Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta on His Perpetual State of Motion
Throughout his career, Hatebreed vocalist Jamey Jasta has been the Superman of the scene, doing almost too much! In addition to singing for Hatebreed, one of the first of the so-called New Wave of American metal bands to achieve impressive, head-turning sales numbers and tour statistics, Jasta could always be found running his Stillborn label, signing bands, managing his Hatewear clothing line, forming side projects, touring and hosting the resurrected 'Headbanger's Ball.' But despite his ultra-packed schedule, the singer always comes back to Hatebreed, every time.
"It's my number one priority and my lifesblood and I am still channeled to do it," Jasta told Noisecreep while taking a break from recording the band's next studio album. "I can't answer why. I just have to do it. It's just like when I have to get up in the morning and do what I have to do that day. That's how Hatebreed is; it's my everyday thing."
Jasta has kept himself creatively stimulated by attacking side projects such as the thoroughly HxCx Icepick with Lord Ezec of Crown of Thornz and Skarhead fame, as well as the unexpected, sludgy Kingdom of Sorrow project with Crowbar's Kirk Windstein, which found the singer traversing territory he hadn't in previous outlets. "The break that I have taken weren't breaks, really," Jasta theorizes. "I fit them into my life and into Hatebreed's schedule, like Icepick. It took years to get that record out and it was done quickly and that was only a studio project! I did some sloppy shows with Icepick while drunk that were fun, and they were terrible and great at the same time! Kingdom was more serious, but the music was recorded so long ago. When it came out last year on Relapse, I was already back in Hatebreed mode." So Hatebreed fans, never fear. When Jasta is experiment with different things, he'll always be making his way back to his first love: the 'Breed.