Pain – Cynic Paradise

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Off the back of a highly successful tour supporting Nightwish, Hypocrisy front-man Peter Tägtgren was put under a bit of pressure by those around him to quickly follow up with a new album. As such Cynic Paradise might be considered a bit rushed, but Tägtgren has liberally brought several new sounds into his music, possibly because he’s had so little time to think about it, that have given immense tracks like Have A Drink On Me, with its grooving slide guitars and Tägtgren’s uncanny Dave Wyndorf impression, and anthemic tracks like opener I’m Going In, Live Fast/Die Young (It’s A Cynic Paradise) and Don’t Care, which play like industrial remixes of the faster songs from Nightwish’s latest album Dark Passion Play, a fresh edge. In another Nightwish link current vocalist Anette Olzon appears on Follow Me and Feed Us, which lends them an anthemic turn as well. Probably the most accessible Pain album so far.

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Industrial, Quick.Play Reviews, Pain