BAY AREA THRASHERS, HATCHET, TO REISSUE "AWAITING EVIL" DEBUT ON VINYL
PRE-ORDERS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FIRST-EVER VINYL RELEASE OF 2008 DEBUT; INCLUDES DIGITAL BONUS TRACKS
M-Theory Audio will be reissuing “Awaiting Evil,” the 2008 debut album from Bay Area thrashers HATCHET, on limited-edition blue smoke vinyl on May 6th. The upcoming release will mark the first-time release of the record on vinyl, plus it includes personal liner notes from guitarist Julz Ramos. Pre-orders are available now at www.m-theoryaudio.com/store. Those that purchase this edition of “Awaiting Evil” will also receive digital downloads of two bonus re-recordings of album tracks recorded by the current HATCHET lineup.
Says guitarist/current vocalist Julz Ramos, “Good year 2022 to all HATCHET LEGIONS worldwide! While we’ve been quiet on the surface, we’ve been working on a few things down here in the morlocks tomb! We want to announce the vinyl reissue of our debut album, 'AWAITING EVIL' due out this May 2022, on M-Theory Audio. This is a special event marking 14 years since its release and what better way than reissue it exclusively on vinyl as it was never done at the time of release. Big thanks to our label president and manager Marco Barbieri for spearheading this idea. The release will also feature two digital downloads for the rerecorded tracks 'Frozen Hell' and ‘Awaiting Evil’ from the album that were done during the 2015 'Fear Beyond Lunacy' recording sessions.
HATCHET's debut album, “Awaiting Evil” - which was originally released by Metal Blade Records - received praise for its “catchy galloping style” from The Metal Crypt. Then-HATCHET vocalist Marcus Kirchen was applauded by Sputnik Music for delivering his performance with “a fast and furious vocal style that fits this type of music perfectly,” and guitarist Julz Ramos was praised by Blabbermouth for his “seriously shredding leads.”
HATCHET was formed in 2006 by teenagers that shared a mutual love for the bands that built their hometown Bay Area metal scene two decades prior. Bands such as Testament, Exodus, and the early work of then-Bay Area transplants Metallica infused the initial blueprint that informed HATCHET's sound. The group however forged their own path thanks to layering in guitar melodies that were inspired by other classic heavy metal acts such as Iron Maiden, and adding an additional layer of technicality to stand out from the competitive pack of modern bands seeking inspiration from the greats of heavy metal's yesteryear. The same Sputnik Music review that praised Kirchen's vocal performance also noted that HATCHET “don't really sound like a rip-off of their influences but rather they are just five dudes rocking out and putting everything into their music.”
The months that followed the initial May 2008 release of “Awaiting Evil” saw HATCHET take their sound to the live stage alongside NWOBHM legends Raven, Southern California thrash icons Hirax, and fellow modern thrashers such as Warbringer and Havok. The years since have seen Ramos step behind the microphone while continuing his duties as lead guitarist, and the release of three more albums – 2013's “Dawn of the End,” 2015's “Fear Beyond Lunacy,” and 2018's “Dying to Exist.” The group has also cemented their status as a live powerhouse, performing alongside acts such as Trivium, Soilwork, Flotsam and Jetsam, Metal Church, Misfits’ Doyle, Jeff Loomis, Kataklysm, Krisiun and Exmortus.
More information on the first-ever vinyl release of HATCHET's 2008 debut record, “Awaiting Evil,” and the band's plans for 2022 will be unveiled in the months to come by M-Theory Audio and at www.facebook.com/hatchetofficial.
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