Rough Edge: Hatebreed CD Reviews

HATEBREED

"For the Lions" (KOCH; 2009)

This disc is all cover songs: 18 songs from the bands that have influenced Hatebreed along the way. If you know their history, then you know who they might choose as authorities of influence: Slayer, Metallica, Black Flag, Bad Brains and Subzero are just a few of the bands that Hatebreed bend a string to. They pull songs from the years of 1981 – 1997 but the years shouldn't really matter; it’s the bands that carry the most weight for these guys that impact their love of music. I'll list the bands and songs they cover so you can see who swayed them the most.

1. "Ghosts of War" by Slayer (1988)
2. "Suicidal Maniac" by Suicidal Tendencies (1987)
3. "Escape" by Metallica (1984)
4. "Hatebreeders" by Misfits (1982)
5. "Set It Off" by Madball (1994)
6. "Thirsty and Miserable" by Black Flag (1981)
7. "All I Had I Gave" by Crowbar (1993)
8. "Your Mistake" by Agnostic Front (1986)
9. "I'm In Pain" by Obituary (1922)
10. "It's the Limit" by Cro-Mags (1986)
11. "Refuse/Resist" by Sepultura (1993)
12. "Supertouch/Shitfit" by Bad Brains (1982)
13. "Evil Minds" by Dirty Rotten Imbeciles (1985)
14. "Shut Me Out" by Sick of It All (1992)
15. "Sick of Talk" by Negative Approach (1982)
16. "Life Is Pain" by Merauder (1995)
17. "Hear Me" by Judge (1989)
18. "Boxed In" by Subzero (1997)

Some songs are full length while a few are just snippets; each one has Hatebreed's full metalcore passion poured all over the track. This list should get you searching for the bands that they tip a bottle to so you can call yourself a fan as well.

Hatebreed: Jamey Jasta – vocals; Frank Novinec – guitar; Chris Beattie – bass guitar; Wayne Lozinak – guitar; Matt Byrne – drums.

For more information, check out http://www.hatebreed.com or http://www.myspace.com/hatebreed.

"Supremacy" (Roadrunner; 2006)

Reviewed by Mike SOS

It's hard to believe that Jamey Jasta, a guy who seemingly has achieved everything he's worked his ass off for, fell into a severe sense of depression a short while back. Thankfully, "Supremacy," the latest piledriving effort by Hatebreed, is the end result of Jasta's breaking free of those chains. As brutal as anything the band has ever set to disc, this 13-track tour de force of Metalcore 101 sets the record straight and justifies why this band gets the accolades, the tours, and the attention they so richly deserve.

Jasta's vocals throughout are seething, reaching new highs and sinking to new lows with an unadulterated rage, while the rest of the band provides a bruising backdrop of the most intelligent brand of punch-your-friend-in-the-face music going. Anthemic and able to create a personalized swift kick to the ass at moment's notice, Hatebreed's vitriolic virtue has never sounded as complete, beefing up to a quintet once again to resonate a dastardly twin guitar assault that smacks you in the face.

Horns and fists in the air, people, Hatebreed is at the top of its game. And despite naysayers labeling the New Haven hardcore masters as one dimensional, Hatebreed, like Motorhead and AC/DC before them, has time and time again unwaveringly produced their genre's best often replicated but never duplicated brand of heavy music.

For more information, check out http://www.hatebreed.com.

"Supremacy" (Roadrunner; 2006)

Reviewed by Snidermann

I have been a fan of Hatebreed for a few years, but I have never gotten around to reviewing them, until now. "Supremacy" is a very aptly named showcase for their talents.

As always, the lyrics display the band's very intelligent and politically charged philosophy. If you know anything about Hatebreed, you know that they love to tell you what they think of the world around them and, if you don't agree, then don’t listen. As with their previous CDs, "Supremacy" is a direct exploration of what the band is thinking at this point in time.

The music is crushing, in your face metal from the first note to the last.

A lot of things may change in music and bands come and go, but one thing is for sure: Hatebreed knows how to rock. I cannot believe that the quiet host of MTV’s HeadBanger's Ball is the lead vocalist for the metal machine that is Hatebreed.

For more information, check out http://www.hatebreed.com.

"The Rise of Brutality" (Universal; 2003)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

Hatebreed turns up the heat a little on "The Rise of Brutality," cranking up the speed a bit and adding even more deep end to their already heavy sound.

With 12 songs running just over 32 minutes, Hatebreed delivers the goods here with guitars that chop like an audio axe, vocals that are swollen with aggression and songwriting that kicks your ass over and over and over again ... mainly because one song sounds virtually like the next. You get a lot of hardcore heavy metal thunder with "The Rise of Brutality" but you don't get a lot of variety.

That's not necessarily a bad thing: when you put in a Hatebreed CD, you're not hoping that track #7 will be a ballad so you can catch your breath. You're hoping there's enough metal fury there to make your neck ache from headbanging and your fist bleed from pounding the wall when it's done. "The Rise of Brutality" does that and then some.

Lyrically, the band is surprisingly socially conscious especially on tunes such as "Another Day, Another Vendetta" which the band claims in their liner notes was inspired by "Sick of It All."

Bottom line here is simple: If you like your music to mercilessly kick your ass, then "The Rise of Brutality" is just what you're looking for.

Hatebreed: Jamey Jasta - vocals; Sean Martin - guitar; Chris "The Xmas Bitch" Beattie - bass; Matt Byne - drums.

For more information, check out http://www.hatebreed.com.

"The Rise of Brutality" (Universal; 2003)

Reviewed by J. Kennedy

Hatebreed have always been one of the preachers of heavy music. They obviously love what they do and, apparently, so do the masses. Selling more and more of each record they wheel out, the hardcore Hatebreed - whose charismatic frontman Jamey Jasta has a fascination with massive mosh pits - have an aggressive edge which is, on one hand, very effective and, on the other, extremely passionate. Having had the benefit of seeing this group live, I can tell you that they wear heavy music on their collective sleeves and quite literally give blood, sweat and tears with every painstaking, energetic blast of their surprisingly uplifting music.

"The Rise of Brutality" comes in at just over 30 minutes and every minute is very entertaining. The opening track, "Tear It Down," clocks at 1 minute and 47 seconds and leaves the listener feeling as though they have been slapped across the face by a very large and unforgiving steel pipe. The following tracks keep the pace up with the anthemic "Live For This," a tribute to hardcore, heavy rock music. I was in awe after hearing this song and it remains one of my favorite short, single-type tracks ever recorded by anyone. Quite an achievement then as I am quite the critic.

Indeed the thought did cross my mind that Hatebreed would be good music to listen to before you were to go out onto the battlefield and into war. It is very motivational and even helped me get ready for my school exams! Jamey Jasta just has this strange, average person attraction in which you believe every word which passes his lips. The man is really likeable as he obviously lives for the music he plays and believes very much in his message: Heavy fucking music is the best music known to man.

"The Rise of Brutality" is a very good follow-up to the band's other albums (including the big-hitter "Perseverance") and shows a real improvement in the band's ability to rock and rock hard. Seeing them live was no disappointment in any way, shape or form. Hatebreed have some serious intensity which flows out onto the fans. Simply great solid rock.

Hatebreed: Jamey Jasta, Sean Martin, Chris Beattie & Matt Byrne.

Find out more about Hatebreed at www.hatebreed.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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