Born From Pain
Survival
7
Now in their twelfth year of existence and with four previous albums to their name, Born From Pain have certainly proved their steadfast commitment to playing no-frills, metal-infused hardcore as a way of addressing the world’s evils. The lazy ‘tough guy’ tag these guys have been lumped with since their early days is a bit unfair, simply because they don’t waste time on hollow chest-beating or macho posturing, rather letting the toughness come through in their music alone. What’s important this time around is the fact that Survival is the band’s first album since a rather significant lineup tweak, including the switch in vocalists from Che Snelting to former bassist Rob Franssen. Franssen has a more shouty delivery in comparison to the deeper roar of his predecessor, and while he does fall short on occasion, his voice is actually well-suited to Born From Pain. More importantly, the songs presented here are strong enough that the change in vocalists doesn’t have a major impact on the album overall.
Survival is simply solid across the board, with nary a trace of fat on its bones. Songs like “Never Die”, “Zeitgeist” and “Zero Hour” are all textbook examples of tight, ferocious hardcore with a brutal metallic crunch. Despite the seemingly simple metalcore style they play, Born From Pain know how to get the most out of it, and so the hardcore refrains, chugging beatdowns and galloping thrash breaks are all here in just the right measures. There’s even a bit of progression displayed on “Sons of a Dying World” and it works well. Other than these highlights there’s little else out of the ordinary here, but rather than coming across as stagnant or like they’re going through the motions, it sounds more like Born From Pain hammering down and reaffirming their commitment to playing the style they love. And in these uncertain ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ times that’s a quality to be admired. Survival isn’t flashy or brilliant, but it’s professional, passionate and good fun to listen to.
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