Roots Of Pain - Countdown To Armageddon

Despite Roots Of Pain's apparent genre being a mix of thrash, melo-death and hardcore, I would admit there's a decent amount of metalcore clouding their genre's territories. This isn't a bad factor, just something I'd like to point out. 'Countdown To Armageddon' bares ten tracks, pretty much all lasting three to four minutes long. The album provides the bitterness of Parkway Drive, combined with the melody of In Flames, eventually balancing into something that you'd imagine to sound unique, but if I'm honest - this sound is overdone and tends to grow tiresome after the first three tracks.

Production wise could be a little better for the album, but overall there are some fairly decent tracks, enhanced by the more melodic side to their genre. Starting track 'Mayan Truth' has an opening riff, easily influenced by thrash - whilst vocally metalcore screams soar back and forth against shouted lyrics. The dynamics behind the sound somehow sound appropriate despite an overused trend-like sound, where barely anything resembles originality.

As the album progresses there are some absolute club-banger moments such as the boastful track 'Queen Earth's Revenge' - which revives the metalcore passion, more than most of the other tracks on this record.  This approved sound continues on the eerie intro of 'Shadow Of Cain' - initiating more interesting concepts than before.

If you're still reading then you must either already enjoy this band, be a member of the band, or feel intrigued by the review to check out the band's album. I cannot stress enough how much more this band have to offer as there's definitely something missing, perhaps lurking within the variety department. If you're looking for something fresh, sadly it's not here. Well not yet anyway. Perhaps in a year or two Roots Of Pain will gain the courage to write metal songs with a stronger sense of direction, preferably a little more on the modern side too, as this sounds like something that could of been released in the early 2000's.


  1. Mayan Truth
  2. Cyanotic Aurora
  3. Epitaph From The Ancients
  4. The Seventh Page
  5. Reverse Chrysopoeia
  6. Queen Earth's Revenge
  7. Shadow Of Cain
  8. Cerebral Disorder
  9. The Last Breath Before Doomsday
  10. Oblivion