My guilty pleasure

Much as I hate to admit it, there comes a time in every music journalist’s career when he must ‘fess up to his guilty pleasures. I figure I may as well get this shit out of the way as soon as possible, so that you all may mock me as you see fit. Here goes…

I like Hatebreed. Yes, the macho, jock hardcore band Hatebreed. Kings of metalcore and beloved by thugs and meatheads. That band. Yes, I like them. To be specific, their Victory Records release, Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire. The whole goddamn thing.

Sure, it’s more akin to Slayer than Minor Threat or Youth of Today. Yes, the lyrics are about as a deep as the veneer on a Wal-Mart purchased tabletop. Fuck it, I think it’s great.

When I’ve had a lousy day at work, I feel completely relaxed if I throw in Satisfaction… and crank the stereo to window-rattling volumes. “Before Dishonor” had me hooked from the first time I heard it five years ago. The one and only time I ever saw Hatebreed was at the Tattoo the Earth festival back in ’99. They played “Before Dishonor” as one of their last tunes, and I’ve never seen a larger circle pit in my life. Seriously, a thing of bizarre beauty.

That song is really the best part of the whole album. Sure, “Conceived Through An Act of Violence” is a pretty good song, but “Before Dishonor” is pretty much the bee’s knees. From the opening quote (courtesy of Andy Garcia in Steal Big Steal Little) to the ending “what i have in my heart, I’ll take to my grave”, the song is pretty much amazing.

Come to think of it, I’ve always had a fondness for any song that started with a quote of some sort. Love Me Destroyer‘s “Add Vice” starts off with Paul Newman’s “none of us will see heaven” line from Road to Perdition. Add in Against All Authority‘s “Lifestyle of Rebellion”, with its Simpsons “me fans are a bunch of stupid pigs” quote and you’ve got the start of an awesome mixtape.

Hatebreed – “Before Dishonor
Love Me Destroyer – “Add Vice