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Another top-notch show, one that will stay in our minds for a while.
By Marcio Alexandre
Demonstrating why they remain one of the most remembered names when talking about Prog Metal, Pain Of Salvation drives another stake into their history with their new banger, In The Passing Light of Day , an album that brings back a side that had been left aside, heavier and more complex, bringing fresh air, but without losing identity and exploring elements from their entire discography.
Having been away from new material for several years, and after a near-death experience following a serious infection, Daniel Gildenlöw decided to recount some of that in an album that speaks of being in a hospital bed, transgressions, and the hope for a new day, because this is the focus of the whole thing; hope must remain, in his own words. Joining forces with producer Daniel Bergstrand, who has worked with heavyweights like Meshuggah, the new album delivers everything fans of the Swedish band expect: melodies, breakdowns, heaviness, and intensity in the vocalist's personal themes.
Without wasting any time, the show opens with "On a Tuesday ," a heavy and intricate track, full of breaks and the weight of the guitars, and we immediately notice that this time the band opted for a drier sound in the instruments. That drumming is amazing, Léo Margarit! Besides creating tempos that drive us crazy when we listen, he also lends his voice in several passages throughout the album, but returning to the track, it's a rather "grand" start, because in its 10 minutes, we already feel all that raw emotion seen in "Remedy Lane ," and what a great start that is.
“Tongue of God” , one of the best tracks on the album, has an industrial feel, with an extremely heavy beginning and a catchy chorus – a few listens and you're hooked. It's worth highlighting Daniel's vocals, which have a more angry tone and a powerful presence, giving body and strength to the song, which deals with dying in a hospital bed. This opens the way for the first single from this work, “Meanigless” , a track that starts noisier and calms down in its verses, leading to a chorus sung by Ragnar Zolberg, who, in addition to being a great guitarist, is an exceptional singer, and his voice stands out here, providing a counterpoint to the boss's.
And as you might expect from an album by these guys, the calm arrives with "Silent Gold ," a pleasant track to listen to, wrapped in piano and vocals in its opening moments; it's the perfect song to listen to in bed before sleep. But that soon fades with the first chords of "Full Throttle Tribe ," a track reminiscent of the sound used in *Be* , and also chosen for the album's commercial when it was announced. Another one to tie the listener's head in knots, with "strange" tempos, especially at 4:30, where an extremely complex passage involving all the instruments emerges, and its ending will cause neck pain for listeners.
“Reasons” , a track already known to the public and whose video is circulating, brings the energy of the end of the previous track with weight and well-broken rhythms, and with Ragnar having more presence as a vocalist, and is one that will certainly get the band members quite excited at shows.
Things calm down a bit in "Angels of Broken Things ," which has a slightly more mellow feel, before descending into an instrumental section where each member showcases their techniques—beautiful to listen to. I only missed a slightly more prominent bass, but nothing that really bothers me.
As we approach the end, we arrive at "The Taming of Beast ," the most radio-friendly track on the entire album. It could easily be played on the radio or featured in a movie, and I don't see that as a bad thing; quite the opposite, it was the song that captivated me the most on the whole album, with a catchy chorus that builds to a crescendo and Daniel's powerful voice. Here, we see a strong bass line. It might easily appeal to those who don't like the style and have the opposite effect on some more ardent fans, but as I said, in my case, it went on repeat immediately—great!
“If This is the End” begins calmly, questioning what it would be like to accept the end of life, in a song that builds to a chaotic, furious ending with some sections reminiscent of “Ending Theme ,” and also serves as a prelude to the final track… The title track closes the album in an apotheotic way, and will certainly end the band's shows earning a standing ovation. The melody here is spectacular, truly resembling a transition as suggested in its lyrics; even in its most euphoric moments, we feel a peace emanating from the song, where a being tries to find itself. A splendid way to end another high-level performance, one that will linger in the mind for a long time, even after it's over.
It's difficult to discuss an album of this magnitude, so I'll only offer a brief summary of what it's about; the full impact can only be felt upon hearing it, but without a doubt, it's a great success in Pain Of Salvation's impeccable career.
Pain Of Salvation has 4 shows scheduled in Brazil to promote In The Passing Light Of Day. Check them out here.
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
