Hatebreed - 20 Years of Perseverance Tour
with support from Bleeding Through, Bodysnatcher, Dying Wish
With unflinching tenacity, the impenetrable heavy metal hardcore factory that is HATEBREED has brought forth yet another iron cast, sonic weapon with Weight Of The False Self. It comes as no surprise that their eighth, full length album is the result of the usual sweat and blood that have cemented HATEBREED's unique niche in the world of music for over two decades. Renowned for their ability to provide an intense and cathartic release for their fans, HATEBREED challenged their writing style through this album cycle in order to produce material that is excepAonally relatable in a contemporary world flooded with overstimulation, emotional dampening, and lack of social patience. "Weight Of The False Self' is a perfect representation of HATEBREED in 2020, a fresh onslaught of soon to be classics with all the elements that led you here since day one," explains guitarist Frank Novinec.
A metaphorical weight is carried by almost every individual in regards to their emotional construct. Our experiences shape who we become and over time, gradually produce a heavy burden that we continue to lug along. For many of us, the weight becomes so much that we struggle to get out from underneath, let alone move. It is these struggles that are translated throughout Weight Of The False Self.
"Seen or unseen, everyone is carrying a burden. The music we love helps us bear the weight" proclaims vocalist Jamey Jasta. Tracks like "Cling To Life" supply a play on words that usually mean to desperately cling to those last breaths, but here, these words display that in the wake of true loss and mourning, to cling to the idea of happiness and future can bring sincere relief. On the other end of the philosophical spectrum, the first single "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" not only presents a fresh vocabulary word, but screams about the power that comes from our defense mechanisms when backed into a corner. When someone is being pursued by their past, another person, or just defending their own territory, it's only a matter of time and distance before they can explode into a savage, primal beast. "It should be illegal to make a song this heavy," describes bassist Chris Beattie.
The song "Wings Of The Vulture'' is a metaphor for all the negative forces of nature, fate, and humanity that hope to prey upon us during some of our weakest moments; waiting for the death of something meaningful. "A Stroke Of Red," contrary to what it may seem at first, touches on the concept of having the choice to harm yourself or others. "It's an eye for an eye, but that leaves everyone blind. Once you go down that dark, violent path, there is no turning back. This song is a dark canvas; leaving my body to exact terrible things on a different plane, and coming back to myself in order to learn from it so that you don't ever give in to that dark, carnal desire," explains Jasta.
Album artwork by renowned heavy metal artist Eliran Kantor depicts a man chiseling away at the massive sculpture of a stone bust. In Kantor's classic painting style, cracking through the clay of turmoil and sadness, a light is beginning to shine through the rock as the sculptor turns his face from the blinding beams of healing. The image visually combines the album's themes of emotional struggle and managing to overcome pain after layers of depression, anxiety, betrayal, and heartbreak have hardened atop a person's soul.
Over the course of over 20 years and 8 albums, the writing process for a band like HATEBREED has stayed safe in its roots, but still reached out and grabbed for crisp and compelling pieces of progressive sound to add to the mix. There are waves of fresh sounds while the massive foundation that houses HATEBREED remains strongly held in place. "On this album I really pushed myself; made myself rewrite things until they were better, until it clicked. I pulled myself out of that comfort zone. In the age of legacy bands having to play so many hits from their catalogue at shows, we love to hear fans request new songs when we're playing live," explains Jasta, "we've really played into our strengths with this one."
"There's no shortage of beefy-riffs and adrenaline-fueled-drums on this record. I'm proud to say that we will consistently provide a soundtrack to which you can mosh in your living room and destroy your apartment," details drummer Matt Byrne.
Recording the album once more with the help of ZEUSS, the band experienced a sense of challenge and breakthrough that enabled them to obtain a new level of sound. After working with the band for several years, and while normally spending his Ame with bands that have a fairly different sound, Zeuss is able to test HATEBREED and expand their already infamous vibration. "It was really great working with Zeuss again on this one. Love the way the guitars sound," comments guitarist Wayne Lozinak. As Ame goes on, the quality of producAon technology only seems to get beUer and beUer, creaAng a safe and producAve nest in which albums can evolve and end up with a much cleaner sound;
Weight Of The False Self brings early 2000's era HATEBREED into the new decade. Due to be released on November 27th, 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records, Weight Of The False Self will likely be noted as one of HATEBREED's strongest, and most memorable albums.
~~~~~~~~
Relentless reliability is intrinsic to longevity in the music business--or any other business for that matter. No giving up is allowed. No promise can go unfulfilled. If people can depend on you, they'll believe in you and stick with you until death. Since forming in 1994, Grammy award-nominated hardcore and metal stalwarts Hatebreed have constantly crushed with every subsequent album. Their six full-length effort and first for Razor & Tie, The Divinity of Purpose, proudly upholds that tradition cast in almost two decades of blood, tears, and flames. It's everything fans have come to expect from the Connecticut-based quintet--Jamey Jasta [vocals], Chris Beattie [bass], Wayne Lozinak [guitar], Frank Novinec [guitar], and Matthew Byrne [drums]--and more.
Be prepared to witness their flame rise high once again...
The Divinity of Purpose began to take shape in 2010. The band had welcomed back original guitarist Lozinak for 2009's covers set, For the Lions, and their self-titled fifth effort the same year. During a two-year tour cycle, they expanded their global stamp through performing to rabid crowds in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. In addition, they ravaged the U.S. and Europe alongside the likes of Five Finger Death Punch and Lamb of God as well as on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival twice. However, they collectively decided to amp everything up for album number six.
"We were going for a bigger sound," affirms Jasta. "We reintroduced Wayne on the last album. He'd never been on a full-length record with us, and it felt like we had to prove ourselves again. We also tried to do things outside of our comfort zone musically on Hatebreed. This time around, we played to our strengths as a band and gelled incredibly. The riffs had to be really heavy, memorable, and catchy. The rhythms needed to be pounding. I went back into drill sergeant mode vocally. I focused on saying what I had to say and got in and out. The music makes its point and leaves its mark. It's a tight snapshot of the last two years."
In order to capture that snapshot, the group focused its assault during an intense and rigorous period of pre-production at home. Maintaining an impressive work ethic, they spent time honing their patented sound into an even more uncompromising and unbreakable beast. Co-produced by the band, Zeuss [Suicide Silence, All That Remains], and Josh Wilbur [Lamb of God, Avenge Sevenfold], The Divinity of Purpose sees Hatebeed at their most fierce and fiery.
Take the first single "Put it to the Torch." An avalanche of guitars pummels alongside staggering rhythms and a distinct bass wallop. Jasta roars with uncontainable intensity proclaiming, "Here's your apology. Here's to burning out and here's to fading away. Fuck you both. I just put it to the torch."
About the song, he divulges, "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to make something heavy and aggressive with an old school vibe. We've faced an unusual amount of toxic energy over the past couple of years. It's important that you turn that negativity into a positive. That's always been the message of the band from day one. We can bottle that negative energy and use it as fuel. Sometimes, it gives you that push."
Speaking of a "push," "Honor Never Dies" steamrolls ahead with a propulsive riff and inspirational reflection on those who have served America. With a massive hook and deep meaning, it's also a fitting tribute to any fallen hero.
"Those lyrics came about right after my grandfather passed away," Jasta explains. "When I visited him in Veterans Administrative Hospital back in Connecticut, I'd see all of these vets & war heroes with purple hearts and other commendations hospitalized. The nurses told me a lot of those guys never get visitors. Some die alone in a hospital bed with no family or anyone else around. I'd spoken to some of them before my grandfather died. Luckily I got to be with him before he passed. I had to put that feeling into a song and now some of what I've taken away from that experience lives on through this. It's not just about our vets or my gramp but anyone who does something in service of others, they may not get the glory but their honorable actions live on through the people they help."
The title track also encapsulates something very crucial to the Hatebreed ethos within the framework of another explosive anthem.
The frontman confesses, "Music has always been my purpose. When I became a father, my life had new purpose. Sometimes, you find an initial purpose, and then you find a new purpose as you grow as a person. When you find something you love that gives you fulfillment, it can be an almost divine experience. That's where we are going with this."
In 2012, they also found the perfect partner to release the album in Razor & Tie. Hatebreed instantly felt home on their roster. "Heavy music is in a great place right now. There's a groundswell coming, and Razor & Tie understands that and is on the cusp of it. They're all people we've been friends with too. It's onward and upward for us right now."
It's been a long road to The Divinity of Purpose. Along the way, the band racked up sales of over 1.1 million records worldwide. They garnered a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for "Live for This", and they've appeared at prestigious festivals including OZZfest, Download, and Wacken Open Air multiple times. Among numerous chart successes, their first-ever live DVD, Live Dominance, debuted at #1 on the Billboard DVD chart, while Hatebreed hit #4 on the Billboard Indie chart.
Right now, Hatebreed's heart is beating stronger than ever, but that's nothing new. "Hatebreed has always meant the same thing to me," he concludes. "We maintain that anger and frustration, but it's not aimless. There's positivity to releasing that energy. It has a cyclical power. The fans that really vibe off it created everything we have. We've done things we dreamt of as kids because of our hard work and because the fans have gotten us to this global level. They give us purpose to make the most impact with our records that we can."
show less
with support from Bleeding Through, Bodysnatcher, Dying Wish
With unflinching tenacity, the impenetrable heavy metal hardcore factory that is HATEBREED has brought forth yet another iron cast, sonic weapon with Weight Of The False Self. It comes as no surprise that their eighth, full length album is the result of the usual sweat and blood that have cemented HATEBREED's unique niche in the world of music for over two decades. Renowned for their ability to provide an intense and cathartic release for their fans, HATEBREED challenged their writing style through this album cycle in order to produce material that is excepAonally relatable in a contemporary world flooded with overstimulation, emotional dampening, and lack of social patience. "Weight Of The False Self' is a perfect representation of HATEBREED in 2020, a fresh onslaught of soon to be classics with all the elements that led you here since day one," explains guitarist Frank Novinec.
A metaphorical weight is carried by almost every individual in regards to their emotional construct. Our experiences shape who we become and over time, gradually produce a heavy burden that we continue to lug along. For many of us, the weight becomes so much that we struggle to get out from underneath, let alone move. It is these struggles that are translated throughout Weight Of The False Self.
"Seen or unseen, everyone is carrying a burden. The music we love helps us bear the weight" proclaims vocalist Jamey Jasta. Tracks like "Cling To Life" supply a play on words that usually mean to desperately cling to those last breaths, but here, these words display that in the wake of true loss and mourning, to cling to the idea of happiness and future can bring sincere relief. On the other end of the philosophical spectrum, the first single "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" not only presents a fresh vocabulary word, but screams about the power that comes from our defense mechanisms when backed into a corner. When someone is being pursued by their past, another person, or just defending their own territory, it's only a matter of time and distance before they can explode into a savage, primal beast. "It should be illegal to make a song this heavy," describes bassist Chris Beattie.
The song "Wings Of The Vulture'' is a metaphor for all the negative forces of nature, fate, and humanity that hope to prey upon us during some of our weakest moments; waiting for the death of something meaningful. "A Stroke Of Red," contrary to what it may seem at first, touches on the concept of having the choice to harm yourself or others. "It's an eye for an eye, but that leaves everyone blind. Once you go down that dark, violent path, there is no turning back. This song is a dark canvas; leaving my body to exact terrible things on a different plane, and coming back to myself in order to learn from it so that you don't ever give in to that dark, carnal desire," explains Jasta.
Album artwork by renowned heavy metal artist Eliran Kantor depicts a man chiseling away at the massive sculpture of a stone bust. In Kantor's classic painting style, cracking through the clay of turmoil and sadness, a light is beginning to shine through the rock as the sculptor turns his face from the blinding beams of healing. The image visually combines the album's themes of emotional struggle and managing to overcome pain after layers of depression, anxiety, betrayal, and heartbreak have hardened atop a person's soul.
Over the course of over 20 years and 8 albums, the writing process for a band like HATEBREED has stayed safe in its roots, but still reached out and grabbed for crisp and compelling pieces of progressive sound to add to the mix. There are waves of fresh sounds while the massive foundation that houses HATEBREED remains strongly held in place. "On this album I really pushed myself; made myself rewrite things until they were better, until it clicked. I pulled myself out of that comfort zone. In the age of legacy bands having to play so many hits from their catalogue at shows, we love to hear fans request new songs when we're playing live," explains Jasta, "we've really played into our strengths with this one."
"There's no shortage of beefy-riffs and adrenaline-fueled-drums on this record. I'm proud to say that we will consistently provide a soundtrack to which you can mosh in your living room and destroy your apartment," details drummer Matt Byrne.
Recording the album once more with the help of ZEUSS, the band experienced a sense of challenge and breakthrough that enabled them to obtain a new level of sound. After working with the band for several years, and while normally spending his Ame with bands that have a fairly different sound, Zeuss is able to test HATEBREED and expand their already infamous vibration. "It was really great working with Zeuss again on this one. Love the way the guitars sound," comments guitarist Wayne Lozinak. As Ame goes on, the quality of producAon technology only seems to get beUer and beUer, creaAng a safe and producAve nest in which albums can evolve and end up with a much cleaner sound;
Weight Of The False Self brings early 2000's era HATEBREED into the new decade. Due to be released on November 27th, 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records, Weight Of The False Self will likely be noted as one of HATEBREED's strongest, and most memorable albums.
~~~~~~~~
Relentless reliability is intrinsic to longevity in the music business--or any other business for that matter. No giving up is allowed. No promise can go unfulfilled. If people can depend on you, they'll believe in you and stick with you until death. Since forming in 1994, Grammy award-nominated hardcore and metal stalwarts Hatebreed have constantly crushed with every subsequent album. Their six full-length effort and first for Razor & Tie, The Divinity of Purpose, proudly upholds that tradition cast in almost two decades of blood, tears, and flames. It's everything fans have come to expect from the Connecticut-based quintet--Jamey Jasta [vocals], Chris Beattie [bass], Wayne Lozinak [guitar], Frank Novinec [guitar], and Matthew Byrne [drums]--and more.
Be prepared to witness their flame rise high once again...
The Divinity of Purpose began to take shape in 2010. The band had welcomed back original guitarist Lozinak for 2009's covers set, For the Lions, and their self-titled fifth effort the same year. During a two-year tour cycle, they expanded their global stamp through performing to rabid crowds in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. In addition, they ravaged the U.S. and Europe alongside the likes of Five Finger Death Punch and Lamb of God as well as on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival twice. However, they collectively decided to amp everything up for album number six.
"We were going for a bigger sound," affirms Jasta. "We reintroduced Wayne on the last album. He'd never been on a full-length record with us, and it felt like we had to prove ourselves again. We also tried to do things outside of our comfort zone musically on Hatebreed. This time around, we played to our strengths as a band and gelled incredibly. The riffs had to be really heavy, memorable, and catchy. The rhythms needed to be pounding. I went back into drill sergeant mode vocally. I focused on saying what I had to say and got in and out. The music makes its point and leaves its mark. It's a tight snapshot of the last two years."
In order to capture that snapshot, the group focused its assault during an intense and rigorous period of pre-production at home. Maintaining an impressive work ethic, they spent time honing their patented sound into an even more uncompromising and unbreakable beast. Co-produced by the band, Zeuss [Suicide Silence, All That Remains], and Josh Wilbur [Lamb of God, Avenge Sevenfold], The Divinity of Purpose sees Hatebeed at their most fierce and fiery.
Take the first single "Put it to the Torch." An avalanche of guitars pummels alongside staggering rhythms and a distinct bass wallop. Jasta roars with uncontainable intensity proclaiming, "Here's your apology. Here's to burning out and here's to fading away. Fuck you both. I just put it to the torch."
About the song, he divulges, "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to make something heavy and aggressive with an old school vibe. We've faced an unusual amount of toxic energy over the past couple of years. It's important that you turn that negativity into a positive. That's always been the message of the band from day one. We can bottle that negative energy and use it as fuel. Sometimes, it gives you that push."
Speaking of a "push," "Honor Never Dies" steamrolls ahead with a propulsive riff and inspirational reflection on those who have served America. With a massive hook and deep meaning, it's also a fitting tribute to any fallen hero.
"Those lyrics came about right after my grandfather passed away," Jasta explains. "When I visited him in Veterans Administrative Hospital back in Connecticut, I'd see all of these vets & war heroes with purple hearts and other commendations hospitalized. The nurses told me a lot of those guys never get visitors. Some die alone in a hospital bed with no family or anyone else around. I'd spoken to some of them before my grandfather died. Luckily I got to be with him before he passed. I had to put that feeling into a song and now some of what I've taken away from that experience lives on through this. It's not just about our vets or my gramp but anyone who does something in service of others, they may not get the glory but their honorable actions live on through the people they help."
The title track also encapsulates something very crucial to the Hatebreed ethos within the framework of another explosive anthem.
The frontman confesses, "Music has always been my purpose. When I became a father, my life had new purpose. Sometimes, you find an initial purpose, and then you find a new purpose as you grow as a person. When you find something you love that gives you fulfillment, it can be an almost divine experience. That's where we are going with this."
In 2012, they also found the perfect partner to release the album in Razor & Tie. Hatebreed instantly felt home on their roster. "Heavy music is in a great place right now. There's a groundswell coming, and Razor & Tie understands that and is on the cusp of it. They're all people we've been friends with too. It's onward and upward for us right now."
It's been a long road to The Divinity of Purpose. Along the way, the band racked up sales of over 1.1 million records worldwide. They garnered a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for "Live for This", and they've appeared at prestigious festivals including OZZfest, Download, and Wacken Open Air multiple times. Among numerous chart successes, their first-ever live DVD, Live Dominance, debuted at #1 on the Billboard DVD chart, while Hatebreed hit #4 on the Billboard Indie chart.
Right now, Hatebreed's heart is beating stronger than ever, but that's nothing new. "Hatebreed has always meant the same thing to me," he concludes. "We maintain that anger and frustration, but it's not aimless. There's positivity to releasing that energy. It has a cyclical power. The fans that really vibe off it created everything we have. We've done things we dreamt of as kids because of our hard work and because the fans have gotten us to this global level. They give us purpose to make the most impact with our records that we can."
Hatebreed - 20 Years of Perseverance Tour
with support from Bleeding Through, Bodysnatcher, Dying Wish
With unflinching tenacity, the impenetrable heavy metal hardcore factory that is HATEBREED has brought forth yet another iron cast, sonic weapon with Weight Of The False Self. It comes as no surprise that their eighth, full length album is the result of the usual sweat and blood that have cemented HATEBREED's unique niche in the world of music for over two decades. Renowned for their ability to provide an intense and cathartic release for their fans, HATEBREED challenged their writing style through this album cycle in order to produce material that is excepAonally relatable in a contemporary world flooded with overstimulation, emotional dampening, and lack of social patience. "Weight Of The False Self' is a perfect representation of HATEBREED in 2020, a fresh onslaught of soon to be classics with all the elements that led you here since day one," explains guitarist Frank Novinec.
A metaphorical weight is carried by almost every individual in regards to their emotional construct. Our experiences shape who we become and over time, gradually produce a heavy burden that we continue to lug along. For many of us, the weight becomes so much that we struggle to get out from underneath, let alone move. It is these struggles that are translated throughout Weight Of The False Self.
"Seen or unseen, everyone is carrying a burden. The music we love helps us bear the weight" proclaims vocalist Jamey Jasta. Tracks like "Cling To Life" supply a play on words that usually mean to desperately cling to those last breaths, but here, these words display that in the wake of true loss and mourning, to cling to the idea of happiness and future can bring sincere relief. On the other end of the philosophical spectrum, the first single "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" not only presents a fresh vocabulary word, but screams about the power that comes from our defense mechanisms when backed into a corner. When someone is being pursued by their past, another person, or just defending their own territory, it's only a matter of time and distance before they can explode into a savage, primal beast. "It should be illegal to make a song this heavy," describes bassist Chris Beattie.
The song "Wings Of The Vulture'' is a metaphor for all the negative forces of nature, fate, and humanity that hope to prey upon us during some of our weakest moments; waiting for the death of something meaningful. "A Stroke Of Red," contrary to what it may seem at first, touches on the concept of having the choice to harm yourself or others. "It's an eye for an eye, but that leaves everyone blind. Once you go down that dark, violent path, there is no turning back. This song is a dark canvas; leaving my body to exact terrible things on a different plane, and coming back to myself in order to learn from it so that you don't ever give in to that dark, carnal desire," explains Jasta.
Album artwork by renowned heavy metal artist Eliran Kantor depicts a man chiseling away at the massive sculpture of a stone bust. In Kantor's classic painting style, cracking through the clay of turmoil and sadness, a light is beginning to shine through the rock as the sculptor turns his face from the blinding beams of healing. The image visually combines the album's themes of emotional struggle and managing to overcome pain after layers of depression, anxiety, betrayal, and heartbreak have hardened atop a person's soul.
Over the course of over 20 years and 8 albums, the writing process for a band like HATEBREED has stayed safe in its roots, but still reached out and grabbed for crisp and compelling pieces of progressive sound to add to the mix. There are waves of fresh sounds while the massive foundation that houses HATEBREED remains strongly held in place. "On this album I really pushed myself; made myself rewrite things until they were better, until it clicked. I pulled myself out of that comfort zone. In the age of legacy bands having to play so many hits from their catalogue at shows, we love to hear fans request new songs when we're playing live," explains Jasta, "we've really played into our strengths with this one."
"There's no shortage of beefy-riffs and adrenaline-fueled-drums on this record. I'm proud to say that we will consistently provide a soundtrack to which you can mosh in your living room and destroy your apartment," details drummer Matt Byrne.
Recording the album once more with the help of ZEUSS, the band experienced a sense of challenge and breakthrough that enabled them to obtain a new level of sound. After working with the band for several years, and while normally spending his Ame with bands that have a fairly different sound, Zeuss is able to test HATEBREED and expand their already infamous vibration. "It was really great working with Zeuss again on this one. Love the way the guitars sound," comments guitarist Wayne Lozinak. As Ame goes on, the quality of producAon technology only seems to get beUer and beUer, creaAng a safe and producAve nest in which albums can evolve and end up with a much cleaner sound;
Weight Of The False Self brings early 2000's era HATEBREED into the new decade. Due to be released on November 27th, 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records, Weight Of The False Self will likely be noted as one of HATEBREED's strongest, and most memorable albums.
~~~~~~~~
Relentless reliability is intrinsic to longevity in the music business--or any other business for that matter. No giving up is allowed. No promise can go unfulfilled. If people can depend on you, they'll believe in you and stick with you until death. Since forming in 1994, Grammy award-nominated hardcore and metal stalwarts Hatebreed have constantly crushed with every subsequent album. Their six full-length effort and first for Razor & Tie, The Divinity of Purpose, proudly upholds that tradition cast in almost two decades of blood, tears, and flames. It's everything fans have come to expect from the Connecticut-based quintet--Jamey Jasta [vocals], Chris Beattie [bass], Wayne Lozinak [guitar], Frank Novinec [guitar], and Matthew Byrne [drums]--and more.
Be prepared to witness their flame rise high once again...
The Divinity of Purpose began to take shape in 2010. The band had welcomed back original guitarist Lozinak for 2009's covers set, For the Lions, and their self-titled fifth effort the same year. During a two-year tour cycle, they expanded their global stamp through performing to rabid crowds in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. In addition, they ravaged the U.S. and Europe alongside the likes of Five Finger Death Punch and Lamb of God as well as on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival twice. However, they collectively decided to amp everything up for album number six.
"We were going for a bigger sound," affirms Jasta. "We reintroduced Wayne on the last album. He'd never been on a full-length record with us, and it felt like we had to prove ourselves again. We also tried to do things outside of our comfort zone musically on Hatebreed. This time around, we played to our strengths as a band and gelled incredibly. The riffs had to be really heavy, memorable, and catchy. The rhythms needed to be pounding. I went back into drill sergeant mode vocally. I focused on saying what I had to say and got in and out. The music makes its point and leaves its mark. It's a tight snapshot of the last two years."
In order to capture that snapshot, the group focused its assault during an intense and rigorous period of pre-production at home. Maintaining an impressive work ethic, they spent time honing their patented sound into an even more uncompromising and unbreakable beast. Co-produced by the band, Zeuss [Suicide Silence, All That Remains], and Josh Wilbur [Lamb of God, Avenge Sevenfold], The Divinity of Purpose sees Hatebeed at their most fierce and fiery.
Take the first single "Put it to the Torch." An avalanche of guitars pummels alongside staggering rhythms and a distinct bass wallop. Jasta roars with uncontainable intensity proclaiming, "Here's your apology. Here's to burning out and here's to fading away. Fuck you both. I just put it to the torch."
About the song, he divulges, "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to make something heavy and aggressive with an old school vibe. We've faced an unusual amount of toxic energy over the past couple of years. It's important that you turn that negativity into a positive. That's always been the message of the band from day one. We can bottle that negative energy and use it as fuel. Sometimes, it gives you that push."
Speaking of a "push," "Honor Never Dies" steamrolls ahead with a propulsive riff and inspirational reflection on those who have served America. With a massive hook and deep meaning, it's also a fitting tribute to any fallen hero.
"Those lyrics came about right after my grandfather passed away," Jasta explains. "When I visited him in Veterans Administrative Hospital back in Connecticut, I'd see all of these vets & war heroes with purple hearts and other commendations hospitalized. The nurses told me a lot of those guys never get visitors. Some die alone in a hospital bed with no family or anyone else around. I'd spoken to some of them before my grandfather died. Luckily I got to be with him before he passed. I had to put that feeling into a song and now some of what I've taken away from that experience lives on through this. It's not just about our vets or my gramp but anyone who does something in service of others, they may not get the glory but their honorable actions live on through the people they help."
The title track also encapsulates something very crucial to the Hatebreed ethos within the framework of another explosive anthem.
The frontman confesses, "Music has always been my purpose. When I became a father, my life had new purpose. Sometimes, you find an initial purpose, and then you find a new purpose as you grow as a person. When you find something you love that gives you fulfillment, it can be an almost divine experience. That's where we are going with this."
In 2012, they also found the perfect partner to release the album in Razor & Tie. Hatebreed instantly felt home on their roster. "Heavy music is in a great place right now. There's a groundswell coming, and Razor & Tie understands that and is on the cusp of it. They're all people we've been friends with too. It's onward and upward for us right now."
It's been a long road to The Divinity of Purpose. Along the way, the band racked up sales of over 1.1 million records worldwide. They garnered a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for "Live for This", and they've appeared at prestigious festivals including OZZfest, Download, and Wacken Open Air multiple times. Among numerous chart successes, their first-ever live DVD, Live Dominance, debuted at #1 on the Billboard DVD chart, while Hatebreed hit #4 on the Billboard Indie chart.
Right now, Hatebreed's heart is beating stronger than ever, but that's nothing new. "Hatebreed has always meant the same thing to me," he concludes. "We maintain that anger and frustration, but it's not aimless. There's positivity to releasing that energy. It has a cyclical power. The fans that really vibe off it created everything we have. We've done things we dreamt of as kids because of our hard work and because the fans have gotten us to this global level. They give us purpose to make the most impact with our records that we can."
read more
with support from Bleeding Through, Bodysnatcher, Dying Wish
With unflinching tenacity, the impenetrable heavy metal hardcore factory that is HATEBREED has brought forth yet another iron cast, sonic weapon with Weight Of The False Self. It comes as no surprise that their eighth, full length album is the result of the usual sweat and blood that have cemented HATEBREED's unique niche in the world of music for over two decades. Renowned for their ability to provide an intense and cathartic release for their fans, HATEBREED challenged their writing style through this album cycle in order to produce material that is excepAonally relatable in a contemporary world flooded with overstimulation, emotional dampening, and lack of social patience. "Weight Of The False Self' is a perfect representation of HATEBREED in 2020, a fresh onslaught of soon to be classics with all the elements that led you here since day one," explains guitarist Frank Novinec.
A metaphorical weight is carried by almost every individual in regards to their emotional construct. Our experiences shape who we become and over time, gradually produce a heavy burden that we continue to lug along. For many of us, the weight becomes so much that we struggle to get out from underneath, let alone move. It is these struggles that are translated throughout Weight Of The False Self.
"Seen or unseen, everyone is carrying a burden. The music we love helps us bear the weight" proclaims vocalist Jamey Jasta. Tracks like "Cling To Life" supply a play on words that usually mean to desperately cling to those last breaths, but here, these words display that in the wake of true loss and mourning, to cling to the idea of happiness and future can bring sincere relief. On the other end of the philosophical spectrum, the first single "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" not only presents a fresh vocabulary word, but screams about the power that comes from our defense mechanisms when backed into a corner. When someone is being pursued by their past, another person, or just defending their own territory, it's only a matter of time and distance before they can explode into a savage, primal beast. "It should be illegal to make a song this heavy," describes bassist Chris Beattie.
The song "Wings Of The Vulture'' is a metaphor for all the negative forces of nature, fate, and humanity that hope to prey upon us during some of our weakest moments; waiting for the death of something meaningful. "A Stroke Of Red," contrary to what it may seem at first, touches on the concept of having the choice to harm yourself or others. "It's an eye for an eye, but that leaves everyone blind. Once you go down that dark, violent path, there is no turning back. This song is a dark canvas; leaving my body to exact terrible things on a different plane, and coming back to myself in order to learn from it so that you don't ever give in to that dark, carnal desire," explains Jasta.
Album artwork by renowned heavy metal artist Eliran Kantor depicts a man chiseling away at the massive sculpture of a stone bust. In Kantor's classic painting style, cracking through the clay of turmoil and sadness, a light is beginning to shine through the rock as the sculptor turns his face from the blinding beams of healing. The image visually combines the album's themes of emotional struggle and managing to overcome pain after layers of depression, anxiety, betrayal, and heartbreak have hardened atop a person's soul.
Over the course of over 20 years and 8 albums, the writing process for a band like HATEBREED has stayed safe in its roots, but still reached out and grabbed for crisp and compelling pieces of progressive sound to add to the mix. There are waves of fresh sounds while the massive foundation that houses HATEBREED remains strongly held in place. "On this album I really pushed myself; made myself rewrite things until they were better, until it clicked. I pulled myself out of that comfort zone. In the age of legacy bands having to play so many hits from their catalogue at shows, we love to hear fans request new songs when we're playing live," explains Jasta, "we've really played into our strengths with this one."
"There's no shortage of beefy-riffs and adrenaline-fueled-drums on this record. I'm proud to say that we will consistently provide a soundtrack to which you can mosh in your living room and destroy your apartment," details drummer Matt Byrne.
Recording the album once more with the help of ZEUSS, the band experienced a sense of challenge and breakthrough that enabled them to obtain a new level of sound. After working with the band for several years, and while normally spending his Ame with bands that have a fairly different sound, Zeuss is able to test HATEBREED and expand their already infamous vibration. "It was really great working with Zeuss again on this one. Love the way the guitars sound," comments guitarist Wayne Lozinak. As Ame goes on, the quality of producAon technology only seems to get beUer and beUer, creaAng a safe and producAve nest in which albums can evolve and end up with a much cleaner sound;
Weight Of The False Self brings early 2000's era HATEBREED into the new decade. Due to be released on November 27th, 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records, Weight Of The False Self will likely be noted as one of HATEBREED's strongest, and most memorable albums.
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Relentless reliability is intrinsic to longevity in the music business--or any other business for that matter. No giving up is allowed. No promise can go unfulfilled. If people can depend on you, they'll believe in you and stick with you until death. Since forming in 1994, Grammy award-nominated hardcore and metal stalwarts Hatebreed have constantly crushed with every subsequent album. Their six full-length effort and first for Razor & Tie, The Divinity of Purpose, proudly upholds that tradition cast in almost two decades of blood, tears, and flames. It's everything fans have come to expect from the Connecticut-based quintet--Jamey Jasta [vocals], Chris Beattie [bass], Wayne Lozinak [guitar], Frank Novinec [guitar], and Matthew Byrne [drums]--and more.
Be prepared to witness their flame rise high once again...
The Divinity of Purpose began to take shape in 2010. The band had welcomed back original guitarist Lozinak for 2009's covers set, For the Lions, and their self-titled fifth effort the same year. During a two-year tour cycle, they expanded their global stamp through performing to rabid crowds in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America. In addition, they ravaged the U.S. and Europe alongside the likes of Five Finger Death Punch and Lamb of God as well as on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival twice. However, they collectively decided to amp everything up for album number six.
"We were going for a bigger sound," affirms Jasta. "We reintroduced Wayne on the last album. He'd never been on a full-length record with us, and it felt like we had to prove ourselves again. We also tried to do things outside of our comfort zone musically on Hatebreed. This time around, we played to our strengths as a band and gelled incredibly. The riffs had to be really heavy, memorable, and catchy. The rhythms needed to be pounding. I went back into drill sergeant mode vocally. I focused on saying what I had to say and got in and out. The music makes its point and leaves its mark. It's a tight snapshot of the last two years."
In order to capture that snapshot, the group focused its assault during an intense and rigorous period of pre-production at home. Maintaining an impressive work ethic, they spent time honing their patented sound into an even more uncompromising and unbreakable beast. Co-produced by the band, Zeuss [Suicide Silence, All That Remains], and Josh Wilbur [Lamb of God, Avenge Sevenfold], The Divinity of Purpose sees Hatebeed at their most fierce and fiery.
Take the first single "Put it to the Torch." An avalanche of guitars pummels alongside staggering rhythms and a distinct bass wallop. Jasta roars with uncontainable intensity proclaiming, "Here's your apology. Here's to burning out and here's to fading away. Fuck you both. I just put it to the torch."
About the song, he divulges, "We didn't want to reinvent the wheel, but we wanted to make something heavy and aggressive with an old school vibe. We've faced an unusual amount of toxic energy over the past couple of years. It's important that you turn that negativity into a positive. That's always been the message of the band from day one. We can bottle that negative energy and use it as fuel. Sometimes, it gives you that push."
Speaking of a "push," "Honor Never Dies" steamrolls ahead with a propulsive riff and inspirational reflection on those who have served America. With a massive hook and deep meaning, it's also a fitting tribute to any fallen hero.
"Those lyrics came about right after my grandfather passed away," Jasta explains. "When I visited him in Veterans Administrative Hospital back in Connecticut, I'd see all of these vets & war heroes with purple hearts and other commendations hospitalized. The nurses told me a lot of those guys never get visitors. Some die alone in a hospital bed with no family or anyone else around. I'd spoken to some of them before my grandfather died. Luckily I got to be with him before he passed. I had to put that feeling into a song and now some of what I've taken away from that experience lives on through this. It's not just about our vets or my gramp but anyone who does something in service of others, they may not get the glory but their honorable actions live on through the people they help."
The title track also encapsulates something very crucial to the Hatebreed ethos within the framework of another explosive anthem.
The frontman confesses, "Music has always been my purpose. When I became a father, my life had new purpose. Sometimes, you find an initial purpose, and then you find a new purpose as you grow as a person. When you find something you love that gives you fulfillment, it can be an almost divine experience. That's where we are going with this."
In 2012, they also found the perfect partner to release the album in Razor & Tie. Hatebreed instantly felt home on their roster. "Heavy music is in a great place right now. There's a groundswell coming, and Razor & Tie understands that and is on the cusp of it. They're all people we've been friends with too. It's onward and upward for us right now."
It's been a long road to The Divinity of Purpose. Along the way, the band racked up sales of over 1.1 million records worldwide. They garnered a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for "Live for This", and they've appeared at prestigious festivals including OZZfest, Download, and Wacken Open Air multiple times. Among numerous chart successes, their first-ever live DVD, Live Dominance, debuted at #1 on the Billboard DVD chart, while Hatebreed hit #4 on the Billboard Indie chart.
Right now, Hatebreed's heart is beating stronger than ever, but that's nothing new. "Hatebreed has always meant the same thing to me," he concludes. "We maintain that anger and frustration, but it's not aimless. There's positivity to releasing that energy. It has a cyclical power. The fans that really vibe off it created everything we have. We've done things we dreamt of as kids because of our hard work and because the fans have gotten us to this global level. They give us purpose to make the most impact with our records that we can."
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