Trystan MacDonald of Lithium Magazine recently conducted an interview singer Steve “Zetro” Souza, formerly of EXODUS and HATRIOT, where he talks about the possibility of reuniting with his former band.
Given your life long history with thrash metal, what is it about the genre that has kept you so inspired throughout the last two decades?
I would say just being one of the pioneers and one of the innovators of it. It was in my blood back then and it is in my blood now. To me, back in the day, it was like a cross between the hard rock bands and punk bands. I loved the aggression of it back then and that has not left me to this day. I don’t ever see myself not doing thrash metal.
With your newest band you’ve clearly gone back to the roots of 1980s Bay Area thrash metal. What made you decide to return to that very raw sound?
I had done other things with Dublin Death Patrol and Tenet. Those bands are not traditional thrash. Hatriot is a definite return to that classic sound of Exodus and Legacy. This is definitely my signature sound. I hear people say all the time, “Oh, I wish you were back in Exodus.” Well, this is the next best thing because it is in the same vein. Now fans get to enjoy two bands that have similar elements to their sound.
For all the thrash metal fans out there that have yet to hear Hatriot, how would you describe the band’s sound and what can we (the fans) expect from the band live?
Hatriot takes the classic thrash sound that people are familiar with, to the next level. It is a continuation of where I left off with Exodus in the “Tempo of the Damned” era. The guys in the band are much younger, so they incorporate a lot of modern elements, such as blast beats, into the sound. I think these guys are some of the best players I’ve worked with; live we are a machine. The fact that the guys in the band are real young adds to the aggression of the band live. They feel like they have something to prove at every show and they go out and kick ass.
With the departure from Exodus and the creation of Hatriot, would it be correct to say that your history with Exodus is over? Do you see yourself collaborating and/or returning to Exodus given the band’s lengthy history of lineup changes?
I’m not the type of person that will shut out any avenue for any reason whatsoever. I can’t say that “it is over” because I’m not dead yet. In five or ten years down the road, who knows what can happen? I will say that I am in good graces with the guys in Exodus, and I would be open to working again down the road. They have a solid band right now, and Rob Dukes has been their singer for over seven years now, so I think they have it together. I am 100% committed to putting Hatriot on the map right now. That is my main focus, but I don’t have a crystal ball. I can’t say what will happen down the road, but I will say that I don’t burn bridges or shut out opportunities. You just never know!
The rest of the interview can be read here.
