Review

When it was announced that Cold would be losing Terry Balsamo to Evanescence, fans across the world cringed because they all knew one thing; Cold thrives on the dual-guitar effects for their uniqueness and eerie sound that couldn’t be replicated by anyone else. It was almost certain the Jacksonville, Florida natives would call it quits after being together for over a decade. But amongst the turmoil, vocalist Scooter Ward dedicated himself to keeping the band, and his life, together. Not long after, Kelly Hayes threw in the towl and moved on to join the band Allele from the same hometown that Cold was founded out of, leaving the band without their most treasured part.

Two years later, enter A Different Kind of Pain. A disc filled with the distraught emotions of a band almost coming unglued and trying to hold onto the only thing they know. Using the album as a healing process, the new quartet set out to tackle the personal demons consistently plaguing them including the thought of a higher power and an afterlife. One glance at the track listing and you’ll see just how much Cold have been struggling with their mortality. “When Heaven’s Not Far Away,” “God’s Song,” and “When Angels Fly” deal with this issue head on, while many others hint at the same dilemma more than once.

Newcomer Matt Loughran on guitar, does the best he can to bring these songs to life but there is a largely noticeable gap from losing their two veteran guitarists. While the album still does have it’s hidden gems in “Anatomy of a Tidal Wave,” “Happens All the Time” and “Ocean,” these songs only stand out because the riffs are reminiscent of the previous Cold style. The songs ultimately come out more flat and generic, which as much as you try to ignore it, just keeps taunting the listener with what could have been.

Review by Jason Schleweis

3 out of 5