HATEBREED's JAMEY JASTA Says Fans Won't Have To Wait Long For Follow-Up To Upcoming 'Fatal Paradox' Album

In a new interview with Nik Nocturnal, studio album, HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta spoke about the title of the band's upcoming studio album, "Fatal Paradox", which will arrive on November 6 via BLKIIBLK, the heavy metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're not just biological accidents having this experience that's meaningless. We need rites of passage, we need all sorts of experiences, bad and good. But we're seeing that there are these paradoxes that it could be fatal in a metaphoric way, because whether they assassinate you actually or your character or your business or whatever, it is usually because you oppose someone's actions or their words or whatever it is. But that's also kind of what brings meaning and makes it worth living or worth fighting for, if you have an actual stake."

Jamey continued: "You brought up video games earlier, and I see life as like a video game. I kind of see it as, like, yeah, you're the main character. You gotta navigate all these things. Just because it's a smaller weapon or a less powerful weapon doesn't mean you don't go grab it and keep it in the arsenal. And the weapon, I guess, the metaphor would be for knowledge or for whatever — experiences that make you stronger."

Regarding the musical and lyrical direction of "Fatal Paradox", Jasta said: "It's kind of half and half. It's kind of akin to [HATEBREED's 2002 album] 'Perseverance' where, again, we know we have to [put out a] follow-up [album] quick.

"As we put out more of the story, if Wayne's [Lozinak, HATEBREED guitarist] comfortable talking about the brain tumor and the surgery, if Carl's [Schwartz, HATEBREED's touring bassist] comfortable talking about his ex-wife and her death and kind of why [his former band] FIRST BLOOD had ceased to be, and then how we reconnected and got him in the band, I think that should all go in the film, go in the documentary, and then also highlight those stories and that stuff on the next album. 'Cause I think this is gonna be like 'Perseverance', 'The Rise To Brutality' [HATEBREED's 2003 album] — [where we release a] follow-up within a year. Because we're riding the momentum of, obviously, the SLAYER shows, and then we're gonna have these stadium shows next year with a different band. And then 'Summer Slaughter' coming back with a force, especially this last second leg, and then the 30th anniversary of [HATEBREED's debut album, 1997's] 'Satisfaction [Is The Death Of Desire]' next year."

On the topic of how HATEBREED might celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire", Jasta said: "We thought about that. How do you go into that anniversary? You gotta kind of revisit it. We're not stuck in the nostalgia. It could even just be — whatever — 10 shows or five shows or one show. Like, one home state show, but you gotta acknowledge the anniversary. 30 years since the first record. And I think also, because these guys, the current lineup, these guys are out there, they're keeping those songs alive, and had been keeping those songs alive, like Matt [Byrne, HATEBREED drummer] and Wayne and Frank [Novinec, HATEBREED rhythm guitarist] had been keeping that part of the catalog alive through the touring for so many decades, they should also, I feel, at least do some sort of version of those songs, whether it's live or on recording. We're still figuring that out, so we're open to that."

Jasta added: "That all sort of played into [the making of 'Fatal Paradox'] because it's, like you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't. And you just gotta make the jump... Again, life is messy, decisions are messy. But if someone enjoys it, if they get that feeling that we got during any of these other writings of any of these other songs, which I felt — I really did — throughout the record, I was, like, 'Damn, this record is crushing.' It felt like we don't need to just rest on the laurels, we don't need to just rest on the catalog. And then you see the comments: 'When's the new record? When's the new record?' Wen we just did these shows, people are yelling, 'Play 'Make The Demons Obey'.' 'Play 'Kill Count Increase'.' People were yelling the other night at the show in Connecticut, 'Play [the] 'Fatal Paradox' [title track].' We're not even playing it yet, but it's out, the song is out.

"But yeah, the record's coming out November 6th. We're really super proud of it," Jamey said. "Matt is on fire. Everybody did a great job. Carl helped behind the scenes, too, as well, which was great, which kind of reminds me of the KILLSWITCH [ENGAGE] dynamic, 'cause Mike D. [KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio] is helping with graphic design [in that band] and stuff, and he's a bass player. So that was really cool. Carl's helping us with the admats, and the reception that Carl's getting is just unbelievable… I mean, the kids are racing to the barricade to give him high fives and take pictures with him and stuff. And he's got the long legs. And they're so happy, 'cause they know what he's been through and his story."

Jasta concluded: "I always say, one door closes, another opens. So you gotta be worried about the here and the now, and that's always been a part of our message."

"Fatal Paradox" was helmed by longtime HATEBREED collaborator Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, ACCEPT, SHADOWS FALL).

This past summer, HATEBREED headlined the second 2026 leg of "The Summer Slaughter Tour". Support on the trek, which launched on August 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, came from TERROR, INCANTATION, GATES TO HELL, TORTURE and CREEPING DEATH.

The first leg of the 2026 edition of "The Summer Slaughter Tour" launched on July 2 in Reading, Pennsylvania and wrapped on July 24 in Buffalo, New York. Support on that leg of the trek came from DEVOURMENT, INCANTATION (for last five dates only),SNUFFED ON SIGHT, BALMORA and FACE YOURSELF.

Described by Forbes as "more relevant than ever in the metal and hardcore community," HATEBREED remains one of the most definitive live acts in music today and recently celebrated a milestone with their track "Looking Down The Barrel Of Today", which is nearing 130 million global streams, making it the quintet's single biggest career streaming track of the modern era. To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America alone.

HATEBREED's most recent album, 2020's "Weight Of The False Self", was praised as a "return to their hardcore roots" by Brooklyn Vegan. The album was deemed "one of their most aggressive to date" by Consequence and "pummeling" by Revolver, while Psychology Today called it "a blazing combination of extreme metal and hardcore punk."

HATEBREED 2026 is:

Jamey Jasta - Vocals
Wayne Lozinak - Guitar
Frank Novinec - Guitar
Matt Byrne - Drums
Carl Schwartz - Bass