Life Of Agony – “A Place Where There’s No More Pain” [Album Review]

Given the rollercoaster journey that Life Of Agony and, in particular, vocalist Mina Caputo, have endured since their debut album, the genre-defining classic River Runs Red smashed the hardcore rulebook into bits, it’s no wonder their new offering A Place Where There’s No More Pain is a highly emotional, highly personal recording.

Lurching into life with the booming, grunge-drenched “Meet My Maker”, A Place Where There’s No More Pain matches the emotion in Caputo’s haunting vocals with an onslaught of dark, heavy guitars. Fitting more in line with the grungy metallic style favoured by bands like Vision Of Disorder than it does when compared to the punkish outpourings of some of their New York hardcore brothers, A Place Where There’s No More Pain, musically, is an album full to the brim with hulking great grooves.

However, where this album scores top marks is in Mina Caputo who steps up to the plate with a heart-wrenching performance. “Right This Wrong”, “Dead Speak Highly” and “A New Low” see Caputo, one of rock’s more expressive lyricists, delve deep into her heart and soul to put in the kind of performance that few vocalists in the metal genre can come close to.

Reading up on the highly favourable press that this album has already been garnering across the metal world, one name springs up repeatedly and that is of grunge icons Alice In Chains. Yes, it’s an obvious comparison to make, the haunted voice of Caputo mesmerizes you over the top of layer after layer of pulsating grooves, but it’s one that should give some indication as to the standard these New Yorkers have reached with A Place Where There Is No More Pain.

A Place Where There’s No More Pain Track Listing:

01. Meet My Maker
02. Right This Wrong
03. A Place Where There’s No More Pain
04. Dead Speak Kindly
05. A New Low
06. World Gone Mad
07. Bag Of Bones
08. Walking Catastrophe
09. Song For The Abused
10. Little Spots Of You

Run Time: 40:29
Release Date: April 28, 2017

Check out the track “A Place Where There’s No More Pain”: