Band:	Project Pain
Album:	I Have Sinned
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	June 23, 2012
A review by:	BitterCOld

01. False Prophet
02. Retribution
03. W.O.D.
04. I Have Sinned
05. Thrashopolis
06. Canister
07. Embrace Death
08. Hatred
09. House Of Pain
10. Silent But Deadly

I Have Sinned marks the debut of Netherlands' thrashers Project Pain. Before you jump to the conclusion this is another group of twentysomethings who grew up on classics and formed their own band when coming of age, perish the thought. The band is a bunch of Marcel-aged (Marcel remembers occasionally bumping into Guido at a few heavy metal vomit parties before most of you reading this hit grade school) thrashers playing thrash the old school way.

It's thrash metal, so you pretty much have a basic idea what to expect. They take some cues from the legends of the genre - you can hear some Slayer here, Anthrax there. And while not pushing boundaries (not that thrash has much room to push. I'm an old, bitter prick who thinks the genre was pretty much perfected between '85 and '88), they do play with all the key components of a good, classic album.

They have lots of energetic riffs all over the place? galloping e-chugging here, punishing power chords there, the occasional half-speed change up, and shifting hammer-on/pull-offs to boot. And there are plenty of soli as well - short little fills to shredfests. There are the occasional slow breaks or build ups for breathers, most of the album is as infectious and energetic as a ferret on meth.

The production is a little thin, which makes the drums sound fairly weak (Fenriz would cringe), and while it diminishes a little of the forceful crunch from the riffing, the overall guitar tone still works really well. The bass is occasionally heard, particularly doing Bello-esque chords for accents.

Project Pain also seem to subscribe to the same tenets as co-moshers, William Shakespeare and I do? "Brevity is the soul of thrash. Bitches." The album strikes like a riff tornado. It hits, fucks your shit up, leaves your house in disarray, and is gone in 35 minutes. This has greatly helped the replay value.

Project Pain are at their best when ripping the (really) fast paced, chaotic style thrash? "W.O.D.", "Thrashopolis" are highlights.