Worth the Pain
To the Bitter End

January 2009
Released: 2008, Full House Records
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

This is somewhat impressive stuff here to say the least. Metallic – or better, thrashy hardcore hasn´t sounded this good for a relatively long time as far as I can remember. Worth the Pain have finally released their stunning debut album, titled TO THE BITTER END, on a Finnish label that is concentrated on the Finnish hardcore scene – the new wave of it to be more precise. The label has become known for producing albums with many new names in the sky of Finnish hardcore, like with such bands as Anal Thunder, Third Man Down, Out of Breath, Down My Throat and so on. Worth the Pain represent probably one of those most metallic and thrashiest form out of all their bands – and therefore I couldn´t help falling in love with the style which they push forward toward our ear canals.



There´s 10 tracks on TO THE BITTER END, and each of them make one feel like: “Oh man, where do these young guys get all that energy from to sound so irresistibly and audaciously thrashing hardcore band?” The band´s debut full-length, is seriously great stuff that blew me away by its unpolished aggression and sheer rawness. Worth the Pain delivers their mid-paced hardcore-thrash on such a level of intensity that you can show nothing but a sincere respect toward their direction. For me it´s clearly a heavy dose of heavy, arm-cutting and crisp riff attacks that constantly seem to put my neck muscles to the test – and when they are added with overall a great musicianship of the band to write songs that stand out so effortlessly, it´s very hard for a hardcore/thrash fan to ignore this fine, young band from Finland.



It´s also great to notice that the sound of bass has got an equal treatment with all the other instruments on this release, giving the album more power and depth – and at the same time, clearly speaking for the importance a bass guitar in the music of this style. Joonas on vocals, does a truly awesome job with his very pissed-off and angry vocal parts in all 10 songs, and it´s hard to think of any other type of vocals that could fit any better to this effort than his violent outburst does.



If a strongly riff-infested hardcore-thrash is your cup of tea, then I warmly recommend you to check Worth the Pain´s debut album out. I doubt it very hard if hardcore-thrash cannot get any better from this. Absolutely a killer release from these young Finns.