The guitarist for the pioneering hardcore outfit details the evolution of the band, his biggest influences, and previews the upcoming tour with Megadeth and Lamb of God.
The Talk Toomey Podcast recently welcomed Hatebreed guitarist Wayne Lozinak for conversation that dove into the evolution of one of hardcore and metal’s most enduring collectives. Still riding high on the strength of the late 2020 release of the band’s eighth full length studio album in Weight of The False Self and preparing to embark on a national run supporting Megadeth and Lamb of God, there was a plethora of talking points to tackle.
To better understand Lozinak as a musician, the guitarist explained his foundation by referencing three bands. He explained that the spectacle of KISS was what got him into music, while Metallica and Judas Priest were who introduced him to metal – ultimately forging his profession path.
Lozinak Also discussed is earliest days in Hatebreed, confiding his uncertainty in just how long the band would last and even sharing that for some sense of stability, he opted out to keep working a retail gig at JCPenny. Though never wondering too far from the band or the music, Lozinak shared that he started working as a tech for bassist Chris Beattie to maintain some degree of involvement. Eventually, the opportunity to arose for Lozinak to help on theee For the Lions project, prompting the guitarist to seize the chance to get back into the mix officially.
Lozinak would speak candidly about rejoining the Hatebreed ranks and how he would be received by fans, replacing former guitarist Sean Martin. He even admitted his being nervous when Twitching Tongues toured with Hatebreed, given Martin’s long run with the band during some of their most formative years.
The veteran guitarist would go onto to highlight the current state of Hatebreed and divulged some of the creative aspects of the long-tenured OGs of hardcore. He credited Jamey Jasta and Chris Beattie for handling the bulk of the songwriting workload and praised longtime producer/collaborator Zeuss for truly understanding the band’s vision and sound.
He expanded on that talking point, detailing what it is like to play opposite of rhythm guitarist Frank Novinec and included how the band’s sound has steadily evolved – even going so far as to add guitar solos as part of their audio attack.
In reflecting on the band’s continued run and their impressive balance of longevity and relevance, Lozinak talked about the substance that Hatebreed communicates in their lyrics. Advocating empowerment and self-affirmation through heavy music, Lozinak explained that the band’s message has always been something that resonates with fans. In fact, the loyalty the fans show as a result is evident with the myriad of band tattoos that the guys often see when out on the road playing shows.
Closing out the discussion, the guitarist shared his excitement about getting back to the business of playing live. He expressed is enthusiasm about sharing the stage with indomitable figures in the genre like Megadeth and Lamb of God and seemed particular eager about making a live return with such a stellar line-up.
Stream the complete conversation with host Josh Toomey and special guest Wayne Lozinak of Hatebreed below.
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