Hate by Design

Album: Incarnate (2016)
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Songfacts®:

  • This angry rocker was the second single (following "Strength of the Mind") from Killswitch Engage's seventh album, Incarnate. In our interview with the band's guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, he said the song is about how "society has become led by a lot of bigotry and stupidity, and a lot just bad-minded people."
  • Lead singer Jesse Leach expanded on the song's meaning to TeamRock, saying: "'It's tearing us apart' was the tagline of this song for me. It's one of the hooks I made sure was in there and if you listen during the chorus, you'll hear it."

    "The song is about all of us," Leach continued. "If you pay attention to what's going on in the world, you're going to get overwhelmed. I'm affected by it. I allowed myself to be affected by it by paying attention and watching the news, and the terrible stuff they put on. This song was my reaction to that."
  • Asked by Kerrang what was the best part of writing the track, Jesse Leach replied: "It was when I was able to listen to the finished song. I heard it in my head a certain way, and was thrilled that I was able to reproduce that sound on record. To me it's an anthem for where we are now in society."

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