When, based in Dabrowa Górnicza/Poland vegan straight edge, the band Healing (with cult statuts already gained in Poland) called it a day in 1996 it didn’t take its members too long to form a new band. Winter 1996/1997 spawned the Vegan Delegation consisted of Damian – drums, Bartek – guitar, Adam – vocals and Wojtek – bass. The controversy and legends of the only show they played in march 1997 has echoed for ages, mostly because things they said on stage and their close to Hardline attitude. It took them another year to rename their unit under Pain Runs Deep and record 4 songs in the Alkatraz Studio. They were the very first Polish HC band which recorded in a very metal way, the effect was overwhelming. The songs turned out to be furious but in the same time very technically played and nicely recorded. Cro-Magsesque riffs and high pitched vocals, not to say about amazing drumming parts. Progressive metal/HC with no losing the anger of HC. It was noisy but it was moshy. Soon they started to play shows and changed bassists. Wojtek soon was replaced by Artur temporarly and then by Arek for good. The latter one was a veteran of Polish HC scene, known for his brutal stage performance and as the bassist of Polish youth crew legend Nowa Droga and notorious pro life hard edge Unsilent. The few shows they played definitely made them remembered as good and energetic life band. They weren’t that controversial as their prototype band but their lyrical content didn’t differ much – critical lyrics, including hunter killing anthem written by editor of the US Declaration fanzine definitely didn’t make them a hippie band. The 4 songs came out on Screams of Salvation as self titled MCD and tape on Shing DIY Industry in 1999. It was the year when they called it quits, long before the band’s full potential release. The record and the very few and only Polish shows got good response but the band deserved much more exposure that has never had. All of the members remain active musically, forming or joining new bands (Near Death Experience, Nyshynga, Afraid of That Day, Omkara, Bhimal) and no matter how cheezy it sounds – you could find the flavour of Pain Runs Deep in every single of them.
It really seems that sometimes you need to take a lifetime to understand and appreciate what you easily take for granted. Luckily, it took Pain Runs Deep’s dudes only 9 years to start craving for more and realise how much they had been missing playing with each other, playing shows and just being the band. In late 2007 they started chatting about getting back together and it didn’t take them long time to end up together in the rehearsal room jamming the old tunes. Not having too big expectations, they did 4 dayer throughout Poland in April 2008 and the crowd’s response was overwhelming. They turned out to be the band that people had been missing so much for a long time. So here they are – back together, matured, still sticking to their guns and pretty much motivated. And still searching for the same thing in hardcore as they did when they were much younger. It was supposed to be a one-time reunion but as soon as they hit the road and played the first show, they knew it was going to be something more. All of the members live in different cities right now, being spread in every possible directions, so it won’t make it easier for sure, but they take it easy. They have neither big expectations nor big plans. Instead, they are pretty much inspired and full of energy and what’s most important – they do enjoy being the band again. Much more than they used to be. Having added extra guitarist for shows, whose name is Arek (Nyshynga, Bhimal), the line up remains the same as when they split up. Currently they are busy with writing new songs (you can listen to demo version of one of them on their profile) for upcoming EP and try to schedule some decent shows. You will definitely hear more from them soon. Reborn!
~Pat Bugajski
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