ENGINE OF PAIN – I Am Your Enemy

Anybody up for some Thrash? Engine Of Pain, a surging band from the Netherlands, promise tons of moshpit sounds on their most recent long player I Am Your Enemy. The likely named opener starts off with a Slayer-laden riff, very aggressive, very powerful, and then throws in a little Megadeth “Countdown To Extinction” and mixes it up with a bit of early Cannibal Corpse. Blasting !!!

“I am your inner fuckin’ fear” suggest the lyrics. Well, it’s not that brutal and afraying, but the opener steps pretty close to that line. Thrashy parts and rolling riffs go hand-in-hand. Lots of shouting, screaming, and grunting (you couldn’t imagine a singer who can conjure up so many ways of ruining his vocal chords).

The opener is indeed a nice first step in the right direction, but as soon as the first riff of the second track “Fuel The Engine” sounds off, you might be a bit irritated: “Is this still the first song?” Same pace, same elements, same main riff.

Hmmmm. Well, go then to number three, “Cycle To Cycle.” The introduction clearly resembles the Megadeth Rust In Peace era. But then, firey aggression and looking up to your idols doesn’t make a song … or at least a good one. The whole thing gets old very fast, and the excellent solo parts do not change this initial impression.

This album doesn’t cross the “my head is banging with the beat” – border. Melodies are very limited, a problem that the excessive use of double bass and snare beating is trying to cover. You’ll find yourself searching for new ideas on this album. But, they are as limited as the non-existent lead melodies.

Genre fanatics might have a different opinion on this long player, but you’ll have to face it: despite some good approaches, a strong opener, and excellent production, this one bears nothing new, nothing exciting, and is in a way so one dimensional, you might as well switch over to a mainstream radio channel.

The band will hopefully develop their style more and release a strong second album. Engine Of Pain recorded a Demo in February 2004 titled Here Is The Pain. Thanks to this Demo, the Wacken Open Air Organization decided to invite the band to play at Wacken Open Air (15th anniversary): one of the largest Metal festivals of the world with 43,000 visitors that year. The approach was not bad at all.