Determination is clearly a favorite word in Nonpoint's vocabulary, having survived multiple label collapses, turnovers and mergers and all the while continued to keep their head up and keep putting out albums and touring. Of course these situations were not without their causalities as the band did sacrifice some of their integrity on past outings reaching for that brass ring of commercial success with a few songs that were quite blatantly radio-oriented.

With "To The Pain", the band look to have stripped themselves down and returned back to their heavier roots. With a more socially and politically aware lyrical agenda, this drives home the aggressive songs like "Bullet With A Name" with quite a bit of detuned oomph. However, on lesser inspired tracks, it almost feels like the band is forcing themselves through the motions, having evolved as songwriters beyond these more primal-styled numbers.

Thus, the paradox of the album is born. The material is heavier and more direct in most instances, but it lacks a certain complexity, and feels like the band are not entirely challenging themselves. The Latin elements of the bands sound do resurface and there is even a funk-fusion styled excursion in the form of "The Longest Beginning". But for the most part, the album feels like the group are holding themselves back and not entirely pushing their limits.

In turn, there are more than a few tracks that fail to hit an engaging stride and can quickly bog down the overall momentum. Sure it is nice to see the group cast off mainstream aspirations in the form of a sound more traditional to their roots. But in some ways this almost makes them sound lost in the songs and unsure of exactly what to do next. Perhaps the album should have been called 'To The Growing Pains' instead as it sounds like the band are on the verge of yet another metamorphosis and hit the studio again just a tad too early this time out.