SCARSICK

I have really tried hard to like this album, I even defended it sometimes, but enough is enough. I think the important turning point was the last year's life performance, when they played in the encore the title track and Disco Queen. And to be frank this quite ruined the experience, because the difference between the old and the new PoS became extremely obvious. Meanwhile, the album really outstayed its welcome. On Scarsick, which is supposed to be the 2nd part of one of my all-time favourite albums we can hardly experience anything which reminds us the greatness of the first 5 studio albums by this band. It starts with two extended modern/nu metal songs, with many rap parts and rather trite choruses. On Hybrid theory by Linkin Park there are better songs like these. The opening track reminds me another Swedish band, too namely Clawfinger. Not a good sign for a Pain of Salvation album... Then follows the modern radio rock power ballad Cribcaged, although its lyrical content saves it from getting radio airplay...;) I actually basically agree with the sentiment, but it could be written in a more intelligent manner, than f... this, f... that. The 2 concert favourites come(not of mine), in America only the banjo-like part deserves a mention, otherwise an utterly dumb song , both musically both lyrically. Disco Queen is probably supposed to be a joke, but after 8 minutes and repeatd listening the joke runs very dry. Kingdom of Loss is the only track I would describe as throughoutly enjoyable, not a life altering composition either, but this ballad like track is decent, and it has a guitar solo! Track number 6, on a so called (prog) metal album... There come 3 nu metal songs from the 3rd division of nu metalball. Mrs Modern Mary is extremely lame, both the other 2 are not much better either. Pain of Salvation had wonderful closing tracks in the past but almost NOTHING happens in the 10 minute of Enter Rain. It's not painfully bad, just boring. Altogether we can hardly hear decent keyboard and bass guitar play on this album, the songs have uninteresting structure, and the lyrics are far below anything they did in the past. They have just taken a mediocrite nu metal album with some pop, disco and country influences. Nothing really proggy or artistic about it. One decent song is not enough even for a 2 star rating, this album is really for completionists.