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Hatebreed

Supremacy

Written by: PP on 11/08/2006 18:03:01

A prolonged, all-dominating "YEEEEEAAAAHHHH!!" scream opens "Defeatist", the first track on Hatebreed's explosive new album "Supremacy", and be prepared, because the album is every bit as brutal as you would expect from a band called Hatebreed and as tyrannizing as you would expect from an album called "Supremacy". If their previous album "The Rise Of Brutality" lived up to its title, "Supremacy" could easily be called "The Triumph Of Brutality", as their adrenaline-charged onslaught on your ears is nothing short of sheer dominance, and perfectly reflects the reasons why Hatebreed is the one and only hardcore group that has been able to conquer the mainstream.

Not that Hatebreed have changed much throughout their 12 year conquest of the hearts and souls of hardcore lovers. Their music still focuses around simple power chrods and monotoneous - but comprehensible - scream/growl mixed vocal work by the MTV2 Headbangers Ball host Jamey Jasta, a man you wouldn't wanna meet in a dark alleyway past midnight. But who needs change when the songs always make you feel like you've been hit n run by a massive truck of - yes, it is too easy - hatred. The chorus of "Defeatist" depicts the sinister, misanthropic lyrical work we are constantly facing on any songs bearing the Hatebreed label: "...you hate yourself, and you hate this world, and you hate your friends because you hate every moment...", not to even mention the apocalyptic lyrics in "Destroy Everything". These two are also by far the best two tracks on the album not only because they turn your path on the brightest day to be full of darkness and invisible, imaginary violence all around you, but because they are inconceivably catchy despite their pure "constant kick in your face" riffage. You return time and time again to cherish the simplicity of the riffs while surprisingly finding yourself screaming along the lines of "I MUST DESTROY... DESTROY EVERYTHING". But not everything is irredeemably about destruction (although it's hard not to believe so initially): "Immortal Enemies" could easily be a political comment on the neverending Israeli-Palestinian conflict in disguise of a battle of good and evil as Jamey screams "Enemies never die, conflict is neverending, chaos never seizes - Where does the solution lie?".

To point out weak parts in any Hatebreed album is like trying to penetrate a hole into a three metre thick concrete wall with a pencil - it would just be wrong and undoable. How can an album this aggression filled, bearing the name "Supremacy", be 'weak'? The answer is, it can't. It's one of the instrumentally simplest albums you'll find in the market today rivalling with the structures of many of the pop bands, but that doesn't matter. Jamey only has one gear - super aggressive monotoneous screaming, but that doesn't matter. Their songs bear much similarity in structure and connections all the way back to their debut album "Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire" are not hard to make at all, but even that doesn't matter. What does matter, however, is how Hatebreed thrives on their expanded simplicity and sheer dominance (I know, I've used that word a lot in this review but hey, it's the only fitting one!), and the end result is an album that punches you in the face like no other album ever will. Hardcore? Moshcore or Hatecore would be much more descriptive genre definitions to use here.

Download: Defeatist, Immortal Enemies, Destroy Everything
For the fans of: Terror, Raised Fist, Full Blown Chaos
Listen: Myspace

Release date 29.08.2006
Roadrunner Records