Hatebreed´s unrepentant heaviness puts other Ozzfest alumni to shame. The Connecticut-bred quintet combine elements of old-school hardcore with death-metal intensity for a metal-core sound that, with melodic guitar moments and double-kick drums, finds them equally suited for tours with Entombed and Danzig. On Perseverance, Hatebreed´s major-label debut, the underground favorites have not sacrificed any musical or lyrical principles--or any aggression--turning in 16 tracks of unrelenting force, with most tunes clocking in at under three minutes. In "You´re Never Alone," vocalist Jamey Jasta cuts to the chase in engaging his audience. "This is for the kids who have nowhere to turn, who have nothing to live for," he barks, encouraging fans to use "hatred to do the right thing." Especially anthemic is the shout-along "I Will Be Heard," while the speedy punk-mosh mania of "We Still Fight" is enough to raise blood pressures.