ALBUM REVIEW: Jasta - ...And Jasta For All

*...And Jasta For All will be released May 17th through Perseverance Media Group*

Jamey Jasta has been the front man and vocal commander of hardcore/metalcore act Hatebreed for thirty years. Not only being known for Hatebreed, Jasta would also have other musical projects when on break from the band. His band Icepick with Danny Diablo, and his sludge/metalcore project Kingdom of Sorrow with Crowbar front man Kirk Windstein, He also launched his debut solo album Jasta in 2011, featuring guest spots from Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Zakk Wylde, and Phil Labonte of All That Remains. Following that up with The Lost Chapters in 2017 & The Lost Chapters, Vol 2 in 2019. He would also begin creating a media brand empire of his own. His launched his popular podcast The Jasta Show, his own record label Stillborn Records, clothing line Hatewear, and was the host of the rebooted Headbangers Ball from 2003 to 2007. He has been a very busy man. With his new album ...And Jasta For All, Jasta has returned with another guest spot heavy record. But not is all what it seems, with the focus not entirely on the hardcore & metalcore genre he is famous for. But other nostalgia genres that influenced the album. Was the album worth the wait? Are the fans gonna be stoked for a pounding, fist pumping, aggressive new direction with ...And Jasta For All?

Photo Credit: Roy Rochlin / Getty Images

The album opens with "They See Us as Prey" which features Nick Petrino. Opening with a haunting ...And Justice For All sounding opening guitar piece with building drums by Nick Bellmore. Charlie Bellmore's guitars ring with dual harmonies as the drummer does short drum rolls into fills, wailing all over the kit. Then we are off to the races with a thrash heavy opening riff in the vein of a classic 80's thrash sound. Jasta delivers his mix of hardcore vocals, mixed with clean, low singing in an almost baritone delivery. The snare hits, instantly makes me bang my head along as Bellmore & Petrino's guitars wail going into the chorus. Petrino's guitar solo is short, but packs a punch while the gurgling bass of Chris Beaudett leads into the short musical break and audio sample. Transitioning into another guitar solo which goes for the gusto near the closing of the track. "Armor Your Mind" opens with another aggressive and unrelenting opening riff with drum strikes. It instantly channels early crossover thrash with the gang vocals and the pounding drums by Bellmore. Jasta is so fierce in his delivery and commanding presence. I love the drum strikes throughout the track as the riff is just aggressive tremolo heaviness in the delivery. I can picture Jasta leading the crowd as they bounce and fist-pump to the drumming and groove of the riff during the chorus, while the pit goes insane at the closing moments. On "Create The Now". that features Chuck Billy of Testament. begins with a very Testament-style riff/drum combo. A chugging riff throughout the verse as Jasta belts his guttural delivery, as Billy nails the chorus with his gritty bellowing voice. The vocal mix of both singers is really done well. Drums are pounding in the production, especially on the drum fills as we head into the bridge. I love the chuggy breakdown at the close of the track with Jasta belting out the song's title.

"R.M.P.C." follows that track and features Scott Ian of Anthrax. With a heavy, chugging palm-muted opening riff, you really hear the depth of the song with Beaudett's bass adding weight to the heaviness of the riff. Jasta is singing more on the track, though has tinges of his notable hardcore vocal delivery. I love the gang vocals on the chorus. The band is good at mixing and creating a heavy mutation of metalcore, hardcore, crossover thrash and groove metal on this album and this track has all those elements on it. With "Suicidality", we open with a very punk/thrash opening of a drum roll and ringing bass, before the riff instantly channels early hardcore and thrash classics like D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies. I love the punk/hardcore energy of the track, its driving, pit-inducing and an instant headbobber. The guitar solo by guest Phil Demmel instantly fits the wailing intensity and speed of the song I can picture the pit going crazy for this song, especially during the chorus. The breakdown/bridge section is heavy and brutal in the simplicity of the riff and the driving drums beneath it.

Next is "Assimilation Agenda", opening with Steve "Zetro" Souza's shrieking scream before the song hits the verses section. Souza & Jasta's vocal collaboration on the track works so good. You get the gritty, angry voice of Jasta with the over the top and bombastic thrash vocals of Souza. Complimenting each other and adding dimension and contrast to the track. I like the hardcore/metalcore mix at the halfway mark as both vocalists snarl, scream and growl as the riff picks up. Going into a pretty damn impressive and fast solo by Joey Concepcion. The double bass at the three quarters mark, in the chorus, adds more power and punch in the vocals before it heads to one final breakdown section and vocal callouts from both vocalists. My favorite track off the album.

"Ring of Truth" continues the onslaught of heart-pounding guitars and matching drums. Beaudett's bass ringing during the riff adds the oomf to the power in the drumming of Bellmore. The song is good in the sense of matching the overall theme of the album. Channeling the forefathers of early crossover and hardcore but amped up to eleven and including modern production. Bellmore's drumming is a knockout punch in the mix, pummeling in a good pair of headphones as the song leads into a guitar wailing heavy bridge. I LOVE the closing, chugging, gang vocal heavy breakdown. We have a slower build with the opening of "Terminal Lucidity", a more midtempo feeling compared to what's been heard so far in it's opening. Drums and bass have the most punch in the mix, with Jasta shouting his heart out. Interspersed with tremolo guitars and kick drums throughout the chorus. "No Dream is Free" has a VERY fast guitar solo opening the song. Drums are again non-stop snare strikes and double bass. The vocals are mixes of growls and singing, which kind of reminds me of Brian Fair of Shadows Fall, especially on the chorus. I was banging my head along the whole track, with its unmatched speed, gang vocals and driving drums. I love the frantic guitar solos throughout the song, with fretboard hopping versatility and precision. Album closer "The Phoenix Way" opens with gritty, grimey guitar that has a bluesy, doom-metal tinge. The bass and kick drum hits add that darkness and feeling of dread in-between the guitar. Very evil and ominous in its slower pacing, before hopping right back into its modern thrash sound as the band delivers one more closing 1-2 punch. Vocals are again a beautiful metalcore hybrid of Brain Fair and Matt Heafy of Trivium in his cleans. A strong closing track, closing out this thrash-heavy record.

Jasta's ...And Jasta For All delivered a solid record of classic thrash and crossover, while also incorporating hardcore and metalcore. It had a little bit of everything for everyone in the record. The guest appearances were done well, especially with Souza's track being the standout track for me on the album. I think this has been a step up from his previous album, and the direction to go heavier and faster. This album helps distinguish his solo work as not a variant of Hatebreed, but something different and showing he can do other genres, and do it well. Jasta delivered a strong record, now we just got to wait for Jasta Them All or St. Jasta for his next release.

SCORE: 8.5 / 10