Hatriot's Thrash Metal Titan Steve Souza 's Origin Tales

Bay Area thrash Californians Hatriot has arrived setting their mark upon the thrash metal scene being from the birthplace of where thrash metal began. These guys have earned worldwide respect supporting bands like Forbidden and Testament among others. Frontman vocalist and guitarist Steve Zetro Souza has once again set foot upon the thrash metal scene having an immediate impact upon it. The veteran metal singer, from such acts as Exodus, Legacy, Dublin Death Patrol, Tenet, AC/DZ and now Hatriot is here to stay and claim what his rightfully his, his love for music and thrash metal! He took some time to discuss the band's latest release "Heroes Of Origin" as well as the plans for the upcoming future!

1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Hatriot, and how long the band has been together.

Steve: I am Steve 'Zetro' Souza I'm the lead singer and the band has been around since 2010. Our main guitar player and myself put this band together.

2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

Steve: We're from the Bay Area in Oakland, California. The scene is alright but the local scene has been dead lately,  but if a good show comes up people will go, and some bands to check out would be Angerhead, Mudface, and Potential Threat are some good bands worth checking out.

3. How did you guys come up with your band name?

Steve: I use to play in a band called Exodus and on their last record "Temple of the Damned" there was a song called "Scar Spangled Banner" and in that song was a line that goes "I'm no patriot I'm a hatriot" so I had loved that word so that's where it came from.

4. Is there any story or concept behind the Heroes Of Origin title?

Steve: Not really a concept but there are a lot of different stories on the record. It comes from social things, TV, Vampires, anything dark, sick, and twisted I like to write about.

5. Select two songs from Heroes Of Origin and what inspired the lyrics.

Steve: I love all types of horror one song called "Shadows of the Buried" was my anthem to the TV show and movie "Dark Shadows", so I called it "Shadows of the Buried".  Another song is one we will be releasing tomorrow for a new video for the song "And Your Children to be Damned" that one is a true story of this women who lived in the Romanian hills, would kill Virgin children and bath in their blood because she thought it would keep her young forever. So there you have it, two songs you will hear on the record.

6. Who produced Heroes Of Origin and what was it like working with them?

Steve: We used Juan Detango, he had done the last Testament and Machine Head records, so I had always wanted to work with me so everything worked out really well when working with him.

7. Who did the cover art for Heroes Of Origin and how much input did you have on it?

Steve: I have a ton of input, I do everything in this band, I had worked with Mark Deveto for 30 years, he's done stuff for a lot of bands, and is working on the album artwork for the second album as well. I had wanted him to capture us walking through the lines of war and he caught it really well.

8. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?

Steve: No real theme or message. Anything that really impacts me from movies, TV, current events in the end it's just brutal, awesome, thrash metal music.

9. What bands have influenced your band and its sound?

Steve: Anything heavy metal we've stolen from a lot of bands a lot of different influences, Slayer, Megadeth, Kreator, Testament a lot of those bands I look up too.

10. You guys are signed to Massacre Records, how did this all happen and are you happy with them?

Steve: When you get a demo done and out you send it out so they wanted it and wanted us and have been treating us really well.

11. You're the former singer of Exodus do you ever see yourself returning to that band or is that history?

Steve: No definitely not. I put too much work into this band so why would I let them down, two of the members are my sons. I have been there and done that not in this case.

12. Would you consider bringing your band to play with those bands?

Steve: Of course I would love to do that and make it happen it'd be fun.

13. A lot of bands have taken that dark, Devil worshiping  concept or image and are using it a lot in their music, appeal, etc. Are you a Devil worshiper, what are your thoughts on this?

Steve: Honestly I don't even think it's being used in metal anymore.  I don't have anything about the Devil just dark subjects on our records. I am not a Satanist in any way, shape, or form.

14. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?

Steve: We're booking dates around the U.S. and Europe so we will be seeing them and kicking their ass!

15. Would you like to say anything else to your fans?

Steve: Love to all of the metal fans who have been supporting me for the past 30 years. I got all new projects a brand new band, a brand new hot rod I'll be cruising down the street on, there's a lot happening so we're not going anywhere, we will be around for quite some time.