Hatebreed’s Frank Novinec on Fatal Paradox and How the Band Picks Songs Live
With Hatebreed’s new album Fatal Paradox out November 6, 2026, guitarist Frank “Florida Frank” Novinec sits down with Southern Cal for an in-person Metal Mayhem ROC interview. The conversation moves from how the band made the record to what happens when the new songs make it into the live show.
That’s where Novinec lets slip something even longtime fans might have missed. Hatebreed plays without a fixed setlist. So how does a band with that much material decide what to play next?
Making Fatal Paradox Across Two Continents
Cal asks whether everyone recorded in the same studio. With band members spread across the U.S. and bassist Carl Schwartz in Sweden, Novinec takes him inside a process that’s changed considerably since he joined during the Supremacy era. He also explains what it’s like to have Schwartz in the lineup after the two played together in Terror.
Obituary’s John Tardy and “Sacrifice Season”
Obituary vocalist John Tardy appears on “Sacrifice Season,” and Cal asks what it was like working with him. Novinec talks about Obituary’s influence on Hatebreed and raises the possibility of getting Tardy onstage to do the song live. There’s also a Tampa Bay Rays connection that comes up when Cal asks whether the two actually crossed paths during recording.
Subscribe to Metal Mayhem ROC on YouTube
Subscribe for long-form hard rock and heavy metal interviews with the people who make the music. Metal Mayhem ROC on YouTube
Watch the Full Interview
Watch Southern Cal’s full conversation with Frank Novinec below, including how Hatebreed decides what to play after the opening song.
GET SPECIAL MMROC SHOW UPDATES!
Become a part of a community of fellow metal heads who get updated on special episodes, interviews and and exclusive metal news.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
