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Pro-Pain

Absolute Power

Written by: PP on 20/05/2010 03:51:14

Twelve studio albums in mere eighteen years is an impressive feat for any band, but even more so for a less known act like Pro-Pain, who have been harvesting the respect of the underground since 1992. Keeping that in mind, "Absolute Power" probably won't change a thing in their popularity, which is a shame because there's some fine hardcore-fueled metal on offer here.

Two aspects in particular jump at the listener while listening to the album. One is the riff-driven instrumental landscape that combines together hardcore chugging and metallic leads to provide a perfect halfway point between the two genres. A modern, clear production gives the guitars a crisp sound, drawing similarities to the studio work behind the latest Fear Factory or Solution .45 albums, which makes the album as pleasing to the ears as it is. Otherwise, there are references to bands like Agnostic Front, Pantera, Crowbar, and why not also Ektomorf and Biohazard, just to give you a few name drops.

The second is the infectious choruses, despite the hardcore-oriented barking style of the vocalist. Many tracks like "Destroy The Enemy" or "Hell On Earth" simply stick to mind with no effort, often classifying within the category 'raw hardcore anthems'. Gone Rogue (I Apologize)", on the other hand, is a catchy modern metal song with a big clean shout-a-long as a chorus. It's all very simple and straight-forward, but it doesn't matter because the songs are this memorable.

Where many bands sound monotonous, Pro-Pain offer lots of variety and instantly memorable tracks by the boatload, produced to near-perfection to place the band right alongside other 'modern metal' heavyweights despite the music being hardcore in its heart. There isn't a bad track on the record, so if any of the bands mentioned in this review strike a chord with you, you'd be a fool for not at least checking it out.

Download: Gone Rogue (I Apologize), Destroy The Enemy, Hell On Earth
For the fans of: Agnostic Front, Solution .45, Cold, Pantera
Listen: Myspace

Release date 05.05.2010
AFM Records