Review by Michael on June 4, 2001.

Not content with being the lead singer/vocalist of one of Sweden’s best extreme metal bands Hypocrisy and being the owner of the very successful Abyss Studio’s, Peter Tägtgren shoves this angry little number in our faces. ‘Rebirth’ is the second release from Peter’s Industrial-Metal project Pain, and it seriously puts Sweden on the Industrial-Metal map (like they need to be on top of another category!!!). Written, recorded, produced and performed solely be Peter, this CD is the combination of hard guitars, drum machines and various synth modules. The finished product is an aggressive dose of Metal with a touch of Euro-Techno. I hear all you readers saying “what the fuck?...techno???”, but don’t be alarmed... this CD is definitely NOT pansy Top 40 dance music.

The production is excellent... but we would expect nothing less from Abyss! The song writing is everything we would expect, generally simple but potent guitar riffs, layer upon layer of synth work and head banging chorus’. The mood of this album certainly is no secret, these are angry songs... from the disturbing opener ‘Supersonic Bitch’ to the morbid ‘Dark Fields of Pain’ the sentiment is pretty unrelenting. Those familiar with Hypocrisy will be surprised not to find Peter’s usual high-end screams, but rather more lower-end shouting and layered clean vocal parts generally in the chorus’. The synth parts are very prominent on this recording, even more so than the first self-titled release, but at times they can be a little over-powering and seem like they came straight out of the standard sound banks of a Roland 303. My only real issue with this CD is the monotony. Unfortunately, like many other bands within the same genre the songs get a little repetitive by the end of the CD, generally because of the electronic drum loops. But the surprising synth instrumental track '12:42' and Peter’s excellent vocal lines do make up for this somewhat.

Favourite track(s)? The big opener 'Supersonic Bitch' and the hardest track on the CD 'Crashed'.

Bottom Line: If you like dancing to metal...this CD has your name on it!

Rating: 8 out of 10