Hatebreed live review

The Odeon Concert Club Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, May 13, 2016

By Alexa Linger
Empire Extreme Staff Writer

The Connecticut metalcore band Hatebreed stormed the scene in 1994. Known for its hardcore style of metal, Hatebreed, composed of Jamey Jasta (lead vocals), Chris Beattie (bass guitar), Wayne Lozinak (guitar), Matt Byrne (drums) and Frank Novinec (guitar), began their current US tour in The Flats of Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, May 13, 2016. Namely, they took over the stage of The Odeon Concert Club, which reopened its doors on May 1, 2015 after nine years of being closed.

It was my first time at The Odeon, so I was excited to be somewhere that was such an important part of Cleveland’s rich history, with its peeling paint and creaky doors that made it feel like you were in a time capsule (in a good way). It was also cool that I was seeing Hatebreed on their tour promoting The Concrete Confessional, their seventh studio album, which covers social issues, such as the rise of terrorism, police brutality, moral decay, and the fading American Dream. Joining them were Devil You Know (Howard Jones’ – formerly of Killswitch Engage – new band) and Devildriver.

The warehouse-like club, which boasted good sightlines (due to its raised stage), was filled to its 1,000 person capacity (there were people of all ages, including a few kids) – it was a sold out show. It felt like it was 190 degrees and the club was so jam-packed you could barely move. Anticipation rippled through the crowd… everyone was waiting for Hatebreed. (The show, as a whole, began nearly two hours late).

Then, the lights turned off and it was pitch black.

Hatebreed appeared onstage.

White strobe lights (which changed throughout the set) cut the darkness and music began pulsating against Jamey Jasta’s deep growls and guttural vocals.

The backdrop for their set was an enormous banner of the artwork for The Concrete Confessional and Matt Byrne’s signature metallic, fire-engine red drum kit.

Jamey Jasta brought incredible energy to the stage by jumping up and down and fist-pumping, hyping up the already wild crowd.

When they performed “Looking Down the Barrel of Today” from The Concrete Confessional, there was a surge of energy and it felt as though the concrete floors were vibrating in synch with the beat of the drums.

A huge circle pit formed (something Hatebreed is infamous for) and I saw a man come out, dripping blood, which he wiped on his shirt.

During the fourth song, “This is Now,” Jasta thanked Hatebreed fans for “so many great years.”

Then, in a very sweet moment that you don’t see at many metal shows, he told the story of a fan, named Dennis Guyot, whose dying wish was to have his ashes spread on stage at a show. Jasta did so by raising the urn of ashes and pouring them during the song “As Diehard as They Come,” which they dedicated to Guyot.

After performing a mix of twenty-one songs from the course of their career (with crowd favorites like “Perseverance” and “In Ashes They Shall Reap”), Hatebreed ended the first night of their tour with an encore of “I Will Be Heard.”

But what was more impressive than their music was the atmosphere it created: there was a genuine sense of community in The Odeon that night. Hatebreed truly made the fans feel appreciated and shared stories of past performances and shows – it was like seeing and talking to an old friend. Also, when people were knocked down in the pit, they were helped back up. People made friends with strangers. People truly came together and helped each other. (I witnessed a man collapse while standing outside and everyone banded together and tried to help, including a man and woman who were a paramedic and nurse, respectively). But that’s the kind of thing their music inspires: we’re all in this together and, no matter who you are or where you’re from, you’re welcome and embraced.

Overall, Hatebreed put on one hell of a show and you can feel that they truly love what they do; their passion for music and their fans just emanated from the stage. Further, they kept the energy up and peppered in loud, fast guitar work and drum solos throughout their set, which is what I think fans have come to love and expect from them. The show ended with the electrifying energy it began with, which I’d say is the key to their longevity – that and their unwavering focus on their music and a straightforward, no nonsense, no frills performance style. They truly delivered on the promise of a great, fun, and memorable show.

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Alexa Linger

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