Rev. Lord Hager (The Vagina Smasher)

As a highly-respected though humble proponent in the metal community, Jason Hager has a resume studded with prime acts from across the metal spectrum. Born in West Virginia and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Jason Hager has lived a life driven by music.
Surrounded by heavy music, Hager spent his early youth mastering the air guitar while matching his mother’s taste for bands like Pink Floyd, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, and The Eagles, among others. “Being told by the nuns in my school when I was in second grade that I would grow up to be a serial killer because I was drawing demonic pictures of evil monsters I envisioned…I knew right away that I was headed down the right path in life,” says Hager. “Only these so-called demonic pictures were actually pictures of KISS,” he adds. “I've pretty much lived and breathed music my entire life.”
A pivotal moment in Hager’s life would not only affect him as a musician but as a performer as well. As soon as he first laid eyes on the video for Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” he knew there was no other life for him- music was it. “My jaw was to the floor for the entire video and it was that moment I knew that what they were doing was what I needed to be doing,” Hager recalls. “I was definitely drawn to the "larger than life" aspect of the more over the top metal bands. I knew that I wanted to do more than just play songs. I wanted to be a performer as well as just a musician... I wanted to be ‘larger than life’.” From that moment on, Hager was lost to music. Fueled by his dream, Hager picked up the guitar at age 16 and the rest was history.
Formulating a hybrid style of old metal kings like Suicidal Tendencies, old punk bands such as the Misfits, Bad Brains; plus his own creative twist, Hager’s riffs are edgy, fast, and easily discernable. Heading after his dream, Hager joined his first band, Ascension, in 1993. As a metalcore outfit, Ascension released two recordings [‘Years of Fire’ EP and ‘Definitely Not The Majors’ (Compilation)]. Ascension disbanded in the late nineties but that didn’t keep Hager from following his dreams.
In 1998, Hager and a friend founded speed-thrash band Chimaira. The monster Chimaira quickly accumulated massive success, selling close to 10,000 copies of their D.I.Y. EP, ‘This Present Darkness’ before signing onto Roadrunner Records. “Not too bad for being recorded on a shoestring budget on a small indie label, and the only real promotion was ‘word of mouth,” Hager remarks. With Chimaira, Hager experienced it all- extensive touring, TV appearances, diehard fans and a debut LP ‘Pass Out of Existence,’ which sold nearly 100,000 records. While the Chimaira kingdom was constantly growing, Hager was faced with another pivotal moment that would forever affect his life- the birth of his son in 2002. Hager left Chimaira on the best of terms, taking a step away from the demanding life of a musician to devote time to his growing family in Cleveland.
Years later, Hager found himself in the midst of another project- Shenoah. This time Hager’s creativity traveled down a different vein in Shenoah, a diversion from his metal roots into a more alternative landscape. Shortly after the release of their Corporate Punishment LP, ‘Bleeding in the Red,’ the outfit disbanded. “Shenoah was more of and "indie rock" style of band. I loved doing it but as far as a full time project, I'm a metal guitarist at heart so that was where my mind and heart wanted to be musically,” explains Hager.
It wasn’t long before Hager met his match. Alongside producer Cole Martinez, Hager formed a new metal band that would satisfy Hager’s inherent urge for bone-rattling metal. “I figured I had explored different areas of music and came back to my roots... so the name is a way of paying tribute to where it all started for me.” Thus, his new project was dubbed Years of Fire. Hager brings his trademark style of thrash guitars with an artfully creative blast that locks in listeners with the first jolting riff.
With their new breed of American thrash metal, the band caused an immediate stir within the metal community and labels leapt for their chance to sign them. In 2007, Years of Fire inked a deal with an indie that quickly went bankrupt. With a recording in the works and no label behind their backs, Years of Fire stood solo until Blind Prophecy Records approached them with global ambitions. Added to the Blind Prophecy roster in mid-2007, Years of Fire is heading to Ante Up Studios where Martinez, who left the band in 2007, will produce their latest LP, slated to hit stores worldwide in early 2008.
Guided by fierce determination and a profound love for metal, Years of Fire is sure to be a groundbreaking chapter in Hager’s life, as well as metal history. “I am more excited than ever with what I have going on musically and plan on destroying everything in our paths to take this band to it's highest potential."
- Carrie Knific