Prophets of Doom

Pro-Pain was always a loud, intense, forceful, in your face sort of band, and as the '90s progressed, they became increasingly brutal -- they went from being hard-hitting in the early '90s to downright ferocious by the late '90s. And on 2005's Prophets of Doom, the New York City residents maintain their "take no prisoners" policy. Marking the band's 15th anniversary, this CD breaks no new ground for Pro-Pain; there are no substantial differences between Prophets of Doom and albums that Pro-Pain provided in the late '90s and early 2000s. But that isn't to say that their skull-crushing alternative metal/hardcore assault is becoming stale -- far from it. Pro-Pain sounds vital and inspired throughout this album, and one of the main things that inspires them is politics. A highly political effort, Prophets of Doom is as blistering lyrically as it is musically -- and scorching tracks like "Days of Shame," "Hate Marches On," "Death Toll Rises" and "Neocon" make it crystal clear that Pro-Pain's members are not the least bit happy with the policies of President George W. Bush and his administration. "Operation Blood for Oil" attacks U.S. foreign policy in Iraq, while "UnAmerican" is a commentary on what Pro-Pain sees as a Joseph McCarthy-ish intolerance of political dissent during the Bush era. Actually, the album could have easily been called "Prophets of Rage" (to borrow an old Public Enemy song title) because rage is exactly what Pro-Pain expresses on these politically charged songs. Prophets of Doom is unlikely to convert anyone who isn't already a Pro-Pain enthusiast, but their hardcore followers will be glad to know that the alt metal/hardcore agitators still have a lot on their minds after 15 years in the mosh pit.