Pro-Pain - 20 Years of Hardcore
Rating
RIYL
MadballCrowbar
Biohazard
Sick of it All
Release Date
08/30/2011
Label
AFM RecordsTracklist
1. Damnation2. Hands in the Jar
3. Someday Bloody Someday
4. True Liberation
5. Foul Taste of Freedom 2011
6. Make War Not Love 2011
7. Denial 2011
8. Shine 2011
9. Keine Amnestie Für MTV
10. Unrestrained (Live)
11. Three Minutes Hate (Live)
12. Can You Feel It (Live)
13. UnAmerican (Live)
14. Neocon (Live)
15. No Way Out (Live)
16. F-ck It (Live)
17. Draw Blood (Live)
18. The Shape of Things to Come (Live)
19. In for the Kill (Live)
20. Let the Blood Run Through the Streets (Live)
21. Foul Taste of Freedom (Live)
22. All for King George (Live)
23. Destroy the Enemy (Live)
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Keeping a band together for twenty years is a great milestone in any group’s career, but it’s virtually unheard of in the hardcore genre. Pro-Pain’s new album 20 Years of Hardcore sets out to celebrate this accomplishment with a CD/DVD release geared towards long-time fans. This is not merely a greatest hits record, though; it features four new songs, a few re-recorded songs, a cover, and then a 14-song live set. Additionally, the DVD portion houses 90 minutes of footage spanning several concerts, as well as fan-filmed footage and other extras.
For those interested in the new material from Pro-Pain, it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s not a huge departure from their usual style of hardcore. The main difference is that they sound more commercialized, with structured song arrangements and hooks. Moreover, some of the tracks lean more towards punk than hardcore, but it adds some variety to the mix. The next batch of songs features updated versions of previously released tracks. Not being familiar with their old material hinders me from giving a valid opinion on these songs, but I’m sure fans of the band will be interested in hearing them, especially with some beefy production enhancing the songs this time around.
The meat of 20 Years of Hardcore comes from the 14-song live set from the Czech Republic and the DVD footage from various different shows. Unfortunately, the DVD portion of the set was not provided for review, but it’s probably safe to say that if you’re a fan of Pro-Pain, you will enjoy the contents of the DVD. As for the audio portion, the live recording is above average, with all instruments clear and audible. However, the vocals kind of blend into the music and could be a tad louder, but that is really the only issue with the sound quality. All in all these live tracks showcase the band’s tightness and should give listeners a newfound respect for the band if they’ve never seen them live, but listening to the live songs does become somewhat monotonous after awhile.
Although 20 Years of Hardcore is a generous offering for Pro-Pain fans, it begs the question – should hardcore bands even bother releasing live albums? It works for classic or progressive rock groups because they often incorporate unique musical moments not seen on previous albums, and even the singers will mix it up a bit at a live show. Hardcore bands, on the other hand, don’t usually stray from their recorded material when playing live and in general, it’s hard to capture the energy of the set from just listening to it.
20 Years of Hardcore is clearly meant for long-time Pro-Pain fans, and overall it succeeds at giving listeners an array of material. Quality outweighs quantity when it comes to music, though, and the live tracks on the album don’t add much value other than proving that Pro-Pain can play them tightly. However, the new and re-recorded tracks, coupled with the DVD, are enough reason on their own for any follower of the band to pick up this release.
--Nicholas Fritz
Comments
Lehigh Valley, PA
Great review Nick. I got this and was surprisingly stoked on how well it all turned out. BUT... it's still just... Pro-Pain
Coopersburg, PA
Thanks dude!
For what it is, it's solid release, not really my style though. I wish the DVD was included because I'd like to see it, they should at least let you stream it or something if they want you to review the whole release.
West Haven, CT
Your reviews are impressive. I think this band is trash but I think you put your work together very nicely.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
Coopersburg, PA
Thanks Mike, I appreciate the feedback! This isn't a band I would listen to on my own but I think their older material is decent for the style of music. Also, the review is more about the contents in the package, not necessarily the quality of the songs, since most of these were released already - seems like a good value for those who like the band.