Connecticut is known for a lot of things. It’s known for the manufacture of submarines, Yale University, UCONN basketball, amongst others. Fans of true hard metal music know that Connecticut is the birthplace of the one and only Hatebreed! Their Connecticut shows are known for being both spirited and well-attended and this night didn’t deviate from the norm.
Opening the night was an amazing act out of Portland Oregon called Dying Wish. Fronted by vocalist Emma Boster, they showed why they were nominated for the Best Band award at the UK’s Heavy Metal Music Awards. Dying Wish was formed in 2018. Boster, with drummer Jeff Yambra, guitarist Pedro Carrillo, guitarist/songwriter Sam Reynolds, and bassist Andrew Le have taken the metal world by storm. The band focuses on deep personal lyrics that touch many of their listeners. Complimenting their introspective lyrics is a blistering musical onslaught behind Boster. Dying Wish is going to be an important name in metal circles for a long time to come.
The house was about 90% full once Bodysnatcher hit the stage. All who were there were hit in the face with Bodysnatcher’s chaotic deathcore wall of sound. (apologies to Phil Spector) The Melbourne Florida-based band are on the road promoting their 2022 release, “Bleed-Abide” which is well worth a listen to the un-initiated. It’s a steamrolling collection of songs that Dying Wish does, delivering an introspective look at their lives and the ills of society. Their live show is every bit as hard-hitting as their latest release and one not to be missed!
Gatecreeper hit the stage next and kept the momentum going. This Arizona-based death metal band rose up from Phoenix, Arizona in 2013. Some say they spearheaded the revival of death metal and they are true to the genre. The band had an ominous feel because of the copious amounts of green lighting and stage fog. Like a dry sponge in a puddle, the crowd sucked up every bit of their bone-crunching set. The guttural vocals and chugging instrumental backing brought the mostly older crowd joyously back to their metal-inundated youths.
The mighty Hatebreed took the stage at Hartford’s Webster Theater. They roared into their set to a thunderous welcome from the crowd. Connecticut’s premier metal band was home! The band has taken to the road to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their second full-length release, “Perseverance”. You couldn’t get another person in the venue with a crowbar because Connecticut loves its own!
A large pit formed and crowd surfers took to the air as the electricity in the air grew. You could tell that frontman Jamey Jasta was really feeding off the crowd’s energy. His voice boomed and growled like a dominant lion on the Serengeti plains. Guitarists Frank Novinec and Wayne Lozinak blew out eardrums with their seething riffs. Bassist Chris Beattie stood stoically as he held down the low end. Drummer Matt Byrn delivered precision beats while holding the whole thing together. Because the band plays off each other so well and with such wild abandon, their set was a metal lover’s dream!
Hatebreed plays with the intensity of a young up-and-coming band even though they’ve been around since 1994. They show no signs of going through the motions and merely “putting on a good show.” They give their performances everything they’ve got and leave their fans exhausted but still wanting more. There are still some shows left with this amazing lineup. The shows span from the Midwest to the West Coast so check here for dates and locations. They won’t be on their home turf but you can be damned sure that Hatebreed will give their all and you won’t be disappointed!
