsal like it is the most important thing we will ever do. We also watch live concert videos of other bands and study what they are doing. Last week we were watching a live Judas Priest DVD at my house, and I was pausing the video and pointing out to the boys when something looked cool. You boys see how both guitar players come to the front of the stage for the solo, and then go back into position when the vocals come back in? Do that shit! It is absolutely ran like a pro football team!Me: What can fans expect from the new record?
ZETRO – They can expect everything that they love about my previous bands, with a lot of sore necks to go along with it from all the headbanging! All the essential elements are there that make up a great thrash metal album. It is the next progression from “Heroes Of Origin.” The songs are longer and more complex and there is bit more melody in there, but it is still ferocious at the same time. Cross “Tempo Of The Damned” with “The Legacy” and you get a style similar to what Hatriot is doing. It’s pure classic thrash metal with a modern twist!
Me: It has been documented that you write all of the lyrics, what are the types of things that inspire you to write?
ZETRO – Anything but love songs! I write about the dark side of life. That’s what has always interested me. I hate happy feel good music. It’s a brutal world and I am supplying the soundtrack. This album covers a lot of lyrical ground. There are songs about killers, corrupt government leaders, and Catholic priest pedophilia – plus a bunch of other heavy shit! No topic is too taboo for me. It just has to be dark and it has to be heavy.
Me: One of my favorite songs on the new album is Superkillafragsadisticactsaresoatrocious. What was the inspiration behind the track and how did you guys come up with the title? I know that you mention Pussy Riot in the track, did that have a part in the making of the song?
ZETRO – It’s a title I came up with as a spoof on the Mary Poppins thing, and I knew if I used it the whole world would be talking about it, and damn it I was right! The song title is so ridiculous that people can’t stop talking about it, and that’s exactly what I had hoped for. It’s the ultimate tongue in cheek humor that thrash metal was full of back in the 80’s. The track is actually about corrupt world leaders like Putin and Hitler, and how they all fall in the end. It just kind of worked out with what was going on with Pussy Riot at the time, so we included that in the song as well.
Me: The album is absolutely brutal, punishing , and relentless. My neck is still hurting right now from all the headbanging, where did find Kosta V? That kid is a monster and it’s evident in tracks like the title track, World Funeral, Honor in The Rise And Fall, etc.
ZETRO – I have been very fortunate to work with great guitar players all through my career. Alex and Eric in Legacy, Gary and Rick in Exodus, Glen and Jed in Tenet… it is just fucking crazy how skilled all these guys are. So for me to start another band I had to have a serious guitar shredder on board. I mean I am competing against my own history here, so the world is going to crucify any guitarist that can’t cut it in my band. I met Kosta by accident actually. I was at a show watching my son Nick play with his old band, and I was there just as a spectator, just to be a supportive dad. Kosta’s old band was on the bill and I was very impressed with him. We talked for about an hour after the show and exchanged numbers. He finally called me a few weeks later and wanted to work on some music, and the chemistry between us was too good to not put to use. I had to form a band with him.Me: I know you’ve mentioned in interviews before what bands your kids were into, but is there any new metal bands that you’re digging right now?
ZETRO – I like a lot of the newer thrash coming out. It’s really cool to hear the influences come out in the music of these bands. I’d like to talk now about a couple bands here in the Bay Area that people should check out. We do a lot of shows with a band here called Angerhead that we are good friends with. I actually sang on their demo and it turned out really cool. They are a very Motorhead style, driving hard rock kind of band. Another band we play with a lot is Pain Clinic out of Reno, Nevada. We are doing a bunch of shows with them and I recommend checking them out.
Me: James Hetfield mentioned a little while ago that the demand for metal is not what it used to be in the States and someone once said that Metal is underground. Do you agree with what James said and is Metal better off underground and why?
ZETRO – He’s nailed it. He nailed it on the head. If the media doesn’t cover something regularly, then our country just won’t pay attention. It’s sad really. We have one major outlet for heavy metal right now, and that’s VH1’s That Metal Show. Those guys are great and are really flying the flag for metal, and Don Jamieson is a good friend of mine and a big supporter of Hatriot. But right now my focus is selling Hatriot abroad, to places like Japan and South America, where the fans are more passionate about metal. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fans here in the USA, but there just isn’t enough media support to make it massive like it once was. James is absolutely right. The upside to it is metal fans are so passionate about the music because it is underground. It’s not forced down their throats. Fans of heavy metal usually remain fans for life. You never hear somebody say “Oh I was into Slayer for a summer…” You don’t hear that shit. You love Slayer for life!
Me: What can we expect from Hatriot moving forward? Can we expect a tour of the US?
ZETRO – I like to have no expectations in this business. I hope for a US tour. That would be fucking great, but i don’t know if it will happen yet. There are a lot of factors. We have to make it feasible to pull off financially, and as you know the price of fuel is ridiculous these days. So if it can be done then we will definitely tour, hopefully as a support act for a bigger band. I hope the fans will go buy “Dawn of The New Centurion” and help create a demand for the band so we can get out there and play live. Other than that you can expect a third album to come together at the end of the year. I already have songs for record three, and record two isn’t even officially out yet!
