Hatebreed

No disrespect to the so-called rapcore acts being tagged as the next generation of metal, but taking over where the monsters of rock left off requires more than a few catchy riffs, a gimmick and a hot buzz clip. Lo, a new breed of metal has arisen, one that harks back to the days when all that mattered was that the music be angry and loud. Leading the charge is Connecticut's Hatebreed. Inspired by the likes of Slayer and Sepultura, Hatebreed draws on the fundamentals of metal -- distorted guitars and growling vocals -- and combines them with the energy and emotion of hardcore punk. Perseverance, Hatebreed's much-anticipated new album, is aptly named; it's been five years since the band's last studio effort.