Hatebreed – Supremacy

2 Chinstrap Beards Out of 10

Enough!

I’ve seriously fucking had it with this metalcore shit. Yeah, it’s better than nu-metal but that’s like saying genital herpes is better than getting your dick and balls ripped off by farm machinery. Sure, there are a few bands that bring the ruleage, but for every band that’s halfway decent there are thousands that are just plain terrible. And Hatebreed is the worst of them.

What’s more troubling about Hatebreed is their baffling popularity. Vocalist Jamey Jasta, the Fred Durst of metalcore, hosts the new Headbangers Ball, which is testament to how bad that show sucks now. They had a main stage slot on Ozzfest 2006. The only explanation I can find is that there are simply a lot of people who like dumb shit.

There’s nothing terribly offensive about Hatebreed’s music. Jasta’s cartoonish tough guy vocals are definitely laughworthy, but the music is nothing more than typical metalcore – chugging riffs, "mosh dude!" breakdowns, double-bass fills. They bring the old school gang vocals along for the ride too, enough to ensure me one guaranteed douche chill per song. The lyrics cover the same old shit – strength (“Supremacy of Self”), being diehard (“Never Let it Die,” “As Diehard As They Come”), overcoming shit (“Give Wings to My Triumph,” “Mind Over All”). It’s all basically the same temper tantrum shit they did 10 years ago.

You want to talk about supremacy, Hatebreed? Shadows Fall is better than you. Lamb of God is better than you. Slayer are old fucking men and they are better than you. I just had a sour burp that was better than your last 3 albums combined. The only reason metal Darwinism has spared you is because there seems to be 100,000 thick-necked douchebags out there who think Killswitch Engage is too “arty.”

- Alan Smithee