HATEBREED’s hasty release of this album, following just a year and a half after 2002’s Perseverance, could easily raise some concerns about the amount of time put into the making of the record. After a thorough listen to the somewhat contrived and repetitive songwriting found on Brutality, one would be hard-pressed not to be a little disappointed. “This is Now” and “Live for This” seem to be the most well-crafted material here, with decent riffs and the usual gut-wrenching vocals and rebellious lyrics. However, other tracks such as “Another Day, Another Vendetta” and “Facing What Consumes You” rely on a tired formula and sound far too rushed in structure. Vocalist Jamey Jasta has been dubbed “the Fred Durst of the underground,” and it seems he’s let the moniker get to his head a bit. After four albums, not only would some growth as a band be nice, but so would some fucking vocal variety! The masterful and precise choruses found in such past favorites as “I Will Be Heard” and “Before Dishonor” have been all but forgotten, replaced by recycled riffs and a lack of creativity. While hardcore and metalcore don’t leave much room in the first place for creativity, you’ve probably heard HATEBREED do this before, and do it better. (Universal/Stillborn Records)