NEWS: Hatchet return for the soul harvest?

The return of arguably the best Thrash Metal band to come out of The Bay Area since 2006, Hatchet have returned with the promise of a new EP for 2024 via M-Theory Audio, their first new material in five long barren years. While the title of that remains under wraps, the four piece have shared a new single “Leave No Soul” and video created by Tsunami Films (Blessed Curse, Tegmentum, Apothesary) alongside artwork from Andrej Bartulovic of All Things Rotten fame…

Hatchet vocalist and guitarist Julz Ramos: “Well kids, it’s that time of year again… or rather that time in 5 years for us! That’s right – New HATCHET material is finally here! It’s hard to believe it’s been that long since we released something. Time certainly is flying by faster than we all realize. Especially in these last couple of years of what some consider a changing of times or even a global crisis. Now the world is watching several violent invasion style wars that have just begun or are possibly continuations if you look back far enough. Seems mankind is constantly at odds with itself for trivial reasons. Does it ever get better? Or worse for that matter? Is this how it has always been and will always be? I found my mind drifting to these questions while spending lots of isolated time throughout the 2020-22 period, as much of the world did.  This was the period of actually writing and tracking of this and some other songs which we will released on an upcoming EP.”

“As a band this EP process was a challenge for several reasons. One being the odd way of completing it through several online and zoom style sessions to try and convey thoughts etc. Also due to a couple of us relocating our living situations, so meeting in person had become more difficult. This would attribute to several recording sessions of just 2 or 3 of us being present but unfortunately never all 4 of us at the same time,” further elaborates Julz. “You can do a lot with the internet, file sharing and home recording but for me there is something about being in-person with all 4 members and having some open-ended time to discuss and collectively arrange/write music that you just can’t get through the computer. Also spending that much time on something makes you over analyse and eventually rework things you might not have with a shorter yet more organic in-person feel. Overall, I think this came out great, but the process was much more drawn-out this time, and I don’t think any of us enjoyed that part.”

“Yet, sitting back listening to it all, it still puts a huge smile on my face, and I hope all of you out there who have been waiting. I don’t really know what that all means. Maybe you can tell me?”