New Hatebreed Album is "Pretty Much Done," According to Frank Novinec
Hatebreed fans won't have to wait much longer for the follow-up to 2020's Weight of the False Self. In a new interview with Hardlore, guitarist Frank Novinec confirmed that the band's next studio effort is scheduled for release in 2026 and is effectively finished.
"It's coming out this year, yeah," Novinec said. "Most of it's pretty much—I mean, it's done."
A "Thrashier" and "More Metal" Direction
Drummer Matt Byrne recently teased that the new material leans heavily into the band's metallic influences. Describing the sound as "fast" and "Slayer-esque," Byrne noted that while the hardcore punk vibe remains, this record is significantly more metal-focused.
"I think the new stuff is way more metal, thrashy, fast... it’s definitely the heaviest stuff that we’ve written to date," Byrne told The Kevin Powell Podcast. "It’s a new era of the band."
Weathering "Curve Balls"
The road to the new album has seen the band overcome several major challenges. Guitarist Wayne Lozinak recently returned to the stage after undergoing a craniotomy in August 2025 to remove a benign brain tumor. Additionally, the band has navigated the departure of founding bassist Chris Beattie, with Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall) and Carl Schwartz (Terror) stepping in to help during recent tours.
Despite these changes, the songwriting core remained largely consistent, with vocalist Jamey Jasta and Beattie having handled the bulk of the music before Beattie's exit. Jasta revealed he utilized a "vision board" of 24 topics to narrow down the lyrical themes for the new record.
Release Strategy
Hatebreed kicked off the rollout for the new era last July with the single "Make The Demons Obey," which was their first new music in nearly five years. According to Novinec, the band plans to "leak" another single soon, followed by proper music videos.
While the band entered the recording process as free agents, Jasta noted that interest from labels has been overwhelming. In the interim, the band has been self-funding the project to maintain creative control.
"We’re coming out on top, we’re grinding through," Byrne added. "We’re just stepping up the show 100% and just forging onward."