Pain - Dancing With The Dead (2008)

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Pain - Dancing With The Dead (2008)

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Goosebumps! That is what I got after listening to the new album of Pain. The project of mastermind Peter Tagtgren (Hypocrisy) unleashes an album upon the world, which is just of supreme quality. The disc is baptized 'Dancing With The Dead' and works on me like a stroll through a painting of Jeroen Bosch. Each step is another surprise.

As you probably know Peter had a stroke a little while ago and was even a couple of moments not with us anymore. This must have had a major impact on him, because on 'Dancing With The Dead' he sounds more inspired than ever. The album opens with a direct hit in the crown jewels with 'Don't Count Me Out'. You can hear Tagtgren tell off everybody who wrote him off after the above-mentioned incident. After that the first single 'Same Old Song' is up. Although this song was not written for this album but as theme for a Swedish TV show (but rejected), this is the first highlight of the album. A catchy guitar riff and a bombastic orchestral sound form the fundament. By adding the unique vocals of Tagtgren and some folk elements the whole becomes very compelling. This could well become a mega hit in the alternative club scene. Through outstanding tracks like 'Nothing', the NIN-like 'The Tables Have Turned' and 'Not Afraid To Die' the title track 'Dancing With The Dead' takes the stage. The very autobiographical track is filled to the brim with emotion. "Too much is never enough!" Tagtgren screams and due to the rugged riffs and the light-footed chamber orchestra the whole atmosphere becomes pretty doomy/ goth rock like. Thus becoming another track that stays with you for days. With 'My Misery' Pain goes of in a different direction rhythm wise and when 'Bye/ Die' sets in, it almost seems to be space rock in the vanes of Monster Magnet that is flung into the room. But with 'A Good Day To Die' Tagtgren makes clear that he is the same guy who is in Hypocrisy. All systems are go and a rock/ death metal hybrid steamrolls out of my stereo system. The job is finished in style by the band with the Prong-esque 'Stay Away' and the (also rejected) soundtrack song 'The Third Wave'. All that is left are goose bumps and hitting the play button again.
'Dancing With The Dead' is everything but a mediocre album. All kinds of styles are blended into a harmonic whole, which makes it more than the sum of all different parts. Although the true metal extremists probably will dislike this disc, those amongst you who love Pain and some off road crossover to other genres must run to the record store and check this thing out.

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Pain - Dancing With The Dead (2008)

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