Artist: Dub War Album: Pain

Year: 1994
Duration: 0:0-1

Combining Metal and Dub - A Critical Review of Dub War's Album Pain

Have you ever come across a music genre that blends two seemingly incongruent styles? The fusion of metal and dub music sounds almost improbable, but it exists in the form of Dub War's album Pain. Dub War was a British band in the 1990s that introduced this hybrid genre to the world. In this critical review, we'll delve into the history of the band, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critic of the entire album.

Dub War formed in Newport, Wales, in 1993, comprising vocalist Benji Webbe, guitarist Jeff Rose, bassist Richie Glover, and drummer Martin Berkeley. The band released two albums, Pain (1995) and Step Ta Dis (1996), before disbanding in 1999 due to internal issues. Dub War was known for their fiery live performances and their signature blend of metal, punk, and reggae. This style would later influence the emergence of nu-metal.

The genre of Dub War's album Pain can be best described as a mix of heavy metal, punk, reggae, and dub. The music is characterized by intensely distorted guitars, pounding drums, bass lines that groove and melodiously woven with dub works. The heavy metal influence is evident in the solos, guitar riffs, and vocal delivery, while the dub and reggae elements come in through the use of echo and reverb, basslines, and vocal styles. Overall, the album boasts of a unique sound that defies any particular categorization.

The album's standout tracks include Enemy Maker, Pain, Gorrit, and Thunder. Enemy Maker has a mosh-heavy intro that transitions into a lyrically melodic yet punchy chorus. Pain, the title track, is a slower number that showcases the band's versatility in creating a ballad. Gorrit kicks off with Dub War's signature thunderous basslines and rapidly picks up with all band members wailing their instruments on top of each other. Thunder is a distinctly reggae-inspired and the album ends with another slower, ominous track, Strike It.

The most innovative aspect of the album is Dub War's ability to merge seemingly contrasting genres into a coherent, yet dynamic music experience. The production of Pain is commendable as well, with the instrumentals complementing each other, and the mixing, even with the varying genres, creates a seamless sound.

In terms of criticisms, Pain does contain a few songs that could have been trimmed or refined. Mental and Original Murder are weaker tracks, and the album may drag at times with some songs sounding repetitive. However, it doesn’t take away the fact that the album serves its purpose as a groundbreaking album for its genre.

Dub War's Pain remains a gem in music history that deserves more recognition and appraisal. The album's unique blending of metal and dub still remains evident in the sound of modern albums today. If you're an adventurous listener who loves to navigate different genres, Dub War's Pain is an album you need to add to your list. With this album, Dub War has established themselves as a pioneer in the genre and forever earned their place in music history.