Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Pain
Label: Roadrunner Records
Release: 2007
The first quarter of 2007 has been truly unbelievable for metal releases. We’ve already had a handful of excellent titles, and now they’re joined by the fifth studio album from Swedish one-man band Pain. And that one man is none other than Peter Tägtgren, the frontman and mastermind of death metal champions Hypocrisy, one of the most sought-after metal producers around, and so one of the biggest workaholics in metal. If you only know Peter’s “home” band Hypocrisy, the sound of Pain will shock you. Forget the brutal growl, the razor-sharp death metal riffs, the buzzsaw guitars and Horgh’s blast beats. Pain is all about excellent industrial, electronic, even techno metal. The last Pain record, Dancing With the Dead, left a nice impression on me, so I happily grabbed the promo CD of the new Pain release, Psalsm of Extinction. The Pain sound is something truly unique, but if I had to draw a comparison, I’d say it’s Nine Inch Nails on steroids, or Depeche Mode turned metal.
Peter didn’t dress up as the devil on the album cover for nothing, because the moment you hit play, Save Your Prayers kicks in with a hellish groove. To all the “true” death metalheads who look at Pain sideways, Peter says his piece with the very first line: “Hey you, I know you don’t like me, but the feeling is mutual!” The track packs in so much, from industrial sawing and grindcore parts to calm piano melodies and bombastic sections with church bells, that it’s frankly incredible how Peter managed to pour so much variety into one great song. I can say with a clear conscience that Peter is a true “wunderkind”! Just when you think it can’t get any better after that stunning opener, the dynamic Nailed to the Ground proves you wrong, with Peter serving up some Hypocrisy-style growling too. Psalms of Extinction is probably the heaviest Pain record yet! The best track on the album might be Zombie Slam, the first single, meant to introduce Pain to the American market since they recently signed with Roadrunner. Pain always stir up a lot of talk with their singles, as Same Old Song (Dancing With the Dead) and Shut Your Mouth (Nothing Remains the Same) proved. Zombie Slam is no different: a catchy mix of pop, gothic rock and metal, which Peter tops off with singing in a lower register we’re not used to hearing from him, and behind the drums sits none other than Mikkey Dee (Motorhead). On top of all that, the song’s theme is, what else, zombies. Can it get any better!?
Although the album has more than enough catchy moments, Peter focused more on showing the heavier side of Pain, which we already heard back in the days of Rebirth. The only downside is that at times you get a feeling of déjà vu. Computer God, for example, is a pretty big missed opportunity. It starts with an excellent keyboard riff that carries on into the verses, but the whole thing is spoiled by an average chorus that sounded better eight years ago on Supersonic Bitch (Rebirth). Walking on Glass has similar problems: it’s without a doubt one of the groovier Pain songs, but it shamelessly leans on Tear it Up (Dancing With the Dead).
But Peter always has an ace up his sleeve, and this time he surprises with the epic six-minute ballad Just Think Again, which is even one of the best Pain songs ever! Peter lets us know exactly what he thinks of people who don’t care about the poor and hungry. The icing on the cake is a great solo from Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), making Just Think Again the most innovative track on the album alongside Save Your Prayers. Peter also stayed true to his tradition of recording covers, and this time it’s Play Dead by Icelandic singer Björk, which Peter has stamped with his own indelible mark. Sadly, there’s no sign of the Depeche Mode cover Behind the Wheel that was rumored.
Peter keeps working hard to keep the Pain formula fresh and exciting, and he’s pulled it off again. There’s no point wasting words on the production, since it was recorded at The Abyss studio, and nothing less than excellent production was to be expected. Psalms of Extinction has a few minor flaws, but it’s yet another great release from the dark fields of Pain.
Lineup
Peter Tägtgren – vocals, all instruments, sampling
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Mikkey Dee – drums
Alexi Laiho – guitar
Peter Iwers – bass guitar
Production
Peter Tägtgren
Track list
1. Save Your Prayers 03:43
2. Nailed To The Ground 04:11
3. Zombie Slam 03:32
4. Psalms of Extinction 04:09
5. Clouds of Ecstasy 03:16
6. Play Dead 04:03
7. Does It Really Matter 04:06
8. Computer God 03:25
9. Just Think Again 06:15
10. Walking on Glass 03:51
11. Bottle’s Nest 03:36
12. Bitch 03:47
