Hatebreed - sharing the love

Wed 7th Mar, 2007 in Features

Hatebreed seem to defy the stereotypes of all that may be “hardcore”, seamlessly fusing brutal metal ambient with stomping beat downs and consistently deeper lyrical content than most bands could collectively muster into one chorus.

Sitting in plush comfy seats of a Kings Cross hotel lobby while the remainder of the Hatebreed contingency prepare to leave for sound check, frontman Jamey Jasta is delayed finishing off media commitments. Eventually surfacing a half hour later, in the search of obtaining nourishment among the finest take-away Sydney has to offer, Mr Jasta is very optimistic and friendly. Not concerned about being delayed in getting to sound check and photo shoot commitments, over a meal of chicken, pizza and sparkling water, it is evident that this soldier of hardcore has not only the personality to burn but also a passion to succeed.

“The response to our new record [supremacy] has been awesome. We put our heart and soul into it, and had a blast making it. We wanted to make a record that would please our fans, and I think we did that!” Offers Jamie. “It’s my nature to try to nit pick, and I’m my own worse critic but this time all over Europe when I look out to the crowd, everyone knows the new material, everyone’s singing it.”  This new found support from European nations has somewhat relieved the charismatic frontman as lack of distribution had always clouded channels of Europe.

Moving away from the endless praise that Mr Jasta is quick to give everyone except himself, Jamey discusses the concept that if there is a contradiction within Hatebreed’s existence it must be that their much emulated brand of uplifting hardcore seems to breed anything but hate, with many of the lyrics addressing issues such as motivation, perseverance and overcoming difficulty: “It’s the Ying and the Yang. You can’t have one with out the other. I try to make it even as far as positive and negative lyrics go. I agree that some lyrics have a pretty negative, questioning outlook whereas “Live for this” and “I Will Be Heard” are much more uplifting anthems.”

Jamey Jasta has a travel schedule that puts even most professional athletes to shame. Jasta puts himself through this gruelling program for several reasons. As the host of MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball, he loves getting the word out on established, reunited, and up-and-coming metal bands that otherwise may not have had a chance. “I’m just glad the show’s doing well and bands that didn’t seem to have a career prior to the show are blowing up now. I’m also grateful that the show’s just back,” he grins.

Jasta expounds on what he hoped the show would – and has – become. “I even told [MTV] in the beginning, before I got the job, ‘Even if you play double what you used to play as far as real heavy metal goes, that’s better than nothing.’ But they’ve been really cool. And that’s the thing – before ‘Headbanger’s Ball’ a band like Shadows Fall was selling not a quarter of what they are now. It’s had an amazing positive effect. We’ve played with a lot of these bands [featured on the show], but it’s another thing to hang out with them or to say, you know, ‘play this video’ or ‘get this band on and let’s do an interview’ or whatever…it’s been really cool to be able to give back to the metal community.”

At heart, Jasta is obviously a heavy metal fan. This much is evident not only in our conversation, but in the man’s career. The band – lead vocalist Jasta, guitarist Sean Martin, bassist Chris Beattie, drummer Matt Byrne and most recent edition Frank “3-Gun” Novinec  - formed a little over a 13 years ago in New Haven, CT. “Being a member of Hatebreed is like being in a family. Almost like a marriage. We can read each other better then most families can.”

Being into older metal as well as hardcore bands such as Sick Of It All, Hate breed unleashes barrage after barrage of compact rage. The latest, 2006’s “Supremacy”, continued the band’s slow climb to the top of the world as it peaked at #26 on Billboard’s 200. More importantly than that, the album – at a scant 32+ minutes and as much Slayer as it is Black Flag – left no question that the band is the voice of those cast aside and left for dead. In other words, they have become the new voice of hardcore and metal.

A progression of personal influence and hardship has obviously sculpted the dynamic sound that Hatebreed possess; “I really felt like – that whole period of time, I felt like I wasn’t living by my own advice anymore. I’m not living by my own lyrics. I’m letting myself be defeated and that’s not what I’m about. So, that’s what the new record [Supremacy] reflects. It’s not about how many times you fall, it’s about if you’re going to get back up. You can only take so many setbacks and the last three years got me to this point where we’re ready to do a new one that’s going to be even more on fire.”

For Jasta, it’s all just a blessing to be able to do what he does. “It’s been great for us, even after all the bad times this is the greatest experience I will ever live. But it’s been all worth it. It’s been crazy and it’s been really, really cool to think I’m doing all this.”

Jasta and company levelled the Metro Theatre with a nearly-70 minute set that encompassed both old and new. As Byrne took his own aggressions out on an unsuspecting drum kit, Martin and Beattie stood tall like they were defending the free world. Jasta absorbed the power of his own band mates and the crowd and poured out a vigorous performance of conviction and pure rage. After a night of building tension, Hatebreed – and the audience – let it all out in a cacophony of destruction.

It’s all in a night’s work for a band that’s growing in momentum, even after 13 years. Jasta and the rest of his band stand true to the principles and music that inspired their gathering and the result is a movement in heavy music.