PRO PAIN

No End In Sight

Soulfood/ CD

Frankly speaking I always appreciated the way Meskil and his comrades blended hard core, metal and rock’n’roll elements in their music. It was their trade mark since the very beginnings. High energetic cocktail served on legendary “Foul taste of Freedom” and “The Truth Hurts” secured band’s position among top NYHC acts. Even the previous album “Age of Tyranny/The Tenth Crusade” was a good antidote after listening to all those modern-boring-beefy metalcore acts. Vital force and authentic anger emanated from songs like “The New Reality” or “All for King George”. Band seemed to be in really good shape. So my expectations connected with their eleventh studio effort were quite high.

Unfortunately I think this time New York veterans went one step too far. However mostly the new stuff may be seen as a direct follow-up to their past, we have some changes here and there. First of all new album is more melodic. Melody is definitely a key word here. It’s not a bad thing. But all those classic heavy metal elements – in “To Never Return” or “All Rise” Meskil reminds me of GRAVE DIGGER vocalist (sic!) – seem to be taken from completely different dimension. They completely ruin band’s efforts. Also trumpets and guest appearance of BOHSE ONKELZ’ Stephan Weidner in “Hour of the Time” left me perplexed. Is it ska? It is hard to understand the idea behind the chorus in “Where We Stand”, too. Maybe Meskil wants to diversify his vocal work. But the result is far from perfect.

Fortunately we have a handful of classic PRO PAIN rockers like the opening “Let The Blood run Through The Streets” , coming-up next “Halo” and “Phoenix Rising”. But after all I must admit that whole stuff left me with a feeling of a little disappointment. And even catchy “Go It Alone” – reminding of famous AGNOSTIC FRONT’s “Gotta Go” - can’t change my opinion. Even the solid sound – maybe vocals sometimes are a little too loud – is only a compulsory ingredient. It adds nothing to the final mark.

So it’s sad to say, but instead of another good PRO PAIN release, we get average stuff. New album is definitely less intensive then it’s precedessor. And although I rather prefer musical development then hangin’ on to same formula for years – of course with the exception of AC/DC, IRON MAIDEN. MOTORHEAD and all those legends who play in their own league - but this time I’m on the side of musical orthodoxy.

6/12