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April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
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March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
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February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
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January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
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• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
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• Gotus: Gotus
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• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
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Pain City: Keep It Real

Heavy Metal Rock

3.5/5.0

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Pain City Records
Released: 25.01.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 23.01.2019

Pain City is new band from Norway, formed in 2014 by Stian Krogh, formerly the main songwriter and lead guitarist of The Carburetors. Essentially a power trio the band features Petter Haukaas on drums and Morten Nilsen on bass. Keep It Real is their latest and second album.

Pain City

If you have some knowledge of The Carburetors, Krogh and Pain City stray little from that band's version of heavy metal rock. Pain City blends sharp metal riffs with rock rhythm and groove, and then adds some punk energy and pop sensibility. The songs hard and heavy, but also have a shot of rock and groove to give them some AOR accessibility. You'll hear this mixture in songs like Alive And Free, Today I Ain't Myself, Rock Them All, or Cannonball On Fire, a firecracker of a song that has some brisk speed with groove. For something different, Swallowed By Flames, another metal rocker features fine vocal harmony and, about two-thirds in, a fine breakdown with light guitar over drums. If I could make a strange comparison, Pain City sounds like a less angry, more friendly, Motorhead. Yeah. Weird, huh? Essentially, with Keep It Real, Pain City offers some brisk heavy metal rock with some get up and groove. Check them out.

Inglorious: Ride To Nowhere

Melodic Hard Rock

3.5/5.0

With little doubt, England's Inglorious is riding the wave of their own success. 2017's II was a chart buster for the band, reaching number one on UK rock charts. Now the band ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Essentially, with Keep It Real, Pain City offers some brisk heavy metal rock with some get up and groove. Check them out.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]