Hatebreed

The Divinity Of Purpose

Jamey Jasta – vocals

Chris Beattie – bass guitar

Wayne Lozinak – guitar

Matt Byrne – drums

Frank Novinec – guitar

            Back in 1994 Hatebreed began their journey to become a metal band. They recorded a three song demo and sold it around town. The tracks would eventually be released on a split record with Neglect in 1995. They then recorded an EP in 1996. Then in 1997 the guys released their first full-length album, Satisfaction is the Death of Desire. The record sold more copies than any other in the history of the record label. The band jumped on national tours to promote the release. The band then hit stores with their 2^nd and 3^rd albums in back to back years (2002-2003). In 2004 the band took part in a European tour (Unholy Alliance Tour) then headed back for a huge tour in Europe once again in 2006. They then came back and played the 2006 Ozzfest festival. Their busy schedule in 2006 was not over yet as their fourth album hit stores in August. 2007 seen another Ozzfest tour and their first DVD release. The bands fifth album, self-titled, hit stores in 2009 after a line-up change. In 2010 they hit the road for the third annual Mayham Festival. They are about to hit stores with their sixth album (January 2013), titled The Divinity of Purpose. The album consists of 12 tracks that last 37 minutes. The album gets going with “Put It To The Torch.” The track rages with huge drums and fast guitars that are accompanied by screaming vocals. The vocals scream their way through the track with a low sound and it’s really hard to hear the bulk of them. The little outro to the song is strong and ends the track well. However, for non-metal/hardcore music fans this track is not for you. “Honor Never Dies” hammers out a killer tune with a great blend of instruments and vocals. In this track the vocals tone down the screams some which helps in the ability to hear what is being said. The tunes give off a great beat and vibe. It’s easy to get into this track and being able to understand the lyrics just helps it even more. This is something that you could jam to from time to time. “Own Your World” gets going with a little chat that would a crowd going instantly. The guitars rumble along while the drums hit hard and the vocals run through line after line. This one is sure to get a mosh pit going. Once you dig into the lyrics they aren't bad, but there are some places where they are hard to hear. Musically the track is great. The overall vibe of the track gets your blood pumping and the transitions are smooth. There aren't too many bugs in the track. In addition, the band added in some spot on backing vocals that help the track out tremendously. “The Language” opens up with a killer intro. The guitars take over and the drums give it an extra little boost. The vocals do swoop in to get you fired up a bit more as the intro comes to a close. They then kick it up yet another notch and they go ape shit. The pace quickens while the vocals rush through the lyrics. They continue for the better part of the track that way, but there is a mini solo for the guitars and a slow spot for the bass to drop a few lines. It’s a strong track and I think most people can get into the track at some point. “Before The Fight Ends You” begins like it was going to the hard rock side of things and to my delight it mostly stayed there. The vocals don't scream as much, but the backing vocals fire off some words. The drums strike really hard and super fast. They will make your head spin. The guitars jump around in the back giving some support. “Indivisible” closes out the first half of the album with an odd, but appealing tune. There are several elements that drew me to the track, but at the same time there are a couple moments that I want fond of. The vocals are hard to hear in part of the track as they felt like they were recorded in a closet. In other places things just didn’t seem to matchup for me. I would put this in the middle of the class for me. “Dead Man Breathing” offers up some killer music and the vocals aren't that bad either. The intro gets you right into the track. It’s a short one, but it’s effective. The track overall is a stud. Everything seems to work well in this track. I love the vibe and the beat. This is a top notch offering that will get everyone fired up. “The Divinity Of Purpose” opens up with a thick bass and some cymbals. The vocals then swoop in and take control of the track. They also add in some backing vocals along with everything. The metal infused track probably won’t do much for non-metal fans, but that bass line that they drop is sweet. “Nothing Scars Me” is a heavy tune with normal vocals that have a hint of some screams. The backing vocals are really bolster the track and almost out works the lead. The track repeats a lot which get a bit boring on the album, but it has the attitude and vibe that might work well during a live show. “Bitter Truth” rumbles along with huge guitars and pounding drums. The vocals also have a chip on their shoulders and have a bit of an attitude. They again infuse the track with huge backing vocals as the track marches along. I just couldn’t get into this track much either. “Boundless (Time To Murder It)” is another angry sounding track that provides great tunes and screaming (hard to understand) vocals. I think that they do have spots of brilliance, but with that said others bring it down.”Idolized and Vilified” wraps up the album much like the rest of the album. If you can dig into the lyrics these are ones are fairly good. Musically the track is stellar once again, but it’s the screaming that hinders the track. It’s just a distraction to me. Overall the album is okay. I think you have to be a hardcore metal fan to truly love this album. If not there are a few tracks that might peak you interest, but other than that you would be shaking your head no. the big guitars and pounding drums are great. They also place some thick bass from time to time. The vocals are what I couldn’t get past. They were too aggressive and hard to hear. I realize that many people do like this style and if you do this album is for you, but they will not gain any new fans with the vocals. Some of the tracks also repeat way too much. Some repeating is fine, but an over abundance does not work well. Musically the album is top notch and the arrangements that they have are solid. The use of the backing vocals is some of the best I’ve heard. They really enhance the record. If you can get past the scratching you have found something.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Tracks to Watch:

Dead Man Breathing

Track List:

1. Put It To The Torch
2. Honor Never Dies
3. Own Your World
4. The Language
5. Before The Fight Ends You
6. Indivisible
7. Dead Man Breathing1
8. The Divinity Of Purpose
9. Nothing Scars Me
10. Bitter Truth
11. Boundless (Time To Murder It)
12. Idolized and Vilified

Website (s):  www.hatebreed.com