You have a new album for review; what is the first tithing to do? Search the band's official site for info. Well as far as HOLY PAIN's official site concerns, they don't even mention their new album (maybe because they think that everyone will visit their MySpace page).

HOLY PAIN, if I understand correctly, is the project of Stanis David and were formed tin 2004 in Lyon France. "Rebellion" is their third album and the second one for Pervade Productions. To tell you the truth, I didn't even know the existence of this outfit, so I can't make any comparisons with their previous albums.

This album shows from miles away that this is the main guitarist's project. Most of the songs have many solos and repeated lyrics. I don't care if the production is good, but if you are playing Power Metal with some harsh vocals and some more aggressive riffing here and there in year 2010 you ought to have a good production, so the thing that they have a good sound doesn't mean anything in particular (even though it lacks heaviness at some points). Their style reminded me a lot of the latest ADAGIO album and I spotted some IN FLAMES influences, but in the end "Rebellion" is not that good as the albums of the pre mentioned bands. Unfortunately I began to get bored from the middle of the album. Not that there aren't any good ideas in the songs, but all that solos and the repeated themes... I don't know... I was wafting for something more.

I liked tracks like "Jack's War Letter" and "S4" but they don't seem to save the day. More work is needed, in my humble opinion, for HOLY PAIN to make the determined step and stand out from the other bands that play Power Metal with some moments of more heaviness. The bad thing is that, as far as I'm concerned, the third album is critical for a band's future and potentials. Time will tell.