25th September 2026

Review: “Self Titled” by Pain Of Truth

For the past five years Long Island New York Hardcore crew Pain Of Truth have toured the globe, sharing stages with everyone from Hardcore royalty in Knocked Loose and Speed to the Death Metal beasts that are Sanguisugabogg while proving they can hold their own. Their 2023 debut album “Not Through Blood” was a guest filled affair that was very well received internationally and that has no doubt paved the way for the band to have Grammy Award winning producer Will Putney (Body Count, Incendiary, Counterparts) behind the boards for their self titled record. It’s a cliche but what vocalist Michael Smith, drummer Nick Barker, bassist Zach Stachura alongside guitarist duo Nik Hansen and Ridge Rhine offer with this is in the long awaited and highly anticipated category…

…the (just over) half an hour of power begins with the ripping “Obliteration“, a classic Metallic Hardcore cut which captures the bands live energy in a bottle with abrasive riffs and pummelling percussion. An old school Thrash style solo adds a spice that’s nice while the gang chants feel more satisfying than most, given extra weight in the mix, something which continues into the brutal “Done For“. A bleak lyrical narrative about a world in flames is as real as it gets, the clenched fist in the vocal delivery from Smith having that classic Hardcore Us Vs Them mentality. There are more Crossover Thrash elements too with whammy bar action and guitar squeals from the early 80’s incarnation of the genre bleeding through. Pain Of Truth then get more abrasive and intense with “Stranded“, the repeated rallying cry of “divided we’re all conquered!” resonating over staccato riff breaks and pulsating rhythms.

Smith brings out rap screams in the first verse of “This Hatred“, a Sick Of It All style bass line an absolute pleasure as the riffs flow at neck snapping speed. This song isn’t the push that makes you want to move, the whole damn record is to this point so if you’re not itching to get a ticket for stage dives and high fives when Pain Of Truth are in town off the back of it, then you need to consult a psychiatrist. The flow of hot lava from the volcano to an obsidian river continues with “Unforgiven” which is about as far from the Metallica song of the same name as you can get. Some might say “bleigh!” moments have had their time but this one sounds perfectly timed as the band smash through the naysayers like a building site wrecking ball with their sheer energy, the fierce vocal delivery from Smith telling you exactly what this means to him.

A tale of self defence “Chinatown, NY” is one of those gritty songs like “Triple Beam” by Machine Head which finds a band turning a f***ed up situation into a classic song. A heavy hitter right out of the gate, it’s not only thought provoking but delivered at a tempo designed to get circle pits going on the summer festival scene, sending dust devils into the air in the process. The violence continues with the adrenalized “Fed By Fear” which has another couple of classic New York Hardcore moments as Pain Of Truth go old school, new school, f*** school in one single cut. By this point it becomes apparent that there is an overarching theme in these songs about how people become divided and remain so, sometimes by subliminal forces outside of their control in ways that they don’t even realise.

The tight rhythmic arrangements remain heavy hitting, inciting mosh pit violence, two step action and spin kicks with the savage assault on the senses that is “Beyond The Damage“. Smith is angry and tells it how it is, pulling no punches in the process and his lyrics run deep enough to have you reaching for the lyric sheet once the head banging is over. If you hadn’t guessed it, Will Putney enhances his reputation by nailing the mix by giving the band his signature heavy sound “Filth In Your Head” being a fine example of an absolute skull smasher.

There is a Crowbar vibe to parts of “Web Of Lies” with Smith putting out a repeated distinctly Kirk Windstein style vocal part to mix it up, something which works well in amongst the brutality of the thunderous bass, double kicks and cymbal smashes. The dead bodies pile up in the streets as “Destroy It All” flows like The Purge but its oh so real, the gang chants of the song title bringing it home with some whammy bar sorcery that might make you think of Power Trip. A beast of a record, this one not only meets the expectations but surpasses them with style and grace [8.5/10]

Track Listing