HATEBREED wholeheartedly believe that their new self-titled album is their best yet…and they are right. It sounds like the band has done some growing up as artists and musicians because Hatebreed is the band’s most musically diverse and accomplished record yet. Dynamics are what it’s all about and HATEBREED have expanded their arsenal of riffing styles, incorporated more spacing in the songs, added some new moods/atmospheres, and all overall maturity. There’s even a melancholic instrumental which shows a new side of the band.

As we all know, the lyrics and attitude behind them are the core of what HATEBREED are all about, and this record is no different. While the details and stories may be different, the lyrics involve the hardcore ethos. If every band could take their lyrics this seriously, everyone would always say what they mean and mean what they say.

The “Exclusive Best Buy” Edition involves a 65 minute DVD featuring tons of performances at European festivals. We all know how absolutely insane the band stirs up a crowd in the U.S. so it’s cool to see how European crowds react to the band. Also included in the DVD is a “making of” the new record.

HATEBREED have been one of the most successful bands to make the leap from the underground to the mainstream and Hatebreed only proves that the band continues to mature. Hatebreed will more than satisfy diehard fans but might also appeal to fans who were turned off by the band’s more “one-dimensional” stylings of the past. (E1 Music)

[blipfm 27572273]