Ideal background noise for a WWF grudge match, Perfection in Pain revamps the sound of this Linkoping, Sweden-based quintet to account for new singer, and former bassist, Filip Carlsson. While Corp. 187 began life as a Slayer cover band, the trajectory it's taken since 1995 conquers fresh space for brutality;although Carlsson admits he's got less of a vocal range than former larynx-shredder Pelle Severin, that's at no price to the artistic excellence on display here.
"Religious Connection," with its precision riffs and agonized chorus ("I hate your paradise!") engages the listener at full throttle; from there, it's a merciless ride -- "My Life to Kill," "Perfection in Pain," "Strange is Strong," (the last feeding off machine-gun rhythms) and "The Joy of Being Addicted," among others, each presenting as unique and carefully constructed songs. And while brutal as this music gets, it's neither repetitive nor boring nor cliched. A killing rampage on a par with the best in the genre, Perfection in Pain truly achieves just that. Highly recommended.