HATEBREED Add Second Guitarist

HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta has posted the following message on the band;'s official web site:

"We've decided to become a five-piece again. Mainly because of the new album having a lot of parts that involve second guitar, but also because me and [bassist Chris] Beattie started this band as a five-piece and feel like it's an integral part of our sound and vision. We'd like to welcome Cleveland native, hardcore legend and all-around great guy Frank '3 Gun' Novinec to the band. Some of you may know him from his past bands RINGWORM and INTEGRITY, and more recently, TERROR. He's one of my oldest best friends, so he fits in perfect! We'll be making another big announcement in a day or two so stay tuned! We are in the studio now making the best album of our career. Be ready to hear the most charged, in-your-face, crushing HATEBREED album ever. It's pure adrenaline."

Drummer Matt Byrne added: "I'm psyched to be playing with this guy. I've known him for several years, playing in bands and being at shows, etc. He brings another dynamic to the fold that can only make us a tighter, heavier and stronger element in the metal/hardcore scene. All that... plus, now I have a new drinking partner."

Bassist Chris Beattie commted: "Frank has always played in bands that have inspired me throughout the years and the decision to ask Frank to play with us was a no-brainer! I look forward to sharing the stage with this maniac! Now we'll be able to play our songs with two guitarists the way they were written! I hope the world is ready for it!"

Guitarist Sean Martin offered the following: "Frank '3 Gun' Novinec has been an influential guitar player in the hardcore scene since the release of 'The Promise' by RINGWORM in 1993. His guitar playing/writing with RINGWORM, as well as everything he did with INTEGRITY, helped to define the Cleveland sound. That sound had a direct impact on me as a guitar player, and as a fan, it got me through a lot of hard times and helped to define my playing today. I was lucky enough to meet 3 Gun while we were on tour with MOTÖRHEAD, and playing a show in Cleveland. Since then, he's become one of my best friends, and it will be an honor to be sharing the stage with him."

As previously reported, HATEBREED's video for the song "To the Threshold" has been posted online at this location. The clip was shot on February 25 and "tells a story of young kid who uses our music to escape the abuse of a man his mother is seeing," says Jasta. "We shot our performance stuff at a really cool place called Fastlane Studios in Brooklyn [New York] and the majority of shots for the narrative part of the video were shot at Igor from GRAVESEND's apartment. He is the man for letting us take over his crib!"

"To the Threshold" will be appearing on the upcoming third installment of the "MTV Headbanger's Ball" compilations, entitled "MTV Headbanger's Ball - The Revenge", due on April 11 via Roadrunner Records. More information on this collection is available at this location.

Another relatively new HATEBREED track, entitled "Bound to Violence", has been posted online at www.myspace.com/hatebreed. The song will be included on the band's upcoming follow-up to 2003's "The Rise of Brutality", tentatively due later in the year via Stillborn Records. Other tracks set to appear on the CD include "Spitting Venom" and "Defeatist". A DVD is also in the works.

"Bound to Violence" was previously included on the soundtrack to the movie "Punisher", which came out in March 2004 through Wind-Up Records.

HATEBREED will be embarking on a tour of Australia with headliners KORN beginning in late April. Also appearing on the bill will be DISTURBED and 10 YEARS.