Hatebreed didn’t write the book on metallic hardcore, but they certainly penned a few essential chapters with 1997’s Satisfaction Is The Death of Desire and especially 2002’s Perseverance, a veritable Chugapalooza that turned the Connecticut outfit into a mainstay at festivals and gym playlists alike. Having lost track of the band in recent years, I decided to check back in for their ninth studio effort, Fatal Paradox.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a quintessential Hatebreed record, delivering their signature blend of hardcore and thrash metal. Breakdowns land right on cue, and Jamey Jasta remains hardcore’s premier angry motivational speaker. If you’re looking for reinvention, Fatal Paradox isn’t the album for you. But if you want a band that has their sound down pat, it delivers. Over 11 tracks, you’re hit with a relentless barrage of palm-muted riffs and pummeling percussion, topped off with a sharp cover of Corrosion of Conformity’s “Poison Planet.”
