By Andrew Bansal
Connecticut’s longstanding hardcore-influenced metal band Hatebreed are ready to release ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’, the sixth studio album in their nearly 18-year old career till date. Releasing next Tuesday January 29th 2013 via Razor & Tie in the US and having already been released in Europe on January 25th via Nuclear Blast Records, this one treats the listeners with 34 minutes of no-bullshit heavy metal, and shouldn’t disappoint any of the fans. As for me, I’ve always appreciated the intense atmosphere the band creates in their live performances and very much enjoyed their gigs at the Hollywood Palladium in November 2009 as well as the Mayhem Fest set in summer 2010, but to be honest, I didn’t put their studio albums on the same intensity level. I still decided to give this new album a try, and I’m glad I did so because it sure has got some fire in its belly.
The hard-hitting opener ‘Put It To The Torch’ kicks the album into top gear straightaway. Frontman Jamey Jasta is in his elements as he delivers the vocals to perfection and does justice to what the lyrics aim to achieve, in terms of fitting in with the music. As good as he’s sounding on the album itself, I can only imagine what it would be like when he performs these songs on stage, putting his entire energy into it. The relentlessly fast-paced ‘Put It To The Torch’, gives way to the slower, groovier and equally enjoyable ‘Honor Never Dies’. The album moves from strength to strength, and there simply isn’t any ‘filler’ on it, as is proven by tunes like ‘Own Your World’, ‘The Language’ and ‘Before The Fight Ends You’.
But undoubtedly, ‘Indivisible’ is the most enjoyable track on the album, and my favorite. Blisteringly fast with a D-beat attack, this one has an old school hardcore punk feel to it, and will certainly be appreciated not just by Hatebreed fans, but by all fans of the genre. In terms of repeat value, this track is the strongest of the album. I could play it over and over 50 times and I’m pretty sure I still won’t get tired of it. The latter half consists of some of the longest tracks such as ‘Dead Man Breathing’, ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’ and ‘Time To Murder It’ but sandwiched between them are shorter, more concise tunes like ‘Nothing Scars Me’ and ‘Bitter Truth’ which provides an excellent contrast.
In terms of the contributions of Jasta’s bandmates, I’m really pleased with the performance of drummer Matt Byrne. He has brought a fairly simple, caveman-style approach to his playing which suits this album excellently, and I think he handles the faster and slower bits with equal aplomb, displaying high levels of prowess. As for the guitar work of Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec, there’s obviously not much at all in the form of soloing, but there’s a different kind of skill involved in bringing forth the dirty low end of the guitar sound in a manner as is required by this type of music, and these two have done a great job at it. And of course, this low end is further strengthened by bassist and longtime band member Chris Beattie’s efforts. All members combine to pack a solid punch. The production for the album is just about apt too, as it captures the thickness of the album’s general sound without making it too dirty.
Every time any new album is announced, we see a band putting out statements that tell us what to expect from the music on it. Even though these are meant just to give us a general idea and nothing more, I’ve never seen a description as accurate as what Jamey Jasta gave for this album. ‘All Pit, No Shit’, is what he said, and that’s exactly what the album is. If you’re looking for a simple, heavy, no-frills metal album with a hardcore punk crossover, Hatebreed’s ‘The Divinity Of Purpose’ should answer your call to arms, and I can tell from personal experience that the album makes for absolutely awesome gym music. Hatebreed were one of the earliest perpetrators of the American hardcore-influenced metal scene. It’s only fitting that their newest effort is the best album I’ve heard in this genre in a long time, and I think the main reason being the band has stuck to its roots, not letting themselves become watered down like a lot of the other bands that began alongside them.
All in all, Hatebreed’s new album is a concise, to-the-point and compelling dose of American heavy metal, and fans of this musical style should pick it up as soon as possible. This set of tunes possesses incredible amounts of strength by itself, but if Hatebreed are scheduled to perform at a venue near you on any of their upcoming tours, expect nothing short of mayhem.
Rating: 9/10
Related: Interview with Hatebreed drummer Matt Byrne
Record Labels:
Razor & Tie (US)
Nuclear Blast (Europe)
Release Dates:
January 25th 2013 (Europe)
January 29th 2013 (US)
Track Listing:
Put It To the Torch
Honor Never Dies
Own Your World
The Language
Before The Fight Ends You
Indivisible
Dead Man Breathing
The Divinity Of Purpose
Nothing Scars Me
Bitter Truth
Time To Murder It
Bonus Track:
Idolized and Vilified
Links:
hatebreed.com
facebook.com/hatebreed
twitter.com/hatebreed