12:5

This is my second review of a live album on Progarchives, it's my first review from the band, and it's also the second time I'm going to start reviewing a group, beginning with a live album. The first was 'Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends' of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. With '12:05', when I saw the high ratings given to this Pain Of Salvation live album, on this site, and because I love the band, I became very curious about it. So, soon as I could, I ordered to my supplier to buy it. When I got the album, I realized why it was so very well rated on Progarchives.

In general I prefer studio albums, instead live albums, in the most of the cases. I've especially two main reasons for that. First, usually the studio works are better recorded and produced than the live. Second, very often, the songs are played alive much in the same way that they were performed on its studio versions. In my opinion, a good live album must have the tunes slightly different and performed with other free creativity, than the original studio versions.

Pain Of Salvation is a Swedish tech/extreme progressive metal band founded in 1991, which is, in my humble opinion, one of the best and most original progressive bands in our days. The name Pain Of Salvation signifies, the meaning of balance, taking the good with the bad. It's also a good expression, in everyday use, when something doesn't go the way you planned.

'12:05' is the debut live album of Pain Of Salvation and was released in 2004. It was recorded from a live concert in the band's hometown of Eskilstuna, in Sweden on 12 May 2003 at 12:05. It's an unplugged live concert, totally performed alive with only acoustic instruments. Personally, I enjoy very much music performed with acoustic instrumentation. A performance like this is much more pure, clear and simple, and usually has more passion and naturality.

After 'Remedy Lane', the group engages in the Swedish assembly of the musical piece 'Jesus Christ Superstar', and were being responsible for implementing those songs. Before they do a new album, the band did acoustic shows in Sweden, presenting new approaches to some of their old songs. From those live performances, it would be born this fantastic debut live album, '12:05'.

The line up on '12:05' is the usual in those days. However, the musical instruments played on the live concert are very different from those who are usually used by the band. So, we have Daniel Gildenlow (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Fredrik Hermansson (grand piano and harpsichord), Johan Hallgren (lead and backing vocals and acoustic guitar), Kristoffer Gildenlow (backing vocals, acoustic bass and cello) and Johan Langell (backing vocals and drums).

'12:05' has sixteen tracks. It has songs from all the band's studio albums, until that moment, except from their second studio album 'One Hour By The Concrete Lake'. The album is divided into three parts. The first part is Book I: Genesis ' Brickwork Part 1, which is divided into 5 tracks: 'Leaving Entropia T5 A', 'This Heart Of Mine T5', 'Song For The Innocent T5', 'Descend 1' and 'Leaving Entropia T5 B'. The second part is Book II: Genesister, which is divided into 6 tracks: 'Winning A War T5', 'Reconciliation T5', 'Dryad Of The Woods T5', 'Oblivion Ocean T5', 'Undertow T5' and 'Chainsling T5'. The third part is Book III: Genesinister - Brickwork Part 2, which is divided into 5 tracks: 'Ascend 1', 'Ascend 2', 'Second Love', 'Ashes T5' and 'Descend 2'.

The songs aren't simply the original studio versions played with acoustic instruments. Most of the music here was rearranged with the addition of some new parts. It happened because the group didn't want to simply release a normal Pain Of Salvation live album, but do a live performance, taking a more personal and different approach to the old material. Basically, what they wanted to do was to perform a new album with the old material, and they did it very well.

Conclusion: '12:05' is, in my humble opinion, a very tasteful album and a truly masterpiece in terms of live recordings. It's a must have for almost Pain of Salvation fans, especially for those who aren't fanatic metal heads. If you are a mature metal head that doesn't need everything to be hardcore, put your doubts aside and get it. For those who prefer a more traditional approach to the progressive style of music, and have been turned off by the group's more metallic musical approach to date, should also check it out. Finally, if you are a music fan in general, get it, because this is a wonderful album, with emotional music, full of creativity and performed live flawlessly. The final result of '12:05' is a superior acoustic live album, which sounds to a new musical work. Probably, this is the Pain Of Salvation most accessible album, and for those who doesn't know the band yet, I really suggest they begin with this album. This is with any doubt one of my favourite live albums ever, especially in terms of acoustic performances.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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