Hatebreed
– The Rise Of Brutality
The Hobo Review
Hatebreed has done a lot for the music
industry in popularizing hardcore metal. Jamey Jasta has worked his ass
off to get where he is today – touring with the likes of Entombed, Soulfly,
Motorhead (yes, Motorhead) and Danzig in recent years. Last year the band
released the highly acclaimed EP Perseverance, and I must admit, a lot
of it wasn’t too bad to listen to. Naturally Hatebreed is a band one cannot
live off, the limitations of metal-core are only seen too well as many
tracks slowly blend into one.
But over the last seven years since the
band first formed, Hatebreed have indeed ripped sh#t up (metaphorically
speaking) – and quite violently too may I add. So now comes The Rise Of
Brutality, the title aptly citing the bands accomplishments to date (and
don’t let Phil tell you otherwise.) Sure Hatebreed aren’t innovative –
they’re not pushing the boundaries of the genre, they’re not doing anything
clever, but they’re here – and they’re beating the mainstream’s lifeless,
shattered corpse into the dust with heavy hitting, stripped down and difficultly
digested metal.
So straight up, if you like big guitars,
if you like a violent, abrasive vocal style, if you like hardcore, you
should indeed like Hatebreed. Oddly enough however, some tracks manage
to hold a certain rhythmic appeal in their brutal metal groove. The first
single off the album This Is Now demonstrates as such. The song itself
is just a series of screams and mid tempo downtuned guitars, but Jasta
has managed to instill a certain energy and flair into some of his work.
Simple, violent, short and sharp full bodied
metal swings are taken in tracks like Tear It Down and Choose Or Be Chosen
– both being under two minutes in length. Slower tracks however like Facing
What Consumes You and Doomsayer provide slower metal grooves, with almost
guitars-al-a-Slayer-God-Hates. Beholder Of Justice however boasts a vicious
grinding double bass and vocal mix to sidelined power metal groove.
My fear however, is that Jasta and his
boys are running out of ideas – at least in the riffology department. Compare
if you will for me the main riff of Another Day Another Vendetta with the
chorus riff of A Lesson Lived Is A Lesson Learned. Indeed a matter of concern.
Other near misses come in the tracks Straight To Your Face – in which a
sadly clichéd chorus despoils a faster borderline hardcore punk
track (funny how Superjoint-like the track is, ain’t it? *Hobo self he
will not be dragged into a discussion about Phil claiming to bring metal
back to hardcore*) – Facing What Consumes You and Live For This.
Just like Slayer’s God Hates Us All, Hatebreed
consciously focuses on the basics, not bothering to dress up the tracks’
‘meaning’ beneath ‘words (they) don’t even f#cken know.’ (K.King) In each
track, Jasta’s message is almost too clear. I do however give credit to
Jasta for his refusal to be confined to negativity in his lyrics – in tracks
like A Lesson Lived Is A Lesson Learned Jasta envisions freedom, opportunity
and personal growth through strife rather than mindless nihilism.
The album itself is only a little over
half an hour in length – a wise move indeed, for although the album is
not ‘bad’ in any conventional sense, Hatebreed can only be taken in small
doses. If you liked their previous album, if you like Superjoint Ritual
or if you’re a fan of (slightly) more commercial hardcore, then Hatebreed
would be a worthy addition to your collection. Though more intelligible
and demanding metal fans should steer well clear, as well as any individuals
with a tendency to rip apart a band on the grounds of its
‘psuedo-brutal’ musical stylings.
And I can bet any of you, the pit at one
of their concerts would be f#cking insane. Anyone who can check ‘em out
with Slayer on Jägermeister, do so. (For the record however, Kerry
really wanted to grab Chimaira, Lamb Of God, Arch Enemy or Killswitch
for the tour, but hell, Hatebreed are as good as any. Well not really.
Well, I’ll just shut up now.)
CD Info
Hatebreed
– The Rise Of Brutality
Genre: Hardcore
Metal
For Fans Of:
Superjoint, Diecast, Chimaira
Best Track:
This Is Now / Beholder Of Justice
Rating:  
Tracks:
1.Tear It Down
2.Straight To Your Face
3.Facing What Consumes You
4.Live For This
5.Doomsayer
6.Another Day, Another Vendetta
7.A Lesson Lived Is A Lesson Learned
8.Beholder Of Justice
9.This Is Now
10.Voice Of Contention
11.Choose Or Be Chosen
12.Confide In No One |
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