It's always exciting when a band that's been around for 10+ years bring out a new album. Over a period of time that long, it usually goes one of two ways. Either the band has released enough albums to have ironed out any flaws in their music and the result is a near-perfect record. Or, it could be the case that they release a 12 track piece of crap, and you just get the feeling they couldn't care anymore (I think it's called 'pulling a Green Day').
Fortunately, Hatebreed fit nicely into the first category. Considering they have consistently put out cracking albums of brutal metalcore since their 1996 debut, this is no mean feat. 'Supremacy' shows the band has matured considerably since their last release, and this really is their best to date.
Opener 'Defeatist' gives a taste of what's ahead, and when this is combined with follower 'Horrors of Self', you've got possibly the two best starting tracks on any album released this year. Characterised by Jamey Jasta's roaring vocals and some manic double-bass drum accompaniment, Hatebreed haven't made any compromises and are still as vicious as ever.
Most of the following tracks follow the same formula of a verse, chorus, breakdown affair yet they all have their own individual charms. 'Give way to my triumph' exploits the band's heavy metal influence, with some classic drop-C guitar riffs dripping in violence and anger. 'Immortal Enemies' takes a political approach lyrically, and is up there with Rise Against's 'State of the Union' in terms of being a big 'fuck you' to the government. By far the greatest track here is 'As Diehard as they come'. With its mosh-pit ready guitar work and drumming, it's sure to become a live Hatebreed favourite. It's not hard to imagination a cast of thousands of hardcore kids screaming along to the immortal line 'YOU ARE AS DIEHARD AS THEY COME'.
The record's closing song 'Supremacy of Self' is lyrically very insightful into Jasta's reasons for writing this album. It's an autobiographical look at the pain he has suffered in the last few years (key lyric - 'To look into my heart is to look into hell'), yet allows us to see that he has realised what he needs to do to overcome his demons. In short, Supremacy is a typical violent affair from the Hatebreed camp, yet it is heads and shoulders above their peers, and indeed their own previous work. Lyrically honest, and musically uncompromised, this album will force critics to stand up and listen to what Hatebreed have to say.
An absolute must-have.
Andrew
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