Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Pain - Pain (1997)

It's quite interesting that the best album of the possible final part of my early industrial metal exploration happens to be least well-known one. There aren't any singles in the album and it never reached any charts. This incredible techno-industrial metal project was founded by Peter Tägtgren, founder of Hypocrisy.

I think it's understandable why this album would be unknown, since it originally started as a one-off side-project with not much promotion. I've heard a few songs before from Hypocrisy, there are small elements of that band's melodeath sound while the project entirely stays in its own style. It's so awesome how the catchy chorus hooks blend in well with the metal part of the sound so it isn't too poppy. Though it's not that prominent here. Still it's all in perfect quality!

This album opens with "On Your Knees (Again)", without a doubt a true highlight. The standard riffs sound so greatly written. This man shows a bit of his Hypocrisy roots when "Rope Around My Neck" opens. His clean singing, which takes over most of the album, is so powerful! And there might be a few growls now and then. He's able to perform all instruments, including interesting drum patterns with only slight repetition. The electronics work out well despite being in a low volume. One song that really stands out with those electronics is "Learn How to Die". Another grand highlight besides the opener!

"Don't Let Me Down" slows things down a little, closer to Godflesh territory. Same with "Breathe", though I think some of those electronics would later be used by Coldrain when they level up their own different sound in The Side Effects.

"Greed" almost reminds me of Amorphis at that time if they replaced the folk elements with industrial. "Choke on Your Lies" surprising has some riffing that isn't too far from that of Bullet for My Valentine's nu/alt-metal material, though in an obviously different style of course. "The Last Drops of My Life" is an interesting slow finale. After all that experimentation, we can just calm down with a mostly soft ambient ending.

The 1997 self-titled debut by Pain is spectacular! It's the spark I need to explore more of this band eventually. It's worth hearing for all that catchy electro-industrial metal, and all this from the man behind Hypocrisy!

Favorites: "On Your Knees (Again)", "Learn How to Die", "Greed", "The Last Drops of My Life"