SCARSICK

SICK! CAUSE ITS ME CAUSE ITS ME rings out some of the notes of the first song of the newest Pain of Salvation album, fittingly named Scarsick. Scarsick is Pain of Salvation's newest chapter in the Perfect Element trilogy and of many trilogies; this is entirely different beast from all the other Pain of Salvation albums. The sound here is clearly different from the poppy Prog Metal dimensions of Remedy Lane, the tender, emotional warmness that is The Perfect Element or the conceptual masterpiece, BE. The sound is even more raw and powerful. At times, the band manages to be even tenderer than the 'confused' moments during the middle of the first part of the Perfect Element trilogy.

We start off with Scarsick, the title track of the 6th Pain of Salvation studio album. This track starts with the chant SICK by Daniel Gildenlow, and then carries away into a furry of Metal riffs, catchy trademark Gildenlow raps and powerful choruses. THIS SICK SICK SICK CAUSE ITS NOT ME. The sheer power that Gildenlow manages to encompass in this song manages to match up with the power of a song like Dea Pecuniae, Beyond the Pale or Iter Impius.

Spitfall is the 2nd song on the new Pain of Salvation album and it is a very unique Pain of Salvation song. Daniel does his trademark 'special vocals', but instead utilizes it for a longer period creating an ominous effect every time the choruses come in. A very catchy song and also a song that sorts of parodies certain rap artists. Extremely powerful and moving song that emphasizes the more "band-orientated" sound that Daniel was going for at the beginning of the writing sessions.

Cribcaged is the next song on the album and it is a ballad-ish song on the album. The lyrics entail the youth's feelings of the richness around himself and his anti-feelings towards these things. The song is slightly less powerful than the first two songs, but gives off very intense tender mixed feelings of shame, anger and regret.

America is the anti-American establishment song on this album. It describes the person's view on a lot of issues such as Iraq, Capitol Hill and theorizes America's eventual downfall. This song is a very catchy song that deals with these issues and it incorporates some of Gildenlow's disappointments with the American regime and such. Definitely a very political song, but also a great catchy one! A good song to play for your friends who aren't into Prog Metal!

Now to Disco Queen. Let's see. LET'S DISCO DISCO QUEEN LET'S DISCO DISCO QUEEN!!!!! WHOOAA-OHHHHH- WHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! That's just a bit of a taste from certainly the most eccentric track they have done, even more than the silly bit on Dea Pecuniae on the conceptual masterpiece, BE. Definitely extremely different and weird at the same time. Pretty much of what I call my guilty pleasure.

Kingdom of Loss is where all the powerful energy that was described in the beginning comes crashing down. After Disco Queen, a very energetic song, it is fitting there a slower more ballad-like song is in the place. Quite a strong, powerful, yet tender song! And a fitting description of emotions and feelings!

Mrs. Modern Mother Mary is the short rocker-ish song on the album. Highly band-orientated music and also highly different from what Pain of Salvation have done in the past. The song reminds me highly of Devin Townsend, but in the artsy fashion that Gildenlow and company have always done things.

Idiocracy is the 8th song on the album and this is more or less a transitional song. (As I call it: the song that goes from the climax (Kingdom of Loss) and interconnects it with the end of album or the last 2 songs.) Quite a typical Pain of Salvation song, with typical Gildenlow vocals and instrumental accompany from the band.

Flame to the Moth is the second to last on the album. Here is another example of Scarsick's new musical direction, with Hallgren and Gildenlow exchanging screams in the middle of the song. The music has noticeably returned to the power and the strength of the first several songs. It is definitely one of the heaviest Pain of Salvation songs that the band has ever been made.

Enter Rain is the closer on the album and it is a very authoritative track summing up the end of the album. YOU'LL NEVER REMEMBER MY NAME, BUT I WILL LOVE YOU JUST THE SAME is the best part of the ending plus the powerful lines ENTER RAIN ENTER RAIN! A fitting ending to the perhaps one of the most controversial Progressive albums in the last 15 years and an album that will continue to be deeply debated!

Overall ratings for each song: Scarsick- 9/10 Spitfall- 9/10 Cribcaged- 9/10 America- 8/10 Disco Queen- 8/10 Kingdom of Loss- 9/10 Mrs. Modern Mother Mary- 8/10 Idiocracy- 7/10 Flame to the Moth- 7.5/10 Enter Rain- 9/10

The sheer magnitude of this powerful album did not enter my mind until after several listens. As Gildenlow mentioned in an interview: "Scarsick is much more band oriented and down to the core. Threatening and disturbing." From his words, we can say that this is a completely different animal from anything Pain of Salvation has ever done before.

Gildenlow wanted the album to be threatening and disturbing and he got what he wanted! He also created controversy within the Progressive world by introducing it to something that was creative and innovative.

Another great Pain of Salvation album and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!