Pro-Pain - Absolute Power
Pro-Pain have been one of the forerunners in hardcore groove thrash. They began their journey in 1992 and since them have continued to create aggressive output after output with little change in direction or style. While their stubborness has earned them a loyal fanbase and a respectable musical structure that many such as Five Finger Death Punch have seemed to follow, thirteen albums down the road seems to get old. Perhaps it is the rate that these guys have been cranking out their music. In the past they took 2-3 years between album releases to give them time to mature and grow. Now it just feels like they are rushing album after album with the same material. Their latest album, Absolute Power, is no different.
The album begins with "Unrestrained." Musically, this is a fun number with the crunching rhythms and aggressive vocal assault. However, it is the same style of music that Pro-Pain tried to do on their last abum. There may be a few variations but ultimately it is recycled material with just a bit more groove added for a modern metal sound. "Destroy The Enemy" has some great guitar, but is sadly ruined by the vocals when they try to 'sing.' There isn't any other word to describe it except BAD. It just sounds like he's screaming at the same time with just a little more tone to it. Thankfully, the music is so loud and pounding it blots that out.
"Stand My Ground" is the hardest track on the album for the pace of the drums and the unrelenting chugging of the guitar. Obviously there's a lot of hardcore influence on this track mixed with the thrash. The singing is still there but it sounds a little better because it doesn't sound so gravelly. "AWOL" is an anthem track with plenty of groove and enjoyable lyrics; possibly the catchiest song the album. "Gone Rogue" features a different guitar style for once. Instead of the usual hardcore chug, one of the guitars makes a seamless flow of solo work during the chorus and parts of the verses. This may sound strange for Pro-Pain's style, but it is oddly pleasing in the sense that is so melodic and provides a sound for once isn't like Pro-Pain's last three albums. It actually sounds like genuine heavy metal again.
Sadly, "Rise Of The Antichrist" ruins that notion by falling back to the hardcore chugging and breakneck speeds of the drums. The solos however are nice and lengthy, so that makes up for it. "Hate Coalition" is one more reminder that Pro-Pain will continue to do what they do best for its aggressive assaults on the earhole over and over with quick chords and the drum pedal sounding like it is going on overdrive. The vocals, as vicious as they sound, for some reason sound empty and tired, like the person's still screaming, but there's nothing really left to say and it is just nonsense. Perhaps that's the idea that many fans have gotten throughout the last few albums. Absolute Power is Pro-Pain's way of saying 'we will never change, fuck you!" While the tenacity and dedication to the style is admirable, this album may only be for the hardcore fans of the band. After a while same old sound starts to deaden in the senses and the game just isn't fun anymore. This brutal, but requires something extra to keep it fresh for future excitement.
The album begins with "Unrestrained." Musically, this is a fun number with the crunching rhythms and aggressive vocal assault. However, it is the same style of music that Pro-Pain tried to do on their last abum. There may be a few variations but ultimately it is recycled material with just a bit more groove added for a modern metal sound. "Destroy The Enemy" has some great guitar, but is sadly ruined by the vocals when they try to 'sing.' There isn't any other word to describe it except BAD. It just sounds like he's screaming at the same time with just a little more tone to it. Thankfully, the music is so loud and pounding it blots that out.
"Stand My Ground" is the hardest track on the album for the pace of the drums and the unrelenting chugging of the guitar. Obviously there's a lot of hardcore influence on this track mixed with the thrash. The singing is still there but it sounds a little better because it doesn't sound so gravelly. "AWOL" is an anthem track with plenty of groove and enjoyable lyrics; possibly the catchiest song the album. "Gone Rogue" features a different guitar style for once. Instead of the usual hardcore chug, one of the guitars makes a seamless flow of solo work during the chorus and parts of the verses. This may sound strange for Pro-Pain's style, but it is oddly pleasing in the sense that is so melodic and provides a sound for once isn't like Pro-Pain's last three albums. It actually sounds like genuine heavy metal again.
Sadly, "Rise Of The Antichrist" ruins that notion by falling back to the hardcore chugging and breakneck speeds of the drums. The solos however are nice and lengthy, so that makes up for it. "Hate Coalition" is one more reminder that Pro-Pain will continue to do what they do best for its aggressive assaults on the earhole over and over with quick chords and the drum pedal sounding like it is going on overdrive. The vocals, as vicious as they sound, for some reason sound empty and tired, like the person's still screaming, but there's nothing really left to say and it is just nonsense. Perhaps that's the idea that many fans have gotten throughout the last few albums. Absolute Power is Pro-Pain's way of saying 'we will never change, fuck you!" While the tenacity and dedication to the style is admirable, this album may only be for the hardcore fans of the band. After a while same old sound starts to deaden in the senses and the game just isn't fun anymore. This brutal, but requires something extra to keep it fresh for future excitement.
- Unrestrained
- Destroy The Enemy
- Stand My Ground
- Road To Nowhere
- AWOL
- Hell On Earth
- Divided We Stand
- Gone Rogue (I Apologize)
- Rise Of The Antichirst
- Hate Coalition
