Hatebreed are one of those bands that are not willing to compromise themselves. They are a band of pride. A band of honor. As a matter of fact, as Jasta puts it, he would literally not be standing on the grounds of the U.S.A., hadn’t it been for honor. And that, my friends, is a bold statement.
So, is the new album, artistically titled “The Divinity Of Purpose”, an experimental album? No sir. Does it bring to the table something never heard from the Hatebreed before? No sir. Does it talk about anything else than finding your own inner strength? NO SIR!
No, Hatebred were never a band who was aiming at something new, fresh or innovative. They refuse to expand their capabilities, because they know that the sound they produced 19 years ago is still relevant and they feel no need to change it. Literally. This is what they do and they do it so damn well, that if there were no other bands playing exactly the same genre, one could speculate that they invented a whole new genre. Breedcore. I actually coined a term for what they play, because they deserve it. They’ve put so much blood, sweat and tears into denying their own artistic maturity, that they deserve their own genre. This is more than metallic hardcore. This is breedcore.
“The divinity of purpose” only solidifies their dominance in breedcore, for they have once again made an album that every song actually kind of sounds the same, but has its own identity, charm and passion. Jasta is determined to rape us yet once again with the thoughts of growing strong, proud and self-sustaining. And at that he succeeds, big time.
Lyrically this album delivers. “Own your world” does not waste any time guessing “who’s got more heart than you”, since the answer is delivered in a choir-shouted “no one!” Such powerful lyrics make goosebumps not a matter of “if” but “how long”. Very long!
Lyrics keep blooming throughout the already mentioned “Honor never dies”. Jasta shows his humanity, he opens up to the listener, admitting that he is, after all, only a “son, a brother, a father and a friend. No more, not any less”. That means a lot to us, ‘breeders. We’ve always looked up to Jasta, since the day one, when he shouted how he wiped someone’s spit from his face. Then, we thought “oh man, Jasta must be some kind of God, how he endures so much pain and hardship and somehow always perseveres”, but now, oh man. He’s just like us!
He is, indeed, a son (he obviously must have a mother), a brother (his mother had two or more sons… or is he talking about some kind of a strong friendship, where you call your friend a brother? It is not made clear in the lyrics), a father (well that I did not know, I admit it. Well played, Jasta, you announced that you have a baby in this hidden message) and a friend (thus he must have at least one friend). No more is Jasta “just a God of strength” but he’s also A HUMAN and that is an important message here. This is, as album already suggest, “The divinity of purpose”. To be a son, to be a brother, to be a father and a friend. This is purpose, and it is divine.
But lyrical mastery does not end there. Oh no! In “Put it to the torch” he wickedly asks questions that will be answered in every live show from now on; when Jasta will shout “Am I supposed to be sorry, my words struck a nerve” a whole group of ‘breeders will answer “NO JAMEY, YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SORRY!”. I can already imagine a crowd going crazy, answering to Jasta’s rhetorical questions.
And Jasta will not be satisfied with merely one answered question; no sir, he will want more. Thus, he will ask “Am I supposed to be sorry that I lift dust where my footsteps once were?” and we will again respond, “NO JAMEY, THE DUST HOLDS THE BLAME FOR LIFTING ITSELF!”. As a matter of fact, I can’t wait to see them live and to answers Jamey’s questions in the suggested manner.
There’s also something to be said about the music and production; it’s different. A bit. Riffs are solid… “straight to your face with the truth and pride” kind of solid, but that’s what we’re expecting! However, this time, as one reviewer suggested, Hatebreed bunch included a lot more punk-ish influences and, as the same reviewer points out, there’s still a lot of that metal sound we come to love from Hatebreed. But don’t be fooled, it still sounds like every other Hatebreed song we love! Awesome!
To sum things up; this album is amazing and that’s an assertion. Lyrics will blow you away, music will have that “I heard that before” vibe that we love when listening to Hatebreed and before long, you’ll notice that you’ve listened to the album 3 times in a row, because you won’t recognize that songs differ.
ebreed have more-or-less become a staple of the genre. This metallic hardcore group have been at it for almost two decades. Without a compromise in neither their attitude, nor their sound; this is what makes Hatebreed well… Hatebreed. It’s been four years since the release of their last studio full-length and considering that Hatebreed have largely relied on the same formulaic approach to their music it was probably a good idea to have a bit of a break and freshen them ol’ bones. At just under forty minutes the resolute and next to un-changing metallic hardcore group present what the listeners expect; an affair with no frills, wankery or simply any unnecessary frivolous attitudes that would in turn limit this established acts straight-forward, fists out approach.
One thing that’s noticeable on a first listen is that The Divinity Of Purpose is a largely live album. Not in the sense that someone rigged up a microphone and camera catching all the action and the crowds rambunctious response. Rather, the even passages, gang chants and thick grooves all promote a head-banging, moshing affair in a live setting. This can only be considered a positive thing for a band that has always paid homage to their fans and supporters. Sit back and find yourself drawn into that constant thumping tempo.
As for content, The Divinity Of Purpose does not really defer from past Hatebreed records. Highly charged themes along the lines of ‘Honor Never Dies’ where context is roughly about standing up for friends and family and ‘Nothing Scars Me’ where getting through life and deflecting negativity of others seems to be the main premise on which the album is built. Jasta it seems, has built off the same lyrical content and is stronger and more adamant about his approach. Along with the mid-to-fast tempo that seems to maintain itself throughout the entire of the record Hatebreed has managed to create an emotive, fist-swinging album full of super-charged hooks and straight-forward progressions.
Overall, there’s not a lot to say on an album that was released by a band largely unchanged over the course of their career. For Hatebreed, The Divinity Of Purpose promotes everything the band itself has achieved over the years, highlighting the fact that a band shouldn’t have to do anything revolutionary when their fan base is calling for the same thing over and over again. Hatebreed are on par with albums such as the sophomore Perseverance and acclaimed release Rise Of Brutality and depending on the preferences of the listener The Divinity of Purpose may just surpass in terms of consistent quality. Hatebreed are truly the mountain of the hardcore genre, infusing metal to craft one of the most consistent catalogues in the genre. The band is stronger than ever resolute, un-moving and here until they say otherwise.
Supremacy was the culmination of Hatebreed’s effort to create the perfect blend of metal and hardcore. The album was unrelenting yet catchy and powered through its short runtime with nary a bit of filler in sight. With that success under their belt, the band moved towards a more metal-dominated sound on their self-titled release; and who could blame them? It wasn’t like there was much chance of them surpassingSupremacy, and it was probably time for a change anyway. Apparently, their self-titled release was enough to get rid of the metal itch, because The Divinity of Purpose finds the band right back in the thick of their metalized hardcore sound with just a bit more punk influence than previous releases.
Right off the bat, it should be noted that this release isn’t going to knock Supremacy from its pedestal, but it’s still pretty damn good. It’s the Hatebreed-patented blend of metal and hardcore that they’ve been doing from the beginning without much deviation, and fans should love it. It has the high-energy tempos, pounding drums, metalized hardcore riffs and Jamey Jasta’s throaty shout – oh yeah, it has breakdowns too… did I mention breakdowns? It also has the unrelenting intensity that was slightly lacking from their self-titled album. What else should a Hatebreed album really have – this isn’t supposed to be music for rocket scientists, it’s supposed to get you pumped and ready to lift heavy things and put them back down again.
For those that loved the increased metal influence of their previous album, there is still some of that left, too. There’s the melodic lead during the chorus of ‘Honor Never Dies’, the ripping solo in ‘The Language’ and a pretty cool bass part on ‘Before the Fight Ends You’. ‘Dead Man Breathing’ even brings back a little of that South of Heaven influence that was infused throughout the self-titled album. Of course, the excessively positive/self-empowering lyrics do lead to a few cringe-worthy moments (as they always have) such as during the call and response of, “Who’s got more heart than you – No One”. Anyone that is into the band has either learned to love those lyrics or ignore them, so it’s not really a deal breaker. Overall,The Divinity of Purpose is Hatebreed by the numbers, and most fans probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
Who really expects Hatebreed to stray too far away from the formula they’ve used since their debut when it continues to work so well? The Divinity of Purpose isn’t going to surprise fans or detractors
So, is the new album, artistically titled “The Divinity Of Purpose”, an experimental album? No sir. Does it bring to the table something never heard from the Hatebreed before? No sir. Does it talk about anything else than finding your own inner strength? NO SIR!
No, Hatebred were never a band who was aiming at something new, fresh or innovative. They refuse to expand their capabilities, because they know that the sound they produced 19 years ago is still relevant and they feel no need to change it. Literally. This is what they do and they do it so damn well, that if there were no other bands playing exactly the same genre, one could speculate that they invented a whole new genre. Breedcore. I actually coined a term for what they play, because they deserve it. They’ve put so much blood, sweat and tears into denying their own artistic maturity, that they deserve their own genre. This is more than metallic hardcore. This is breedcore.
“The divinity of purpose” only solidifies their dominance in breedcore, for they have once again made an album that every song actually kind of sounds the same, but has its own identity, charm and passion. Jasta is determined to rape us yet once again with the thoughts of growing strong, proud and self-sustaining. And at that he succeeds, big time.
Lyrically this album delivers. “Own your world” does not waste any time guessing “who’s got more heart than you”, since the answer is delivered in a choir-shouted “no one!” Such powerful lyrics make goosebumps not a matter of “if” but “how long”. Very long!
Lyrics keep blooming throughout the already mentioned “Honor never dies”. Jasta shows his humanity, he opens up to the listener, admitting that he is, after all, only a “son, a brother, a father and a friend. No more, not any less”. That means a lot to us, ‘breeders. We’ve always looked up to Jasta, since the day one, when he shouted how he wiped someone’s spit from his face. Then, we thought “oh man, Jasta must be some kind of God, how he endures so much pain and hardship and somehow always perseveres”, but now, oh man. He’s just like us!
He is, indeed, a son (he obviously must have a mother), a brother (his mother had two or more sons… or is he talking about some kind of a strong friendship, where you call your friend a brother? It is not made clear in the lyrics), a father (well that I did not know, I admit it. Well played, Jasta, you announced that you have a baby in this hidden message) and a friend (thus he must have at least one friend). No more is Jasta “just a God of strength” but he’s also A HUMAN and that is an important message here. This is, as album already suggest, “The divinity of purpose”. To be a son, to be a brother, to be a father and a friend. This is purpose, and it is divine.
But lyrical mastery does not end there. Oh no! In “Put it to the torch” he wickedly asks questions that will be answered in every live show from now on; when Jasta will shout “Am I supposed to be sorry, my words struck a nerve” a whole group of ‘breeders will answer “NO JAMEY, YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SORRY!”. I can already imagine a crowd going crazy, answering to Jasta’s rhetorical questions.
And Jasta will not be satisfied with merely one answered question; no sir, he will want more. Thus, he will ask “Am I supposed to be sorry that I lift dust where my footsteps once were?” and we will again respond, “NO JAMEY, THE DUST HOLDS THE BLAME FOR LIFTING ITSELF!”. As a matter of fact, I can’t wait to see them live and to answers Jamey’s questions in the suggested manner.
There’s also something to be said about the music and production; it’s different. A bit. Riffs are solid… “straight to your face with the truth and pride” kind of solid, but that’s what we’re expecting! However, this time, as one reviewer suggested, Hatebreed bunch included a lot more punk-ish influences and, as the same reviewer points out, there’s still a lot of that metal sound we come to love from Hatebreed. But don’t be fooled, it still sounds like every other Hatebreed song we love! Awesome!
To sum things up; this album is amazing and that’s an assertion. Lyrics will blow you away, music will have that “I heard that before” vibe that we love when listening to Hatebreed and before long, you’ll notice that you’ve listened to the album 3 times in a row, because you won’t recognize that songs differ.
ebreed have more-or-less become a staple of the genre. This metallic hardcore group have been at it for almost two decades. Without a compromise in neither their attitude, nor their sound; this is what makes Hatebreed well… Hatebreed. It’s been four years since the release of their last studio full-length and considering that Hatebreed have largely relied on the same formulaic approach to their music it was probably a good idea to have a bit of a break and freshen them ol’ bones. At just under forty minutes the resolute and next to un-changing metallic hardcore group present what the listeners expect; an affair with no frills, wankery or simply any unnecessary frivolous attitudes that would in turn limit this established acts straight-forward, fists out approach.
One thing that’s noticeable on a first listen is that The Divinity Of Purpose is a largely live album. Not in the sense that someone rigged up a microphone and camera catching all the action and the crowds rambunctious response. Rather, the even passages, gang chants and thick grooves all promote a head-banging, moshing affair in a live setting. This can only be considered a positive thing for a band that has always paid homage to their fans and supporters. Sit back and find yourself drawn into that constant thumping tempo.
As for content, The Divinity Of Purpose does not really defer from past Hatebreed records. Highly charged themes along the lines of ‘Honor Never Dies’ where context is roughly about standing up for friends and family and ‘Nothing Scars Me’ where getting through life and deflecting negativity of others seems to be the main premise on which the album is built. Jasta it seems, has built off the same lyrical content and is stronger and more adamant about his approach. Along with the mid-to-fast tempo that seems to maintain itself throughout the entire of the record Hatebreed has managed to create an emotive, fist-swinging album full of super-charged hooks and straight-forward progressions.
Overall, there’s not a lot to say on an album that was released by a band largely unchanged over the course of their career. For Hatebreed, The Divinity Of Purpose promotes everything the band itself has achieved over the years, highlighting the fact that a band shouldn’t have to do anything revolutionary when their fan base is calling for the same thing over and over again. Hatebreed are on par with albums such as the sophomore Perseverance and acclaimed release Rise Of Brutality and depending on the preferences of the listener The Divinity of Purpose may just surpass in terms of consistent quality. Hatebreed are truly the mountain of the hardcore genre, infusing metal to craft one of the most consistent catalogues in the genre. The band is stronger than ever resolute, un-moving and here until they say otherwise.
Supremacy was the culmination of Hatebreed’s effort to create the perfect blend of metal and hardcore. The album was unrelenting yet catchy and powered through its short runtime with nary a bit of filler in sight. With that success under their belt, the band moved towards a more metal-dominated sound on their self-titled release; and who could blame them? It wasn’t like there was much chance of them surpassingSupremacy, and it was probably time for a change anyway. Apparently, their self-titled release was enough to get rid of the metal itch, because The Divinity of Purpose finds the band right back in the thick of their metalized hardcore sound with just a bit more punk influence than previous releases.
Right off the bat, it should be noted that this release isn’t going to knock Supremacy from its pedestal, but it’s still pretty damn good. It’s the Hatebreed-patented blend of metal and hardcore that they’ve been doing from the beginning without much deviation, and fans should love it. It has the high-energy tempos, pounding drums, metalized hardcore riffs and Jamey Jasta’s throaty shout – oh yeah, it has breakdowns too… did I mention breakdowns? It also has the unrelenting intensity that was slightly lacking from their self-titled album. What else should a Hatebreed album really have – this isn’t supposed to be music for rocket scientists, it’s supposed to get you pumped and ready to lift heavy things and put them back down again.
For those that loved the increased metal influence of their previous album, there is still some of that left, too. There’s the melodic lead during the chorus of ‘Honor Never Dies’, the ripping solo in ‘The Language’ and a pretty cool bass part on ‘Before the Fight Ends You’. ‘Dead Man Breathing’ even brings back a little of that South of Heaven influence that was infused throughout the self-titled album. Of course, the excessively positive/self-empowering lyrics do lead to a few cringe-worthy moments (as they always have) such as during the call and response of, “Who’s got more heart than you – No One”. Anyone that is into the band has either learned to love those lyrics or ignore them, so it’s not really a deal breaker. Overall,The Divinity of Purpose is Hatebreed by the numbers, and most fans probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
Who really expects Hatebreed to stray too far away from the formula they’ve used since their debut when it continues to work so well? The Divinity of Purpose isn’t going to surprise fans or detractors