• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

September 2024

• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: PComing Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

July 2024

• Ironflame: Kingdom Torn Asunder
• Spektra: Hypnotized
• (Michael) Palace: Reckless Heart
• Mr. Big: Ten
• Dark Mile: Dark Mile

June 2024

• Kaipa: Sommargryningsljus
• Sunbomb: Light Up The Sky
• Seven Spires: A Fortress Called Home
• Atlantic: Another World
• Xeneris: Eternal Rising
• New Horizon: Conquerors
• Issa: Another World

May 2024

• Rhapsody Of Fire: Challenge The Wind
• Cloven Hoof: Heathen Cross
• Perseus: Into The Silence
• Yes: Talk (1994/2024) Reissue
• Marty Friedman: Drama
• Demon: Invincible
• The Treatment: Wake Up The Neighbourhood
• The Tangent: To Follow Polaris
• Riot V: Mean Streets
• Anette Olzon: Rapture
• FM: Old Habits Die Hard

April 2024

• War Grave: War Grave EP
• Six By Six: Beyond Shadowland
• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

[ More Music Reviews ]

Paincraze: Hellbound

Heavy/Thrash Metal

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Independent/Self-promotion
www.paincraze.com
www.myspace.com/paincraze
Review: Craig Hartranft,  10.14.2009

If you caught my review of the latest offering from Twinspirits, then you may recognize Paincraze lead vocalist Goran Nystrom. But don't expect progressive power metal from Nystrom and Paincraze. No, their debut disc, Hellbound is pure heavy metal metal with strong thrash elements that could easily put them along side early Metallica or even Annihilator. But this comes as no surprise as Nystrom and other members count those legends as influences. I might even add that there is little organized Motorhead assertiveness on a song like Napalm. It's all good as Hellbound is a powerful album that displays, once again, that the old school is relevant and still kicking ass today.

Paincraze work their metal magic with deft creativity. Barreling along like a runaway steam, songs like Black Day, No More, and Hurt rush full speed with strong riffs, massive rumbling bass lines, and some clever melodic hooks within this granite-like heaviness. On the aforementioned No More and the later So Be It alludes to some modern metal nuances by concocting a song based on strong riffs (and throwing in a few growls for flavor). Adding well-directed energy, ambitious and stinging guitar solos enliven every song with highlights on I'm Grateful, No More, and Napalm. Indeed, for lovers of the real deal and all things true metal, Hellbound is a kickass album from Paincraze.

For lovers of the real deal, Hellbound is a kickass album metal from Paincraze.

Alphabetical Index

We have to dig deep, three decades, to find the origins of Atlantic, a project of songwriter, musician, and producer Simon Harrison (then Stranger, Wisht). Initially thought to be a one-off recording, Harrison ... [ Read More ]