Pro-Pain, ‘Absolute Power’ — New Album

Finally, Pro-Pain's 'Absolute Power,' their 13th album, will be available in North America, and the record is a new twist on music as a weapon. Regain Records has stepped in to save the day and will release the album on Aug. 10. It's already out in Europe, for all your import collectors!

Pro-Pain always straddled the line between hardcore and metal without a net, and 'Absolute Power' should be no different.

"The bulk of the music was written in November and December of 2009, and all band members contributed to the writing and arranging process, which in my opinion speaks for the album's diversity," vocalist/bassist Gary Meskill told Noisecreep. "'Absolute Power' was recorded in February 2010 at Little Creek Studios in Gelterkinden, Switzerland. It was great to work with producer and longtime friend V.O. Pulver (GURD) in the studio. He has toured with us several times over the years, and he knows exactly what a Pro-Pain album should sound like."

'Absolute Power' also boasts a guest list that includes Schmier from Destruction and Inga Pulver from Pulver, which Meskill said, "It was fun to be able to include some of our European friends into the recording."

The album title is provocative, like most Pro-Pain lyrics and titles. One needn't look any further than their definitive album, 'Foul Taste of Freedom' for evidence of this fact. Of the title, Meskill said, "It has a double meaning to us. For one, it represents the embodiment of Pro-Pain as a musical force. It also represents the seemingly endless expansion of government."

The eyeball-arresting album cover is just as evocative and thought provoking, as well. "The cover idea was inspired by an anti-communist illustration which depicted a worker smashing a red star with a sledge hammer. Our concept was to turn the imagery into something more us," Meskill said. "So, the sledgehammer became a guitar, and the worker was made a musician. he statement that we are trying to make is that music has the ability to influence the political landscape a la the '60s. Music as a weapon, if you will."

Absolute Power track list

1. 'Unrestrained'

2. 'Destroy the Enemy'

3. 'Stand My Ground'

4. 'Road to Nowhere'

5. 'AWOL'

6. 'Hell on Earth'

7. 'Divided We Stand'

8. 'Gone Rogue (I Apologize)'

9. 'Rise of the Antichrist'