Listen, I fully understand the hate for Hatebreed. Past their influential debut, they have been responsible for popularizing ‘hardcore’ and making it more commercial, and putting it in malls and on MTV. But there is no denying their chest-beating anthemic take on ‘bro-core’ has been the rallying cry for a generation and more than likely got some folks through some hard times.

I don’t consider my self a fan or a hater, I own all of their albums, but rarely pull them out to listen to.  But I think there is a time and a place for their sound. For example, when I’m lifting weights, I’m not likely to reach for the latest Alcest album, but certainly Hatebreed’s short sharp beatdowns fit the bill to get pumped up and throw some iron around, and that’s exactly what album number 8 delivers.

Jasta and co know exactly who their audience is and what their sound is. Every single track from this album is interchangeable with any track from the last 5-6 albums, with varying degrees of machismo, shout alongs and breakdowns- it’s not rocket science and Hatebreed knows this. Even with a few tempo changes (slower”A Stroke of Red”, “Cling to Life”) faster “Dig Your Way Out”, “From Gold to Gray”), the mid-paced, breakdown filled formula is exactly what you would expect from the immediate, opening throttle of “Instinctive (Slaughterlust)” to closer ” Invoking Dominance”. Nothing more, nothing less, but certainly, when the mood is right, it does the trick- kinda like a McRib- you don’t know they exist till they come out, you know they are pretty awful, but on occasion, for reasons unknown, boy do they hit the spot.

And I’ll readily admit when a tune like the aforementioned opener, “Let Them All Rot”, “The Herd Will Scatter”, the title track or “This I Earned” kick in and I’m in the right frame of mind, I find my self stomping  around, shouting along and floor punching like a bro’d out douche. But again,  like the divisive McRib, it quickly passes and normalcy is resumed. Until next time they drop an album or the McRib comes out.

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