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The Perfect Element Part One, absolute masterpiece by the Pain of Salvation, released in 2000, here in the twentieth anniversary edition.
Pain of Salvation are a Swedish progressive metal band, led by the great Daniel Gildenlöw, composer, guitarist, singer, and also responsible for the lyrics. Their sound revolves around stunning guitar riffs and a great vocal ability with wide range, moving between heavy and calmer atmospheres, harmonies and complex structures, syncopations and polyrhythms.
Their albums are generally concept albums that address current themes both of society and of human existence.
The name "Pain of Salvation" was created by Daniel Gildenlöw who explained it as follows
"the meaning of balance. Accepting good and evil. It's also a good everyday expression: when something doesn't go as planned, [the expression 'pain of salvation'] indicates that it's just a small setback on an otherwise painless path to your goal."
This is a concept album that is not easy to listen to and requires many listens to be appreciated in all its nuances, very emotional and intense like the themes dealt with in the concept, childhood, adolescence, and the formation of personality.
The tracks are long and develop slowly until they become epic, with great technical performances but without excessive virtuosity, with a great vocal interpretation by Daniel Gildenlöw, intense and full of passion, spectacular guitar work by Johan Hallgren with amazing solos, Johan Langell with great, powerful and precise performances on drums, amazing keyboards with Fredrik Hermansson and, as if that weren't enough, excellent production.
A sound that highlights the prog influences more and focuses on the emotional aspect, on atmospheres rather than virtuosity. A great album, we find pieces of great intensity from the opening track to the closing one, the title track, a song of about 10 minutes with symphonic interludes and (unusually) female vocals, passing through Ashes, the most beautiful track on the album in my opinion, a fantastic piece.
As already mentioned, I consider this album not only a masterpiece of progressive metal but more broadly of prog, one of my desert island albums. A Must
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page
Tracklist
1. Used (5:23)
2. In the Flesh (8:39)
3. Ashes (4:27)
4. Morning on Earth (4:35)
5. Idioglossia (8:30)
6. Her Voices (7:56)
7. Dedication (4:02)
8. King of Loss (9:51)
9. Reconciliation (4:30)
10. Song for the Innocent (3:03)
11. Falling (1:53)
12. The Perfect Element (10:13)
13. Epilogue (3:14)
LineUp
- Daniel Gildenlöw - lead vocals, guitar, string arrangements, co-producer
- Johan Hallgren - guitars, backing vocals
- Fredrik Hermansson - keyboards, grand piano, samplers, string arrangements
- Kristoffer Gildenlöw - bass, backing vocals
- Johan Langell - drums, backing vocals
With the string ensemble (1, 4, 5, 8, 12):
- Mihai Cucu
- Petter Axelsson
- Camilla Andersson
- Gretel Gradén
- Johnny Björk
