BORN FROM PAIN

Survival

Metal Blade

6.5 / 10

Track listing:

01. Sound Of Survival
02. State Of Mind
03. Sons Of A Dying World
04. The Wolves Are Loose
05. Never Die
06. Final Collapse
07. Endgame
08. Zeitgeist
09. The Hydra
10. Zero Hour
11. Under False Flag

The sounds are that of world disorder. Police and air raid sirens blare, and all indications point to BORN FROM PAIN once again standing up to serve notice to fascists and political corrupters everywhere as vocalist Rob shouts "This is the sound of survival! This is the sound of the truth! This is the sound of the world coming down on you!" on "Sound of Survival", the opening track of new album "Survival". Yep, it is BORN FROM PAIN alright and the band's thrashy hardcore remains musically solid and lyrically damning, even if it falls short of the greatness of its predecessor, "War".

First of all, "Survival" is another good effort from the Dutch act with a handful of strong songs, and most fans will not be disappointed. I was mildly disappointed, mainly because I do not think that "Survival" is as viscerally appealing as "War" and I much prefer the commanding vocal style of Che Snelting. And I say this as a fan of the band. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get into the guts of the album.

There is nothing surprising about the way BORN FROM PAIN brings the noise on "Survival", another case of doing what they do and doing it well. Hardcore at its foundation and surely in spirit matched with hard-as-nails thrash riffing, some decent chorus hooks, and plenty of gang shouts. Tue Madsen is the perfect producer for a band like BORN FROM PAIN, as the band's riffs need that kind of ironclad toughness and the bass lines that quintessential Madsen thickness and stout presence in the mix. "State of Mind" and "Endgame" are the kind of fast 'n' mean thrashers for which the band is known, while "Sons of a Dying World" shows BORN FROM PAIN's more melodic, though no less driving, side. The political charged "Final Collapse" is one of the most memorable tracks with samples discussing South Africa's development of "race-specific bio weapons targeting blacks and Asians" in the 1970s and Dick Cheney's assertion years later that these could be "useful tools."

So then, "Survival" continues down a predictable, though enjoyable, path and no one can question BORN FROM PAIN's skill at writing hard-hitting songs, even with some tunes that are just OK. This one didn't keep me coming back like "War" did, but "Survival" still offers several battering ram moments.

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