antiReviews: 
Pro-Pain/ Round Six
CD Review by Holiday

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Round Six by Pro-Pain
Label: Spitfire Records

Tracks

1. Fed Up 
2. Desensitize 
3. Substance 
4. All Or None 
5. Status Quo 
6. F**k It 
7. Psywar 
8. Take It Personal 
9. Make Some Noise 
10. Let Live 
11. Thou Shalt Not 
12. Draw Blood 
13. Down In Flames

New York's finest (hard core, that is) come back for another round of hard hitting, head banging growls and scowls.  Not a band you would like to meet in a dark alley if you didn't know them, yet surprisingly pussycat like when you meet them in person, they have managed to come out slamming' fighting here and sink their claws in.

Their music is once again not straying from their well established fervently followed hardcore metal style, Gary Meskill spewing his venom on the world.  Not that they don't have a reason to be angry...years of touring, and all of the hardships that come with it, such as the infamous bus explosion back in 1996 where they lost all of their belongings, will tend to keep you a bit on the edge.  It also doesn't help when it seems your band members are playing musical chairs, popping in and out of the band, and Tom, your guitarist is sick with Crones Disease, an intestinal disorder that is incredibly painful.  Yet they trudge on, these merry music makers, and they do seem oddly merry in person.  They have amassed a diehard following since the early Nineties and have managed themselves well.  You only get to see the anger on stage, and what an anger it is!  You can feel it ooze from the speakers and get your head a-noddin', driving you like a old Chevy farm truck. 

All of you new kids to the scene, go check these guys out, pop in this one, and learn what Fred and Jonathan and everyone else were listening to when they came up with their stuff in the first place.  If you didn't catch their show on their recent leg, make sure you get out when they come around again.  All you old schoolers, get with it!  This album is one surely not to disappoint.

Pro Pain's "Round Six" is everything you know and love about the band, great soloing, great crunch, great drumming, and catchy head banging tunes.  What can I say?  "Substance", the first single, third track on the CD, stands out, with a horn (!) section to really turn your head.  Hey, we know it's just keyboards, but it sounds huge.  I would have never thought that Pro-Pain needed keyboards to expand its sound, but I like the difference it makes.  They repeat the experience a few times on the album, all to the same effect. 

Nothing tricky, they stay true, but the new sounds get you just the same. 

Somehow horns sound great against Gary's growl.  Who knew?

Again, a good album to bang your head to, and get out any of that extra, let's say, aggression you may have hanging around.   If you're feeling like running someone over and listening to some good music to do so by, this would be the CD to get. 

(Editor's note:  We at rocknworld.com are not telling you to run anyone over.   But we would recommend you look both ways before crossing the street if you live anywhere near a CD store.)
 

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