Pain of Truth

Last updated
Pain of Truth
Origin Long Island, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active2020–present
LabelsDaze
Spinoff ofHangman
Members
  • Michael Smith
  • Chris Rini
  • Nik Hansen
  • Ridge Rhine
  • Zach Stachura

Pain of Truth are an American hardcore punk formed in Long Island, New York in 2020. As of 2024, they have released one demo, one split EP and one studio album.

Contents

Following the disbandment of his previous band Hangman, Michael Smith began to write and record songs during the COVID-19 lockdowns. These tracks were eventually released as the No Blame… Just Facts demo in July 2020, by which time he had enlisted a band lineup of himself on vocals Chris Rini on drums, Nik Hansen and Ridge Rhine on guitars and Zach Stachura on bass. The group made a name for themselves through their extensive use of guest features, which have included notable hardcore musicians such as Freddy Cricien, Scott Vogel and Justice Tripp. Their debut album Not Through Blood was released on September 8, 2023.

History

Michael Smith was inspired to become involved in hardcore punk after seeing his older brothers Chris and Danny's band Backtrack's debut live show. Following this, he formed the band Stand Your Ground, in which he played guitar, in the following years he became the vocalist in Numbskull then the guitarist in Hangman. Hangman's debut album One By One was released in 2019, however within a few months the COVID-19 lockdowns and the band disbanded. During the lockdown, Smith began to record instrumental demos. After sending these recordings to his friend Andrew "Lumpy" Wojcik, owner of Daze Records, Wojcik encouraged Smith to record vocals. Inspired by hip hop music's use of vocal features, all but one of the five demoed tracks included a feature from another hardcore band: King Nine, Billy Club Sandwich, Forced Out, Simulakra, Life's Question and Scarab. [1] Part of the way through the recording, Smith enlisted Chris Rini to play drums and Nik Hansen to play guitar, who assisted in completing the recording process. [2] These demos were eventually released by Daze Records in July 2020, titled No Blame… Just Facts. [1]

On March 16, 2021, the band released a split EP with Hudson Valley hardcore Age Of Apocalypse. [3] In March 2022, they toured the United States supporting Drain along Ingrown. [4] On April 29, they supported Gulch on the first night of their final two East Coast shows at Saint Vitus in New York, alongside King Nine and All Due Respect. [5] In May, they toured the United States supporting Terror, alongside Kublai Khan and Sanguisugabogg. [6] On September 23 and 24, they played the Black and Blue Bowl showcase, organised by Triple B, Streets of Hate, and Daze Records, alongside Sunami. [7] Between June 23 and 9 July, they toured as a part of the Triple B Records European Takeover, headlined by Sunami and No Pressure. [8]

Pain of Truth headlined the Friday of the 2023 Black and Blue Bowl on 12 May, with support from Bulldoze, Merauder and All Out War. [9] On June 20, they released the single "Actin' Up" featuring 200 Stab Wounds vocalist Steve Buhl, announcing that it would be a part of their debut album Not Through Blood . [10] [11] The album's second single "Under My Skin" was released July 18 featuring Criminal Instinct vocalist Josiah Hoeflinger. [12] [13] On August 5, they played This is Hardcore festival 2023. [14] On August 16, they released the single "You and Me" featuring Freddy Cricien, vocalist of Madball. [15] [16] On August 27, they supported Life of Agony and Sick of It All at the Chance in Poughkeepsie alongside Outburst and Regulate. [17] On September 8, they released their debut album Not Through Blood. [18] On September 30, the band were scheduled to perform at Code's World festival organised and headlined by Code Orange, [19] however they dropped out on the day due to illness. [20] Between November 2 and December 15, the band toured the United States on their debut headline tour, with support from Life's Question, Vomit Forth and Momentum. [21]

Between February 2 and 13 2024, the band toured the United Kingdom, supporting Malevolence alongside Rough Justice. [22] Between May 11 and 26, they supported Kublai Khan on their United States headline tour alongside Harm's Way and Justice For The Damned. [23] Between June 25 and July 7, they supported A Day To Remember on their United States headline tour. [24] From August 22 to 30, they toured Australia supporting Speed alongside High Vis and Fuse. [25] Between October 7 and 31, they will tour the United States on a co-headline tour with Dying Wish. [26]

Musical style

Critics have categorized Pain of Truth's music as tough guy hardcore, [27] beatdown hardcore [28] [29] and metalcore. [3] [30] Their music is indebted to heavy 1990s hardcore bands who put an emphasis on groove and the influence of hip hop like Dog Eat Dog and Biohazard. [31] Revolver writer Eli Enis described their sound as "if Hatebreed came up on Trapped Under Ice instead of Madball". [29] Noizze writer Jude Bennett described their sound as "Taking the best of Hatebreed and other classic hardcore bands and mixing it with metal and a dash of hip-hop." [18]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Demos

Members

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References

  1. 1 2 Enis, Eli. "HOW PAIN OF TRUTH BECAME THE NEW PRINCES OF NEW YORK HARDCORE". Revolver . Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. ↑ Nik Hansen (2023-05-12). Nik Hansen [PAIN OF TRUTH, MISSING LINK] - Scoped Exposure Podcast 249 (podcast). Event occurs at 23m. Retrieved 2024-10-01. [Michael Smith] recorded [the demos] then I came in kinda like half way through the recording process, and it was just Mike and the drummer at the time, that was the only lineup, so to say. I came in and finished recording the EP with him, you know doing backing vocals and everything like that. And when we started to put together a lineup, Mike handpicked everyone more or less.
  3. 1 2 Breiham, Tom. "Hear Pain Of Truth & Age Of Apocalypse's Insanely Heavy New Split". Stereogum . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Hatfield, Amanda. "Drain announce March tour with Pain of Truth & Ingrown" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "Gulch announce final East Coast shows (two nights at Saint Vitus included)" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  6. ↑ RHOMBUS, EMPEROR. "Terror Announce U.S. Tour With Kublai Khan TX, Sanguisugabogg and Pain Of Truth" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "Sunami, Never Ending Game, Spy, Pain of Truth & more playing BBB/DAZE showcase in NYC" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  8. ↑ "No Pressure, Sunami, Pain Of Truth, and more announce Triple B Records European Takeover 2023" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "BNB Bowl 2023 lineup (Pain of Truth, Death Threat, Bulldoze, Merauder, End It, All Out War & more)" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  10. ↑ MCLENNAN, SEAN. "NEWS: PAIN OF TRUTH ANNOUNCES NEW LP, SHARES SINGLE 'ACTIN' UP' FEAT. STEVE BUHL OF 200 STAB WOUNDS" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  11. ↑ Enis, Eli. "HEAR PAIN OF TRUTH ENLIST 200 STAB WOUNDS VOCALIST ON MONSTROUS NEW SONG". Revolver . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  12. ↑ MAO, SCOTT. "Pain Of Truth release second single from upcoming debut album" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  13. ↑ Breiham, Tom. "Pain Of Truth – "Under My Skin" (Feat. Criminal Instinct's Josiah Hoeflinger)". Stereogum . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  14. ↑ Sacher, Andrew. "This Is Hardcore reveals full 2023 lineup (Deadguy, Bulldoze, End It, Pain of Truth & more added)" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  15. ↑ NIJMEDDI, KAT. "Pain Of Truth drop new single featuring Freddy Cricien of Madball" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  16. ↑ Enis, Eli. "HEAR MADBALL'S FREDDY CRICIEN ROAR ON PAIN OF TRUTH'S CRUSHING NEW SONG". Revolver . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Life of Agony & Sick of It All played Knockdown Center w/ Pain of Truth, Outburst & Regulate (pics)" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  18. 1 2 Bennett, Jude. "Pain of Truth – Not Through Blood Album Review" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  19. ↑ "E-Town Concrete added to Code Orange's Code's World music festival" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  20. ↑ MAO, SCOTT. "Pain Of Truth drop from Code Orange's Code World hours before doors" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  21. ↑ Enis, Eli. "PAIN OF TRUTH ANNOUNCE FULL U.S. HEADLINING TOUR". Revolver . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  22. ↑ "Malevolence announce UK tour with Pain of Truth and Rough Justice" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  23. ↑ Kennelty, Greg. "KUBLAI KHAN TX Announces US Dates With HARM'S WAY, PAIN OF TRUTH & JUSTICE FOR THE DAMNED" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  24. ↑ Carter, Emily. "A Day To Remember announce huge North American tour". Kerrang! . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  25. ↑ Carter, Emily. "Speed announce ONLY ONE MODE Australian tour". Kerrang! . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  26. ↑ KEENAN, HESHER. "Dying Wish and Pain of Truth to Co-Headline U.S. Tour" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  27. ↑ Breiham, Tom. "Album Of The Week: Pain Of Truth Not Through Blood". Stereogum . Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  28. ↑ Corcoran, Nina. "Hardcore Expanded Its Boundaries in 2023—and the Scene Embraced It". Pitchfork . Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  29. 1 2 Enis, Eli. "5 ARTISTS YOU NEED TO KNOW: MAY 2022". Revolver . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  30. ↑ Enis, Eli. "BEYOND CODE ORANGE AND KNOCKED LOOSE: 10 RISING METALLIC HARDCORE BANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW". Revolver . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  31. ↑ Musilli, Mike. "Pain of Truth: New Hardcore Outfit Gets Our Attention with Debut EP" . Retrieved 1 October 2024.
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