Dealing with some Metal styles requires some careful hands, especially if you're dealing with some old fashioned ones. Yes, because playing an old style can bring some problems to the bands due the gap between the time when that music was recorded and the actuality. But some bands are so good that they really surprise us all with very good works. And that's the case of the Slovakian quintet BROKEN RAIN. And their album "Here Comes the Pain" is a wonderful experience for our minds and ears, and an experience that talks directly to our souls and hearts.

These guys (that were playing covers from bands as DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH and JUDAS PRIEST from their beginning in 2006 until become a band with a proper musical work. And they released a Demo CD with some covers and own songs on 2009, started to fight for this album we have in our hands) are playing the old and very good Heavy Metal in the vein of the 70s, but having some elements of modern Metal tendencies. It's like you could hear the best from DEEP PURPLE and URIAH HEEP with a modern energy, very catching choruses, and with a personal touch. The vocals are fine and melodic, using very good tunes; the guitars present a fine arsenal of riffs and melodic solos; bass and drums are doing a heavy and good work; and the keyboards are filling all the songs with very good atmospheres, but having brilliant moments where they appear.

The sound quality is very good. All the weight and clearness they need are there, as their musical instruments are sounding with good tunes, and are in their due places as well.

The album has 12 very good songs, being all of them fine pieces of Metal. But I recommend to the readers "Burn the Witch" (full of that same energy that older bands have, with very good keyboards and guitars), the catching and wonderful "Seize the Fire" (full of Hard'n'Heavy feeling and fury, having very presence of bass and drums, and a fine chorus), the heavy and tender "Forgotten Heroes" (again a fine work of guitars and keyboards, but take a look as the vocals are in a very good shape here), and the energetic and grandiose "Prisoners in the Wasteland" (this one with a modern feeling, like German Power Metal bands like ANGEL DUST).

It's a very good band and an excellent album.<