Dutch hardcore metal band Born From Pain has been at their game for more than a decade. Their last album, War, was the band at its peak, chugging and ripping their way through top-notch hardcore metal. Since then, they've had a shakeup, with a new drummer, Roy Moonen, and a new vocalist, Rob Franssen (former BFP bassist). Franssen screams the album's opening lyrics, “This is the sound of survival/This is the sound of the truth/This is the sound of the world coming down on you!” There's no turning back from here.

More than ever, Born From Pain seems intent on letting their listeners know the world is in a state of severe unrest and action must be taken. This is the running theme of the album and, like most hardcore bands, the band is trying to relay a message. In short, they stand for something. While Born From Pain's tough-guy hardcore may largely be run-of-the-mill material you've heard from dozens of bands, their passion and beliefs make them an unstoppable armored tank, rolling over whatever obstacle blocks its path.

The obvious and biggest difference is the new vocalist. Franssen is more of a hardcore singer than previous vocalist Chi Snelting. Though it may make Born From Pain more of a chameleon than before, his style is better suited for this band. Another big difference is the guitar playing. The trademark heavy, meaty riffs are still here, but there seems to be more of an emphasis on melody than before, making the songs more lasting. A perfect example is “Sons of a Dying World.” It's a strong statement and possesses all the elements of a great hardcore song, but it's a simple, dark and melodic riff that repeatedly sandwhiches the chorus, sealing the deal. “Final Collapse” is the climactic moment of Survival and is this album's “Crusader,” the standout track of War. It begins with media samples saying the earth's population is planning to be reduced by four billion people. That's bleak subject matter, true or not, but perfect for a Born From Pain song. The apocalyptic riff will stick in your head long after the close of this song. Maybe I mentioned this is my review of War (review) but some of the thrashy riffs of Survival are similar to early Sepultura. Songs like “The Hydra” and “Zero Hour” have the same ominous guitar tone as that band's now classic album, Arise.

Most of the material is what you'd expect from Born From Pain. It's not going to be a huge seller or breakthrough, yet with each and every album, this is getting to be a band you can count on. They're a brick wall and have remained standing. There's no reason to think it will collapse anytime soon. Now they seem to be even deeper into social and world issues than ever before, adding more fuel to the fire. Survival of the fittest? I think Born From Pain was built on survival.