"Hirax became a fixture in the Los Angeles metal community before they achieved broader recognition, beginning with 1985’s aptly named ‘Raging Violence,’ released by Metal Blade, of course. The band was led by vocalist Katon W. de Pena, whose idiosyncratic vocal style alternated between vicious snarling and semi-operatic screams, thus mirroring his bandmates’ bi-polar blend of blazing thrash and classic metal."