The hard way

Pro-Pain build their own underground metal following

by Don Fluckinger

Heavy metal evokes a range of images from Kiss and Crüe and dry ice all the way to new, positively grotesque, death-metal bands with nasty names like Cannibal Corpse. The only idea that's hard to associate with metal is "originality." Yet Pro-Pain, formerly of Long Island and now based in Sarasota, Florida, have somehow hewn a niche in the metal world that's all their own.

Formed in 1991 from pieces of a band called the Crumbsuckers, the quartet -- which plays the Espresso Bar Sunday, April 19 -- released a reckless, punishing debut CD titled Foul Taste of Freedom, a standout metal tour de force fueled by Pro-Pain lead Gary Meskil's absolutely ferocious vocals. You've heard screamers, screechers, groaners, shouters, and even singers fronting metal bands, but you've never heard anything like this guy. His gravely basso's a combination of Trent Reznor and Arnold Schwarzenegger -- a gutty, muscular, and powerful voice, so raw that if you try to imitate his singing style, you'll go hoarse in one chorus.

Pro-Pain's original music comes off as all substance and no trendiness. Meskil, who shaves his head, loathes association with fashion or fad, and eschews musical genres, refers to his band's sound simply as "heavy" music. While what's left of the popular metal contingent generally falls into four categories -- Tool knockoffs, Rage Against the Machine knockoffs, Korn knockoffs, and Kiss -- Pro-Pain's songs feature punchy, grinding guitar licks and are based on simple arrangements and easy-to-follow chord changes.

"We're certainly a combination of our influences," Meskil says, "which range from old-school New York hardcore back to '70s rock like BTO, BOC, Mountain -- all those great bands. That's why we have riffs and leads in our songs. We're a fan of that whole era."

Always independent, always on their own, Pro-Pain are one hardworking band. They manage themselves, own their own label, and write and produce their own music -- cranking out new studio recordings in Pro-Pain Studios (located in rhythm guitarist Rob Moschetti's living room) between tour stretches in Europe and North America that add up to 250-plus dates a year.

This gritty, independent ethic taught them survival skills in an era when metal bands are no longer cool and MTV's Headbanger's Ball serves as a reminder of the cheesy '80s culture of bandannas, ripped jeans, and lots of black leather. When Pro-Pain's debut came out, the metal scene had gone flaccid, with standard-bearers Metallica singing sleepy lullabies while Guns 'N' Roses mindlessly whined their way to the top. Packing some serious rage, Foul Taste of Freedom won immediate accolades and was nominated, in 1992, for a NAIRD Indie Award, the indie labels' Grammy.

Last month, the band released their fourth CD, Pro-Pain, on their own Raw Head label. The music harks back to the band's debut, sounding more raw and energetic than their last two CDs, The Truth Hurts and Contents Under Pressure. As on the band's previous albums, Meskil draws his lyrics from personal experience and acerbic political opinions. Ever dark and angry, Pro-Pain still manage to stay away from the "life sucks" school of modern metal lyrics, and hold true to another theme: "Help yourself, 'cause no one else will."

Next month, the group will release The Best of Pro-Pain, an anthology CD that introduces four new tracks -- three recent live recordings plus one unreleased cut from the Foul Taste of Freedom studio sessions -- and reprises some of the stronger material from their first three albums that, because they were released on a small-scale, independent level, became immediate rarities.

After spending seven years building a following through sheer will, Pro-Pain are getting help from Mayhem Records and the indie distribution juggernaut ADA, which will get the best-of compilation into the hands of the band's new fans, who have a hard time finding the original CDs. It's been a hard-fought battle getting here, but that's what Meskil says the metal scene is all about today -- once it lost its luster with the MTV trendies, ownership reverted to its true fans, not just people who wanted to dress the part.

"We've seen the music get handed back to the underground, which I think is a pretty cool thing that assures the longevity of this kind of music," Meskil says. "There are few heavy bands selling out places these days, but the diehard fans come out and are giving it a lifespan, after everyone had written it off a few years ago."

Pro-Pain play the Espresso Bar on Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m. along with Drained, Shadows Fall, Mindwrecker, and Pain Distribution. Tickets are $8. Call 770-1455.