For the Lions is a cover album

Cover version

In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 by American metalcore

Metalcore

Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...

 band Hatebreed

Hatebreed

- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...

. The album was released on May 5, 2009 through Koch Records

Koch Records

E1 Music , the primary subsidiary of E1 Entertainment LP, is the largest independent record label in the United States. It is also distributed by the Universal Music Group in Europe under the name E1 Universal...

. The album consists of 18 cover songs from bands that had an influence on Hatebreed's music. The album was originally set to be released in winter 2008, but the band wanted to record a few more tracks for the record, and so the release date was pushed back.

Singles

Starting on March 31, Hatebreed released a new single from For the Lions for purchase on iTunes

ITunes

iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

 every Tuesday until the album was released. The first single released was the cover of Black Flag

Black Flag (band)

Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...

's "Thirsty and Miserable". This single was followed by Suicidal Tendencies

Suicidal Tendencies

Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...

' "Suicidal Maniac", Sick of It All

Sick of It All

Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...

's "Shut Me Out", Slayer

Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

's "Ghosts of War", and finally Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

's "Escape". Hatebreed also filmed a music video for their cover of "Ghosts of War". A video for Thirsty and Miserable was also filmed.

Track listing

Best Buy Exclusive Tracks

Critical reception

Initial reviews have been positive. Music review blog Gears of Rock said the band "diligently delivers all classic tracks with their signature blistering ferocity."

Charts

Chart	Peak Position
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)	88

Personnel

• Jamey Jasta
  Jamey Jasta
  Jamey Jasta is an American musician from New Haven, Connecticut, best known as the lead vocalist of the hardcore band Hatebreed and sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow...
  
  – vocals
• Frank Novinec – guitar
• Chris Beattie – bass guitar
• Wayne Lozinak – guitar
• Matt Byrne – drums
• Produced, engineered and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris