Leading exponents of the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" mindset, New York stalwarts Pro-Pain actually did need to fix their last couple of albums, as the really had gone off the boil a bit.  However, two tracks into 'Absolute Power' it's pretty obvious that everything is fixed and all is well again.  Having used an external producer for the first time since 1996, V.O. Pulver (Gurd) certainly seems to have rekindled the Pro-Pain flame. 

Opener 'Unrestrained' gets right back into the metallic hardcore groove we've grown to love Pro-Pain for over the years.  'Destroy The Enemy' and 'Stand My Ground' mix pace with power, new guitarist Marshall Stephens proving an able foil for the long standing Tom Klimchuck, trading riffs and solos in blistering fashion.  'AWOL' harks back to the band's landmark eponymous 1997 opus, with its infectious riff and classic Gary Meskil vocal style.  This track really makes you realise how much influence this band have had on the likes of Hatebreed, Barcode and the like.

Indeed Gary Meskil, having fronted one of the original crossover bands, Crumbsuckers, claims this to be a true modern-day "crossover" album.  A bold statement, but he's right on the money with his claims as tracks like 'Divided We Stand' and 'Gone Rogue (I Apologise)' further prove.

A cracking return to form, and hopefully an indication there'll be nothing to fix for quite some time to come.

http://www.myspace.com/propainspace