Pro-Pain

The New York quartet Pro-Pain require little introduction. Since their trailblazing debut album Foul Taste Of Freedom, which was nominated for a whole range of awards in the early 1990s, the band surrounding vocalist/bassist Gary Meskil has earned the affection and respect of countless fans worldwide and is rightly considered to be a true hardcore metal legend. Every Pro-Pain album is a paragon of intensity, inspiration, honesty and unwillingness to compromise. Their 14th studio recording The Final Revolutionmarks the band’s return to their old form: “The music is quite dark, and the groove and tempos are very reminiscent of the classic Pro-Pain style as opposed to our last album Straight To The Dome, which was a bit more thrashy”, Meskil explains.
 
The Final Revolution was recorded, mixed, and mastered by V.O. Pulver (Gurd) at Little Creek Studio in Gelterkinden, Switzerland from August 18th to August 29th, 2013. Meskil wrote all of the music and lyrics at his home in Sarasota, Florida: “In order to keep things interesting, I decided to take the reins and handle all of the writing duties alone this time.It’s the first Pro-Pain album since the 90s in which I’ve written everything.” The result proves his attitude was the right one: the production is raw and in your face, and the reactions thus far are overwhelmingly positive. Meskil: “It sounds extremely pissed off, and that’s exactly what a great Pro-Pain album should sound like. Mission accomplished!”
 
Meskil is referring to a good dozen hard-as-nails Pro-Pain numbers which would be difficult to surpass in terms of drive and energy. The title track ‘The Final Revolution’, for example, has all of the Pro-Pain ingredients: thrash, groove, breakdown, solo, and lyrics about current world affairs. Meskil is particularly proud of ‘Southbound’, a personal song about his trek south, burying the past, and remaining true to what he does. The Final Revolution even features a side to the band which we haven’t seen for a long time: ‘One Shot One Kill’, with a style and feel that haven’t been used in Pro-Pain since ‘Death On The Dance Floor’ from their 1992 debut Foul Taste Of Freedom. Meskil: “It’s quite refreshing, actually.”
 
The same can be said of Meskil’s lyrics on The Final Revolution in general: “All of my lyrics come from the heart via life’s experiences. I’m passionate about the world, where it’s heading, and about my role in it. I sing about the plight of the common man. Yet I dare not preach to anyone. For if you want your views to be respected, you must give the same respect in return with regard to opposing views. As for inspiration, I don’t draw lyrical inspiration from anything but my inner core, and that’s what keeps the lyrics honest and passionate.”
 
Meskil & Co. have always been quite the opposite of everybody’s darlings. Since their 1992 debut Foul Taste Of Freedom, the subsequent The Truth Hurts (1994), which turned out no mellower, and their international breakthroughContents Under Pressure (1996), which catapulted the band into the headliner slot at the legendary Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven/Netherlands, Pro-Pain have continued to openly confront smug officials. Band mastermind Gary Meskil is an idealist, in musical as well as political terms, who continued to stand by his uncompromising attitude on subsequent in-your-face releases such as Pro-Pain (1998), Act Of God (1999),Round 6 (2000), Fistful Of Hate (2004), Absolute Power(2010) and Straight To The Dome (2012). The band are set to prove their qualities live on stage again and are busy finalizing their tour plans: Pro-Pain will play some Florida shows in October, which will be their first US gigs in more than four years! The band also has a European tour scheduled which will run from November 29th until December 21st, with Zuul FX (FR), KomaH (BE), and Soulline (CH) supporting. Meskil: “We hope everyone will enjoy our new album as much as we do! See you on tour!”