Cycle of Pain
Cycle of Pain
Rating
Style: Heavy Rock
Release date: 18 February, 2011
Playing time: 51:00
 

There are many good bands out there that put out great music. There are of course also a terribly big bunch of shitty bands that for some odd reason are allowed to send out their awful audio assaults. Then there are the good bands that put out special albums. Like this one.

Cycle of Pain consists of Black Label Society bassist JD and his buddies Joe Taylor (guitar), Rich Monica (drums) and Gregg Locascio (vocals). They have separate careers in among other outfits Rich Kotzen, Lit Ford, Doro, Vinnie Moore, Drill and BLS, but their friendship and jam sessions have now resulted in this debut album.

I think this is a quite special and very enjoyable album. The production is organic and warm, a real hard rock sound. The compositions are fundamentally rock and roll and as such the formulas are tried before, but yet, it's quite eclectic and several inspirational sources are drawn upon. Also, a long list of colleagues have added to the melting pot of metal and rock that forms this album; Zakk Wylde, Sen Dog from Cypress Hill, Burton Bell and Ray Luzier from Korn are a few of those who have contributed to 'Cycle of Pain' - not a bad crowd to include, I'd say!

The album has AC/DC, it has Soundgarden, it has Sabbath, it has Alice In Chains, it's got funk, it's got rap, it's got ballady stuff and Fear Factory brutality. There are so many of the things I love in music and metal on 'Cycle of Pain', and all of the elements have been put together in a professional and intelligent way. I can feel in my bones that this is one of the albums I will be returning to frequently in the future. I like!


Tracklist

01. 5
02. Dead Man Walking
03. 14 Devils
04. Reign Down
05. Down Witcha Pain
06. M
07. Babe
08. Do My Work
09. Pungle
10. I see Heaven
11. Cycle of Pain
12. Egypt

Label: Metalville
Promotion: VME (Denmark)
Artwork rating: 50/100
Reviewed by: Thomas Nielsen
Date: 20 February, 2011
Website: Cycle of Pain @MySpace.com