.jpeg "The Road of Bones by IQ")
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.jpeg "Lateralus by TOOL")
Road Salt Two by Pain of Salvation, from 2011, is essentially the continuation of Road Salt One, two albums that, besides being composed in the same period, convey a similar mood, even though there is no concept that unites them. Only two tracks were composed later.
It is a blues-rock album, more refined than its predecessor, with tracks featuring different sounds and exceptional vocal performances by Daniel Gildenlöw.
Some notes on the tracks:
- Road Salt Theme, a brief atmospheric instrumental, a beautiful introduction to the album.
- Softly She Cries, a heavy track, influenced by the '70s, that approaches the band's typical sound, with powerful vocals and great guitar.
- Conditioned, a simple track built around nice guitar riffs with a catchy chorus.
- Healing Now, an acoustic track with an excellent mandolin riff.
- To the Shoreline, cinematic, with a great vocal part and complex melodies.
- Eleven, a long track excellently performed with a powerful guitar solo.
- 1979 is a melancholic ballad with a wonderful vocal part.
- The Deeper Cut, an aggressive track with a highly emotional vocal performance.
- Mortar Grind, another heavy track from the band, with a great guitar riff.
- Through the Distance is a sweet and melancholic ballad with a wonderful, pop-like voice.
- The Physics of Gridlock, a progressive track bordering on heavy metal, with a great guitar solo.
- End Credits is a brief album closer
The progressive metal of their previous works doesn't find much space here, but we find blues, folk, pop, and rock, with accessible tracks along with complex melodies. The tracks return to having a structure more similar to that typical of progressive. Albums like this, in my opinion, fit well in a long artistic journey. Not a masterpiece but an easy listening that I really enjoy.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page
Tracklist
1. Road Salt Theme (0:45)
2. Softly She Cries (4:15)
3. Conditioned (4:15)
4. Healing Now (4:29)
5. To The Shoreline (3:03)
6. Eleven (6:55)
7. 1979 (2:53)
8. The Deeper Cut (6:10)
9. Mortar Grind (5:46)
10. Through The Distance (2:56)
11. The Physics Of Gridlock (8:43)
12. End Credits (3:25)
Duration 53:35
LineUp
- Daniel Gildenlöw - lead vocals and backing vocals, guitars, bass, lute and mandolin (4), piano (10, 12), keyboards, drums (5), percussion (6, 8, 10), tambourine (3, 6, 8), producer
- Johan Hallgren - guitars, lead vocals (2) and backing vocals (3)
- Fredrik Hermansson - electric piano, organ, synth (2), keyboards
- Léo Margarit - drums, backing vocals (3)
With:
- Linus Carlsson - bass (3)
- Gustaf Hielm - bass (8)
- Per Schelander - bass (9)
- Nils-Ake Pettersson - clarinet (11, 12)
- Anette Kumlin - English horn (5, 11, 12), oboe (5, 11, 12)
- Asa Karlberg - flute (5, 11, 12)
- Kristina Ekman - viola (1,2,11,12)
- Camilla Arvidsson - violin (1,2,11,12)
- Mihai Cucu - violin (1,2,11,12)
