Escape from Pain

Intruder, though not a ground-breaking band by any stretch of the imagination, continues to be one of my all-time favorites from among the thrash metal genre. This speaks a lot since I’d normally profess to liking a band after listening to several of its albums. But I took a liking to Intruder, after only listening to its 1991 album, “Psycho Savant”. That album had a profound influence on me that it left an indelible mark with me that I carry on to this day. It’s been only fairly recently that I’ve had the chance to listen to their other albums and I have not been disappointed so far. Our main topic for today is their 1990 five track-EP, Escape From Pain. Re-released recently by Lost and Found records, this EP provides us with more of the technical thrash attack that Intruder has been known for. I have no basis for comparison with the original version so let’s just stick with this re-released version. This version has liner notes from drummer John Pieroni giving a brief historical background on how this EP came about and a per-track perspective of the songs.

Listening to the Escape From Pain, singer James Hamilton as ever continues to be the outstanding performer on this EP. As what I’ve written in my old review of Psycho Savant, his voice burns a hole in my soul and his performance on this EP is top notch as usual. His voice gives Intruder its identity as his tuneful, melodic vocals provides that special element on top of the band’s thrash attack. An underrated singer in the metal realm, there should be more appreciation for this dude. The guitar department continues to provide ample above-average thrash-riffage though their overall performance is not as impressive as on Psycho Savant.

Now let’s discuss the songs. Leadoff track “25 or 6 to 4” is a cover of Chicago song. I have no idea how the original version sounds like, or how near or far Intruder’s version is from it but this track is pretty impressive most particularly the vocal department. Next song is the epic in length title track whose earlier parts reminds me of an Anthrax song which I can’t pinpoint right now. Despite its 9-minute length, “Escape From Pain” is a monumental song that is as dramatic in its musical execution as its lyrical topic. The next three tracks all come from the band’s debut, “Live to Die” but only “Cold-Blooded Killer” has been reworked for this EP. Again, no basis of comparison for me but the liner notes says it’s heavier than the original so I guess I’ll take the word of Pieroni on that one. “Kiss of Death”, despite an excellent acoustic intro, is my least-enjoyed track on this EP and it’s probably because of the poor chorus where they repeatedly shout the title. “T.M. (You Paid the Price)” is a great closing track with its energetic vibe and because of it, the EP ends on a strong and high note. If this track is anything to go by, I look forward to getting the debut.

With just two new tracks, one reworked song from the debut and another two directly lifted and unchanged from the debut as well, people might doubt if this EP is worth getting at all. If you ask me, get it. The cover song and title track make this EP worth its price and if you don’t have the debut yet, the rest of the EP would provide a good preview for it. Not just for completists.

Intruder are another one of those "overlooked" and "underapreciated" thrash bands that never went anywhere in terms of fame and fortune. Being virtually unknown to even some of the diehard fans of the thrash metal genre, its no wonder as to why this band faded away unoticeably. However when looking back retrospectively on their history and their impressive catalogue of albums, there seems to be even LESS people who are familiar with this EP.
So, let me tell you all about it. First off, the opening track "25 or 6 to 4", is actually a remake of a song that was originaly done by Boston. The song has now been transformed into a speed metal version and the authenticity of the original is not lost. Vocaly, the song is extremley powerful and the justice is definately warranted to the song, maintaining a very cool homage to its creators. Second, we have the title track "Escape From Pain". A conceptual song that is loosely based on a novel of a prisoner of war. Lyrically the song soars and is one of the two best songs on this album. Its actually a rather epic song with countless time changes and structure changes in a style not too far removed from say, The Frayed Ends Of Sanity. Clocking in at around 9 minutes, the song actually manages to go by fairly quickly and does not drag on by any means. The listener is actually left wanting more. 3rd, we have "Cold Blooded Killer", which as you may have guessed is a song about a serial killer. Its got a really enjoyable structure to it and the music is very catchy and thrashy. This song is not fast or double bass driven, but it certainly doesn't lack for any intensity.
Track #4 is "Kiss Of Death", this song is based on the notorious hollywood mafia exploitation, otherwise known as "The Godfather". Again, lyrically the song is pretty decent and is very well sung. James Hamilton obviously has no problems hitting those high notes. This song is more derived from the speed metal genre, but its still got some thrashy moments and is a decent all around tune. The acoustic guitar intro is rather impressive as well. Last but not least we have "T.M., you paid the price". This song for me is the highlight of this classic EP. Its fast heavy and and shows just how talented this group of musical geniuses really were. The chorus is cathy as all hell and the vocal approach that is used is extremely convincing in the anger department.
Overall this EP should at the very least be aquired for its consistency since every song is worthy to be heard. The production is very good for the time it was released, and the songs are pieced together in perfect structure. This EP is highly recommended.