Terror - Pain Into Power (Album Review)
Terror - Pain Into Power
Released: May 6, 2022
Line Up:
Scott Vogel // Vocals
Jordan Posner // Guitar
Martin Stewart // Guitar
Chris Linkovich // Bass
Nick Jett // Drums
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20 years deep into their career, hardcore titans Terror have been punching out jugular crushing mosh-anthems with uncompromising aplomb. On full length number eight, Pain Into Power, the LA five-piece have pushed themselves into becoming faster, more aggressive and more relentless than ever. Commanding the boards is Nails main-man, and former Terror guitarist Todd Jones. After successfully working with him on their recent live-in-the-studio pseudo early-days compilation Trapped in a World, Terror have made the correct decision in bringing him back in the producer role. Engineering their new album is Matt Hyde, who’s worked with the who’s-who of the metal and hardcore - Deftones, Slayer, Hatebreed, Parkway Drive and more. All parties involved have created a record that sounds big, alive, and, most importantly, real.
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Terror’s music has always short and to the point. There’s no excessive fat or unnecessary moments on display - the songs are stripped back to their fighting weight to create most impact. The sub-minute opening title track is an immediate smack to the face, while the 45 second attack of ‘Outside The Lies’ hangs around just long enough for a flurry of blastbeats and a pit-igniting beatdown. The immense first single ‘Can’t Help But Hate’ features a rather unexpected guest in Cannibal Corpse frontman George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fisher. Perhaps inspired by his new solo record, which certainly has a hardcore tinge running throughout, the legendary Corpsegrinder’s unmistakable death metal bellows work perfectly with Terror vocalist Scott Vogel’s more traditional hardcore shouts. An absolute powerhouse song, it’s surely destined to be a staple of the live Terror show from here on out. In fact, there’s not much doubt that everything on Pain Into Power will seamlessly translate onto the live stage.
While maybe not completely fresh and unique, the strength of Terror’s lyrical content has been its relatable, real world tales. Pain Into Power is no different, tackling societal and personal failures, but also finding strength and resilience in oneself and musical peers. ‘Unashamed’ and the classic-era hardcore leaning ‘Can’t Let It Go’ are the best examples of both sides of Vogel’s output. His delivery packs immense, yet completely earnest, conviction - something near impossible to fake or dial in. ‘The Hardest Truth’ features guest vocals from Jones, his monstrous roars, much like Corpsegrinder, adds diversity to the mix, and is the perfect fit for the heaviest section of the album. It’s the closest Pain Into Power gets to pure metallic-Nails territory and is a reminder of how badly the heavy music world needs a new release from them.
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Musically, much of the album is built around the worship of the almighty guitar riff and beatdown section. ‘Boundless Contempt’, ‘One Thousand Lies’ and the closing ‘Prepare For The Worst’ pack some serious breakdowns and grooves - the band works as one tight mosh-machine. No superlative instrumentation from any member, just a cohesive unit bringing some serious heat. If this style of hardcore isn’t your bag then Pain Into Power probably isn’t for you - it’s not diverse, but no Terror fan really wants that. It’s the quality of the songs that makes this LP stand tall, brimming with the sort of adrenaline-soaked mini-anthems that few in the scene can match.
At just 20 minutes long, Pain Into Power is here for a good time, not a long time. But its power lies in its directness, intensity and being straight to the point. Terror, along with Todd Jones, have run with their well-worn template and cranked everything up to breaking point. It’s overflowing with energy and passion, and by the time it flies by, you’re already firing up the first track again. An excellent, uncompromising hardcore record.
Terror - Pain Into Power tracklisting:
1. Pain into Power
2. Unashamed
3. Boundless Contempt
4. Outside the Lies
5. One Thousand Lies
6. Can’t Let It Go
7. Can’t Help but Hate
8. The Hardest Truth
9. One the Verge of Violence
10. Prepare for the Worst
Rating: 8/10
Pain Into Power is out now on Pure Noise Records. Grab it here
Review By - Andrew Kapper. Twitter: @andrew_kapper
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