A Different Kind of Pain

iTunes Review

Sometimes art imitates television. Remember on The Sopranos, when the hard-rocking Defiler became the alt-angst Visiting Day? Well, Jacksonville, Florida’s Cold have changed much in this way since their 1998 self-titled debut. They’ve lost both guitarists (with Terry Balsamo moving to Evanescence), switched labels, and stylistically shifted from Limp Bizkit-type math metal to Staind-like moody angst. This slowdown makes them pariahs amongst metal loyalists, but singer Scooter Ward has channeled his own life’s misfortunes (family members were seriously ill during the making of Pain) into gripping minor- key mopers that may not ignite the crowd, but play perfectly into a lonely, moonlit night. While platitudes such as “I don’t want to be alone” (“Feel It In Your Heart”) and looking for a “brand new start” (“Anatomy of a Tidal Wave”) are hardly earth-shattering insights, coupled with the band’s unrelenting and grinding chords, the emotive impact is real and heartfelt. It’s a matter of mentally preparing yourself for an album that few expected.