Hatchet (band)
American thrash metal band from San Francisco, formed in 2005.
Hatchet is a thrash metal band from San Francisco, California, founded in January 2005 by guitarist and vocalist Julz Ramos, who is now the sole original member. The group has put out four studio albums, two demos, and two EPs, and is recognized as part of the late 2000s thrash metal revival. Their sound, shaped by the new wave of British heavy metal and the 1980s Bay Area thrash scene, is often called "old-school thrash metal."
The band started in January 2005 and released their first demo, *Frailty of the Flesh*, the next year. Two more releases followed in 2007: a second demo called *Frailty Demo* and a self-titled EP. These, along with a spot on the *Thrash Metal Warriors* compilation and big shows in the Bay Area—like opening for a reunited Possessed—caught the eye of Metal Blade Records, which put out Hatchet’s debut album *Awaiting Evil* on June 24, 2008. The album got good reviews, but a few months later the band went on hiatus. In early 2009, Ramos rebuilt Hatchet with a new lineup: himself and Sterling Bailey on guitar, Eric Lundgren on vocals, Ryan King on bass, and Alex Perez on drums. They then toured the US with Havok.
Five years passed, with more member changes and a label switch from Metal Blade to The End, before their second album *Dawn of the End* came out in March 2013. It earned positive reviews, and Hatchet toured heavily behind it, reportedly playing over 200 shows alongside acts like the Jeff Loomis Band, Blackguard, Flotsam and Jetsam, Exmortus, Warbringer, Havok, Lich King, Black Tide, Cellador, and Threat Signal. The album’s success led to their first music video, "Signals of Infection."
Their third album, *Fear Beyond Lunacy*, dropped on October 30, 2015, and was the only release with the lineup of Ramos, Clayton Cagle on guitar, Kody Barba on bass, and Ben Smith on drums. It was well received; Blabbermouth.net called it "a well-performed replication of classic San Fran thrash, reminiscent of Testament, Death Angel, Heathen and Exodus along with L.A.'s Agent Steel." Music videos came out for "In Fear We Trust" and "Tearing Into Hell," and Hatchet toured for nearly two years, sharing stages with Metal Church, Flotsam and Jetsam, Helstar, Act of Defiance, Eliminate, Black Fast, and Green Death. This was their last album on The End before moving to M-Theory Audio.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- San Francisco, California, U.S.
- Genre
- Thrash metal
- Years Active
- 2005–present
- Label
- Metal Blade / The End / Combat / M-Theory Audio
- Current Members
- Julz Ramos / Ben Smith / Clayton Cagle / Devin Reiche
- Past Members
- Marcus Kirchen / Sterling Bailey / Jon Fryman / Clark Webb / Lou Bianco / Dan Voigt / Ryan King / Travis Russey / Joey Karpowicz / Kody Barba / Dave Wert / Alex Perez / Eli Lucas
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hatchet's fourth album, Dying to Exist, was released on June 22, 2018, through M-Theory Audio and became their first to chart in the US, peaking at number 22 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. The band toured for nearly two years in support of the album. In October 2024, Hatchet released a new EP titled Leave No Soul through M-Theory Audio.
Reader's Guide
Hatchet emerged during the late 2000s thrash metal revival, drawing directly from the new wave of British heavy metal and the Bay Area thrash metal scenes of the 1980s. Their music, consistently described as 'old-school thrash metal,' helped sustain interest in the genre during a period when many younger bands were revisiting classic thrash sounds. The band's persistence through multiple lineup changes and label shifts—from Metal Blade to The End to Combat Records—demonstrates their resilience. Their fourth album, Dying to Exist, marked a commercial milestone by charting on Billboard's Top Heatseekers, indicating a growing audience. Hatchet's extensive touring with both veteran acts (Flotsam and Jetsam, Metal Church) and contemporaries (Havok, Warbringer) solidified their place in the thrash metal underground. While not pioneering new ground, they are recognized as a competent and dedicated contributor to the thrash metal revival, maintaining a steady output of albums and EPs over nearly two decades.
Did You Know?
- Hatchet was formed in January 2005 by guitarist and vocalist Julz Ramos, the band's only remaining original member.
- Their debut album Awaiting Evil was released in May 2008 through Metal Blade Records.
- Hatchet's fourth album Dying to Exist (2018) was their first to chart in the US, peaking at number 23 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.
- The band released a new EP titled Leave No Soul on October 25, 2024, through M-Theory Audio.
More in American thrash metal musical groups 1-24
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