Pro-Pain's bleeding knuckle blend of alternative metal meets hardcore has if anything been fairly consistent throughout their over a decade long running career. Their latest slab of aggression, "Fistful Of Hate", is no different, once again putting the listener on the receiving end of a blast of metallic NY attitude ala Biohazard and Sick Of It All that is as menacing as a late night meeting with the Baseball Furies in Central Park. It's blunt, it's to the point and it's brutal, and that's pretty much what Pro-Pain have always been.

But while this album continues to freely loot from the bands stores of edgy metal meets tough guy hardcore, it also sees them progressing in a route some may not entirely expect. This route is one of melody and while it is not outrightly vulnerable or sappy, it is still there adding a considerable dynamic to the tracks that it is implemented on. Much like Skinlab did with "reVolting Room", Pro-Pain have branched out into a slightly more commercially friendly avenue, albeit they have done so with a more traditional metal demeanor. Don't be fooled however, there is still a wealth of grit and grime staining the bands material, keeping things about as ruthless and punchy as one would expect from this outfit.

There are moments of precise metal mastery here and there are even more moments of the lumbering modern metal one would expect of a more nu-metal styled venture. But despite their opposing aesthetics, Pro-Pain combine them together fearlessly and create a balls out metal album in the process. There is no doubt this album is far from groundbreaking, but then again it doesn't try to be. Instead it's a cathartic expression of violence, like a predator feasting on its prey. It's not pretty and it's not going to put them in the charts, but it will definitely keep them welcome in the hearts of their devoted fan-base.