HELLS HEADBANGERS, longtime fans of Massachusetts’ BURIAL, are proud to reissue the band’s devastating debut full-length Enlightened with Pain on CD and for the very first time on vinyl LP format.
Originally released in 2000 by the now defunct Lost Disciple Records, the album arrived at the tail end of a decade that shaped brutal death metal into its most uncompromising form. Burial had already made their mark with the 1998 mini-album Mourning the Millennium, but Enlightened with Pain took their sound to the next level, cementing them as one of the heaviest and most unrelenting acts of their era.
From the very first moments of “Pale Shade of Humanity,” Enlightened with Pain makes its intentions clear: absolute brutality with no concessions. The riffs hit with crushing weight, built on grooving chugs and suffocating density while laced with moments of precise technicality. “Entropy” slams with unforgettable hooks, “Human Menagerie” fuses groove and aggression with razor-sharp effect, and “Repugnance” explodes with unrelenting intensity. The album closes with “Skullfucked,” a track that begins with eerie tremolo riffing before erupting into one final, merciless assault.
Devin Doherty’s vocals elevate the album into the stratosphere of death metal performance. His gutturals summon comparisons to Broken Hope’s Joe Ptacek or Chris Barnes in his Butchered at Birth era, yet his range and depth carve out something even more destructive. Guest appearances from Rich Lipscomb (Fleshgrind) and Sherwood Webber (Skinless) add extra texture, but it is Doherty’s towering voice that defines the record.
The production captures everything with clarity and weight. The guitars are thick and massive, the drums thunder with relentless drive, and the overall mix maintains a raw vitality that makes the music feel alive. Unlike many records that get lost in murk or polish, Enlightened with Pain strikes a rare balance, giving the album both power and presence.
What makes this debut full-length endure is its rare ability to be both savagely brutal and undeniably memorable. Each track carries its own personality, whether through hooks, grooves, or unexpected technical flourishes, ensuring the album never loses momentum.
A quarter century on, Enlightened with Pain stands tall as a defining statement of brutal death metal’s potential. HELLS HEADBANGERS, are honored to bring this cult gem back into circulation for old diehards and a new generation of maniacs alike. Brutality this timeless demands to be heard again, louder and heavier than ever.
