New Haven, CT's Hatebreed have been steadily building a huge fanbase within the confines of hardcore for sometime now. Having just finished a stint on this year's Warped Tour, they probably provoked a slew of new and old fans to eagerly await their next release. It has arrived, and none will be disappointed. Hatebreed continues on in their tradition of melding hardcore mosh-o-rama with heavy as hell Slayer-esque metal riffage. The band's love of metal really shows on this disc, and it made this reviewer very happy. So happy in fact, that I wanted to start slamming into unsuspecting students on the sidewalks of my university, where I was listening to the CD in my Discman. Tempo changes abound, from hardcore barrage to sludgey crunch to in-your-face dance parts that make you want to punch your best friend in the face (that's a good thing). The lyrics are incisive, and at times scathing ("Born unwanted, extracted of all that is humane...A tormented seed given a chance to grow." -- "Conceived Through an Act of Violence"). Ergo, Hatebreed seems to appeal to people with demons, myself included. There's a little something for any discriminating hardcore fan on this disc: songs on the subjects of being a product of rape (see above), songs questioning our belief systems, and "call to action" songs. There are also a couple of tracks on this album that are about the deaths of close friends of the band (one of which was Raybeez from Warzone) and they manage to be poignant yet still retain the power of the band. Overall, a triumphant hardcore album that may herald the beginning of the next wave of this type of music. Go get this disc, and on the way home get some ice for your friend's nose. (MHo)
(Victory Records)