Headbang Today's Dark Little Corner

Hatebreed 2009

After the album landed on my desk a week ago, the amount of attention I’ve given it was purely minimal up until today. There is probably no better review that can be done on a band and their latest release than a review done by someone who was never really a fan of the band in general. So today I have decided to dissect it, give it a more intense listen and compare it to the personal symptoms that I have been suffering from lately. Symptoms that has recently plagued me with that very metal craving which sent me in pursuit of a remedy… CouldHatebreed be that remedy?

Hatebreed’s self-titled album explodes with “Become The Fuse”. A song with energetic rhythm and tight drumming that blends in well with the song. These are elements that I was actually looking for and the album actually starts off well, giving me that required dosage. The third track “Between Hell And A Heartbeat starts off pretty chilled with a seductive and somewhat mesmerizing intro. It then leads itself into a fast paced and well-constructed song with a decent break that will get any headbanger banging the snot and shit out of his own head at anyHatebreed concert. I can imagine it being a pretty crazy song to see them play live.

“In Ashes They Shall Reap” consists out of one of those sing-along chants that are bound to get the entire crowd to … well … sing along! I can see now whyHatebreed’s live shows are so energetic. In Ashes They Shall Reap got the adrenaline pumping throughout the veins embedded beneath my skin as I could feel my muscles tingling with the desire to break out and start a mosh in this confined office space with colleagues. There WILL be injuries.

Although I am truly satisfied with what’s been drilled into my ears and my being from the tracks I’ve given a proper listen. I knew that I am yet to find a track that wouldn’t apply to my craving as stated earlier. “Hands Of A Dying Man” seems to be that very track with it’s extremely fast drum-tapping and guitar strumming (don’t get me wrong, it’s a song written for headbangers andmoshpit kings in mind, without a doubt.) But the track was over before I even knew it. Jamey Jasta maintains the heaviness of Hatebreed. With his growlish screams and the lyrical content, it would not be statements made any clearer if it was done by any other vocalist.

There is something about “No Halos For The Heartless” that grabbed me. Its heaviness and well-written guitar riffs made this very song stand out among the rest on this album. It consists out of that pureHatebreed anthems that is bound recruit any passing headbanger into the Hatebreed army. “Through The Thorns” with its death-metal like riffing is a good song up until the break-down. But then Hatebreed proved me wrong in my previous sentence and the song swiftly recovers back into it’s metalcore awesomeness.

The album ends with “Escape.” The song that gave me the final missing dosage of Hatebreed’s latest self-titled album. The vocal work in “Escape” varies from death to melodic metal to which I rest my case. The album overall reflects the hard work and dedication thatHatebreed as a band put together for their die-hard fans. As a newcomer, I enjoyed the album, even though I would’ve liked to hear a little bit more of JameyJasta’s talented melodic metal-like vocal work.

I give the new Hatebreed Album 9 out of 10 metal horns. -

In short: Hatebreed proved me wrong on many different levels and they are the exact dosage I needed. Hatebreed personally instructed me yesterday to help the scene grow in South Africa so that we can have the live Hatebreed experience right here in our very own country.

Now that Headbang Today has Hatebreed’s attention, we hope that South Africa will be placed on their next world tour map and I am confident that Hatebreed will be reading this review. Not many reviewers can say that!

- Scream
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