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Band: Hatebreed
Album: The Rise of Brutality Label: Universal Records Possible lead: Straightforward Hardcore
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It may be difficult for some music listeners to equate the band name Hatebreed with one of the most positive messages and movements in the hardcore music scene today. Inciting more than 1,000 fans per day to enter some of most extreme mosh pits in the music world while headlining the Rise of Brutality Tour and Jagermeister's Music Tour with legendary metal band Slayer, may not seem very positive either.
But to thousands upon thousands of hardcore fans, the members of Hatebreed stand as beacons for those who feel tired of trying to follow the daily trends of music and society, for those who feel cast aside from the norm, and for those who refuse to remain voiceless. To put it simply, Hatebreed has a following of fans who explode into violent, fist-throwing, dancing swarms of music fans in every city they play. For those of you who have been living on the dark side of the moon for the past five years, Hatebreed is a living hardcore legend. And although all this may sound unappealing to those unfamiliar, all of this hardcore music is created and expressed under an aura of positive messages.
Lyrically, Hatebreed discusses issues that range from denouncing child abuse to calling for wider acceptance of people. Some have mistakenly assumed that Hatebreed attracts racist figures because of their name. This is untrue. Hatebreed openly denounces racist and hateful acts of violence. This positive stance in the forefront of extreme music has earned Hatebreed an almost unprecedented success in the hardcore world. Hatebreed has toured with many historic metal figures such as Ozzy Osbourne, and singer Jamey Jasta is the new host of the historic MTV show "Headbanger's Ball," which is now airing on MTV2.
Hatebreed's takeover of the hardcore scene is not something that happened overnight. Formed almost a decade ago in Connecticut, Hatebreed toured the country for over five years on independent labels - and sometimes without a label - selling their merchandise and spreading their vibe from car trunks. With virtually no outside funding, no radio support, and a ton of word-of-mouth recognition, Hatebreed managed to sell over 200,000 albums before stepping up to the majors with a sound that can only be described as absolutely uncompromising.
With the release of their third full-length album, The Rise of Brutality, Hatebreed once again leaves its fans with a punishing combination of short and rapid songs. Hatebreed is quick to get to the point. Embracing traditional choppy, speed-punk beats with power chords and screaming choruses, The Rise of Brutality is very straightforward hardcore.
On the opening night of the current Rise of Brutality Tour 2, Jasta commented on the new album by saying, "Tell all your friends. The new album has no singing. No rapping. No soft shit. Just straight f---ing hardcore." And that is the unconditional truth.
While the album pumps just over 30 minutes of hardcore dancing themes, one can't help but feel that there comes a point when you can have too much of a good thing. The Rise of Brutality pays homage to classic hardcore bands such as Madball and Turmoil, taking a refreshing stance in a musical world dominated by bubble-gum acts. Many long-time fans will find comfort in the fact that Hatebreed isn't afraid to stick with a formula that has worked for the last decade. But if you're looking for new innovations on this hardcore delivery, you are straight out of luck.
For new fans of hardcore music and those supportive of bands remaining traditional, The Rise of Brutality will quickly find a place in your hearts. For those music fans craving innovation and progression from album to album, you may want to leave this one on the store shelf. But make no mistakes about it, Hatebreed remains one of the best hardcore concert experiences in the world and will continue to march tall as the kings of positively charged, bone-crushing, straightforward hardcore.
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