Hatebreed's sixth long-player, the 12-track Divinity of Purpose, is meatier and more hardcore-centric than their last offering, holding true to the band's penchant for crafting punk-infused, motivational slabs of workout metal (the audio equivalent of barbells) that bridge the gap between "Institutionalized"-era Suicidal Tendencies, Pantera, and Converge. Frontman Jamey Jasta's intense delivery remains unchanged, while musically Hatebreed stick with their old blueprints, but there's an impressive sense of workmanship here that suggests a steady diet of more traditional metal. Longtime fans will see their tenacity rewarded by new Hatebreed standards like "Honor Never Dies," "Bitter Truth," "Own Your World," and the blistering title cut, which pretty much put most of the current crop of unnecessarily mercurial hardcore acts to shame. ~ James Christopher Monger|

Rovi