LINOLEUM

Usually, Pain Of Salvation is regarded as one of the most respected bands in the progressive rock music today, and I must say that I completely agree with that point of view. Pain Of Salvation is really one of the best progressive rock bands in our days. It's also one of my favourite contemporary bands with Opeth and Porcupine Tree. These are three of the groups that make some of the best progressive rock music in our days. However, of these three bands, Pain Of Salvation is the band that runs more risks, due to the constant changes on their musical direction. And we like it or not, it makes of Pain Of Salvation a very original and unique progressive rock group in our days. This main characteristic makes that Pain Of Salvation be a very different band and one of the most innovative and progressive bands of today.

Usually, I don't buy EP's because they're too much short to waste my money with them. Besides, I have so many other things to buy, that I can't waste my time and my money on such kind of things. By the other hand, usually the songs recorded on those EP's tend to be released on the next album of the group. Anyway, as I'm a big fan of the band and I've noticed that only one song "Linoleum" was released on "Road Salt One", I couldn't resist and I bought this EP.

However, this EP represents another very interesting point to me. It marks the debut performance of the new drummer of Pain Of Salvation, the Frenchman Leo Margarit. As many of we know, their former drummer Johan Langell decided to leave the group for personal reasons. It wasn't for sure easy to replace Langell and his musical legacy. I'm deeply sorry that he has decided to make that decision. He made a terrific work on Pain Of Salvation. Sincerely, I always loved his style. It was with some expectations and curiosity that I want to see if the change of the drummers resulted well, really.

So, the line up on the EP is Daniel Gildenlow (vocals, guitar and bass), Johan Hallgren (backing vocals and guitars), Fredrik Hermansson (backing vocals and keyboards) and Leo Margarit (backing vocals and drums).

"Linoleum" is an EP released in 2009 and has six tracks. The first track is the title track "Linoleum". It opens the EP with a good and interesting song which has a hard rocking sound. It's a more heavily song, and in some moments it sounds as a hard rock song. It's a very progressive rock song with good musicality seconded by powerful chorus. It represents undoubtedly a good opening song to this new mini album. The second track "Mortar Grind" is, without any doubt, a great song that reminds me the good hard rock from the 70's. Once again we have very good powerful chorus and Daniel Gildenlow made a fantastic vocal work that reminds me Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin. The song has a very dark musical atmosphere and I think this is the most powerful song on this EP. The third track "If You Wait" is the smallest song on the album and is a very different music when compared with the others. It's a very melodic and soft ballad and represents a kind of an introduction to the next song "Gone". In my humble opinion and for my personal taste, is the least interesting track on the album. The fourth track "Gone" is the lengthiest song on the EP and is usually the favourite song of the fans because is more in the Pain Of Salvation's vein. It's a song more influenced by rock, a simple and rhythmic musical composition with some heavy riffs and great musical distortions. This is really a very good and interesting piece of music. The fifth track "Bonus Track B" isn't really a song. It's a hilarious conversation between the band's members about a bonus track that the band had to perform. It demonstrates perfectly the fantastic and friendly atmosphere lived inside the group. The sixth track "Yellow Raven", and this is the real bonus track, is a cover of a Scorpions' song. The song was originally released by Scorpions in 1976 on their fourth studio album "Virgin Killer". It's something different and unexpected on a Pain Of Salvation's musical working. Sincerely, I haven't listened to, yet, the original song and therefore I can't compare both. However, the only thing I can say is that I love this version. It's a fantastic song, with an excellent Hallgreen's guitar work. It closes the EP on a beautiful and perfect way, really.

Conclusion: "Linoleum" is really a good EP of Pain Of Salvation. Sincerely, I was with great curiosity about this new work from the group after "Scarsick", and this was the main reason why I bought it. Those who've read my review about "Scarsick" know that I'm one of those who love that album. So, unlike many others, who dislike the album, I wasn't expecting really a new better working. I was curious if there was going a new change in the musical direction of the group and from what I've listened on this EP, it seems to be true. I'm perfectly sure that a ton of fans will be furious, once more, with another change of the musical style of the band. But honestly, I don't care about it? I'm sure that this band will continue their musical journey searching their very own path, whether we like it or not. About the rating, I gave to this EP 3 stars, because it's really good but non-essential. When I wrote this review I hadn't bought already "Road Salt One". So, I was very expectant and curious to listen to the album. In relation to their new drummer, he made an excellent performance on this new Pain Of Salvation's musical work. Margarit proved to be an excellent drummer.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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