Chris Beattie, the founding bassist of HATEBREED, has officially announced his exit from the band, marking a significant turn in the band's history. The 49-year-old musician, who has ventured into a successful real estate career, made this revelation just days after HATEBREED unveiled that Matt Bachand of SHADOWS FALL would be taking over the bass duties for the iconic Connecticut-based hardcore/metal outfit "for the foreseeable future."
Earlier today, Beattie posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram, stating, "I wish to take a moment to assure everyone that I am well and deeply appreciate the outpouring of support I have received. I had anticipated a joint announcement beforehand, but since that didn't materialize, I felt compelled to address your concerns personally."
"Regarding my departure from HATEBREED on November 13, 2024, I am constrained from sharing the intricate details at this juncture. However, it is imperative to clarify that leaving the band was never my choice. My exit was unwarranted and rooted in misleading and unjustifiable assertions that will undoubtedly be addressed in future endeavors," he continued.
Last fall, HATEBREED commemorated its 30th anniversary with a thrilling North American tour that spanned from September 26, 2024, in Portland, Maine, to October 27, 2024, in Norfolk, Virginia. Accompanied by support acts such as CARCASS, HARMS WAY, and CRYPTA, the tour was a testament to the band's enduring legacy, characterized by its dozens of pit-igniting anthems spread across eight albums.
Over the decades, HATEBREED has transitioned from intimate basement and backyard gigs to becoming a must-see attraction at prestigious festivals like Graspop Metal Meeting, Ozzfest, Warped, and Download, alongside high-profile tours. Recently hailed by Forbes as "more relevant than ever in the metal and hardcore community," HATEBREED stands as one of music's most definitive live acts today. The band recently celebrated a milestone with their track "Looking Down The Barrel Of Today," which surpassed 75 million global streams on Spotify alone and amassed over 600,000 global equivalents across all digital platforms, cementing it as their most streamed song in the modern era. To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America.
