We got the pleasure of interviewing Grammy-nominated hardcore legends Hatebreed during Wacken Open Air about the festival and more. 

Benedetta

I’m here with two legendary artists from Hatebreed. How are you doing guys?

Hatebreed

Tired, I just woke up, and it’s hot. This summer’s been very hot. But today’s not bad, not yet. We’ll see.

Benedetta

So, since Wacken is celebrating its 35th year of the festival, how does it feel to play in such an edition of the festival?

Hatebreed

I love it. I mean, it’s always great bands. We’ve been here a few times, and every time it’s always great. A lot of heavy bands on a big scale, not more commercial type, I guess, or smaller ones where they’re extreme. It’s like a good mix of real heavy bands, and I love it. Yeah, I feel like this and Graspop and Hellfest, those are, to me, the ones over here for a band like us, you know. Fortunately, sometimes the stars align and you get to see some of the bands and not just play your show. I saw there were some bands I wanted to see today. Saxon, Judas Priest, Black Label Society. Hopefully we’ll find time to do that today.

Benedetta

Since you have a lot of experience in live shows, but you also are experienced in music production and recording, do you think that the life of an artist is a lonely life?

Hatebreed

Oh yeah, 100%. I mean, life on the road is one of the loneliest things there is. And a lot of people can’t comprehend that because they think, “How can that be when you’re out with a bunch of other people, your friends, your bandmates?“. it’s mentally taxing to be away from home and your normal things that you have over there, like your loved ones, your pets. So it’s definitely a lonely place. In society overall, we are a weird group of people, you know, and it’s hard for us to exist amongst normal people sometimes because this lifestyle, especially when you’ve been doing it as long as Hatebreed, over 30 years now, you know, it puts you into a different mind frame.

Benedetta

Do you think that we will ever reach some sort of equality between men and women in the metal world?

Hatebreed

I mean, I hope so. It seems like it’s definitely a lot better now than it used to be. There’s a lot of females in a lot of bands, not just like the singer; all instruments and everything. I think it’s definitely getting a lot better and way more accepted than it used to be, that’s for sure. You’re seeing, especially in the underground music scene, there’s a lot of female fronts in bands, in the younger hardcore scene. I mean, Arch Enemy is one of my favourite bands too, so…

Benedetta

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview today. Is there anything else that you want to add to our viewers and readers?

Hatebreed

Yeah, we have a new record coming out in November. “Fatal Paradox” on BLKIIBLK Records. We’re excited. It’s been a long time since we’ve had new music out. Check out our new video for “Kill Count Increase”.