INTERVIEW: Thai Legends BORN FROM PAIN Release New EP With New Vocalist [Thailand]

INTERVIEW | Born From Pain
THAILAND HARDCORE

It was a complete shocker to see the boys in legendary Thai hardcore band BORN FROM PAIN suddenly announce a few weeks ago that they were about to drop a brand new EP. Not only was that exciting news, but as we looked closer in the band pic – there was a new face in the pic. It turns out that their vocalist, New, had to step aside for the sake of his family. And so we started harassing HOLDING ON RECORDS to find out more and…drum roll please…they said, “Oh, their new vocalist is Champ!” SICKKKKKKK!!! If y’all don’t recognize that name, Champ is the vocalist of A-ZERO, an INSANE Thai hardcore band. Peep that shit right HERE..and yes, that’s Champ wearing a BORN FROM PAIN shirt in the music video, only to join them legends a year later. Destiny baby.

So let’s get into it…Born From Pain was formed in 19-fucking-98. A true 90s band, one of the pioneers of the Thai hardcore scene. Gap of HOLDING ON RECORDS summed it up best when he announced that Holding On was in charge of releasing the band’s first new music in 13 years.

“I want to let everyone know this is the band that got me into hardcore music, I’m truly honored to have the chance to work with them!

Born From Pain was formed in 1998 by two brothers who shared a deep passion for hardcore. They were part of a group known as the Pakkred Hardcore a community of hardcore enthusiasts from the same neighborhood. Fellow bands from the scene included groups like A-Zero, Take it Back, X on the Hand, Innocent Blood, Cursed of Human, Mosherman Friends, FTB, and Insecurity.

(FOLLOW PKHC ON IG HERE: https://www.instagram.com/pkhc1998/)

The band’s name was taken from a song by Earth Crisis, a major influence on their sound and message. The fact that they share the same name as another band from the Netherlands is purely coincidental, both bands were formed around the same time, during an era when the internet was not yet widespread, making it nearly impossible to check for existing band names.

Their first official release came in the form of an EP in 2003, followed by Fight for the Truth in 2006, and Rebuild in 2012. In addition to these EPs, the band has released singles and contributed to various compilations throughout their over 20-year journey in hardcore music.”

And now, we’re here with a brand new 5 track ripper entitled ‘Provocation’. Guess who we got to speak to about this? The man, Champ himself.

LET’S GO. Enjoy the interview and don’t forget to blast those tunes far and wide.

UA: First of all, welcome to the band! I’m sure many people are wondering, why did Born From Pain need to change vocalists?
Thanks a lot! New’s been really focused on building a life and taking care of his family, so he hasn’t had much time to commit to the band. He decided to take a break for now — but who knows, if things line up in the future, we might see him back again.

UA: Sick! So when they asked you what was your reaction?
Honestly, I turned them down so many times 555 I was already busy with my own band. But in the end, Bird had been helping out with my band (A-Zero) for years, so he pulled the ultimate card and said, “Now it’s your turn to help my band.” And I was like… alright, fair enough!

UA: Hahahahaha…wow! He pulled that card! That’s HARD!!! Haha…so as you hopped into BFP, did you need to consider anything different you have to do with your vocals? No glazing – your vocals are my favorite in Thai hardcore bro!
We usually rehearse together all the time anyway, both bands — so I was already witnessing the whole process while they were working on the new album. At first, I wanted to make my vocals to sound different from A-Zero’s style, but when I actually started recording, it felt a bit forced. So I just let it flow and went with the vibe of the songs instead. And thanks for the compliment, man — you’ve said that a few times now 555!

UA: In terms of the song writing process and lyrics, were you fully involved or were the songs/lyrics already written?
The first vocalist who stepped in after New had already written and arranged part of the material — mostly just the structure and some lyrics. When I came in, I reworked and adjusted some of the lyrics to fit me better, and added things like the melodic vocal parts — those were my ideas. The only song I fully wrote and arranged myself is “Buried Alive.”

UA: Oh sick! I just heard those melodic vocals and was super excited to hear them in! What was the inspiration to add those?
I wanted to bring something fresh to BFP, but not so much that it would take the band too far off its core sound. And honestly, I’m a huge fan of Vision of Disorder, so when the chance came up — I just had to give it a shot!

UA: Yeah and VOD is the perfect inspiration for a band like BFP that also formed in the 90s. Very cool! So on this EP, what are the songs about? There’s a LOT of fucked up shit going on in the world.
“PROVOCATION” conveys anger, suffering, and the drive born from injustice or provocation in a world filled with cruelty. It speaks about refusing to give in to pressure — both internal and external — and fighting for freedom, hope, and unity as a collective force that refuses to bow down to anyone.

“ETERNAL DARKNESS” paints a picture of a world consumed by darkness, vengeance, and ever-burning hatred. Amidst the rage and pain, the characters in the song struggle and stand firm against evil. Even as they are swallowed by the shadows, they continue to grow and endure, driven by the fire of vengeance that fuels their will to survive.

“BURIED ALIVE” This song expresses deep emotional numbness, despair, and a sense of being spiritually dead. The narrator feels disconnected from life, haunted by pain and fading memories, lost in a world that offers no comfort or escape.

“DEAD BELL” is about rising from betrayal and darkness with strength and vengeance. Like a phoenix, the narrator is reborn through pain and fury, determined to conquer all and seek justice with no remorse.

As for the song “HARDCORE IS IN MY BLOOD”, everyone knows it’s like our national anthem in the Thai hardcore scene.

UA: Sick – and in terms of the artwork, who did you get to do it? And what does the artwork mean?
I did the artwork for this album myself.

As for the meaning — the image reflects an internal struggle against chains, pain, and the fight to break free from the darkness consuming the soul. The character wrapped in chains symbolizes being bound by the past or deep suffering.

Another thing is — we in BFP have grown a lot over the years, so we wanted the artwork to reflect that growth and maturity, in line with the sound of this new album.

UA: Oh shit! You did the art???? Damn BFP hit the jackpot with getting you in the band! Hahaha…so now that the EP is out, what’s next for the band?
On August 2nd, we’ll be playing an album release show together with Sanction and Missing Link.

Right now, the plan is for BFP to start playing shows regularly again, since a lot of people thought we had stopped making music or even broken up. So we’ll be working with Gap from Holding On Records to help promote the band both locally and internationally. Hopefully, we can get back to touring Southeast Asia like we used to — we played there pretty often back in the day.

Oh, and one more thing: we’d really love to play in China. The guys from Wishers told us the hardcore scene there is starting to grow strong. So if any promoters in China are reading this — hit us up, or get in touch with Holding On. 555