PANTHER

Actually "Pain of Symphony". How can you describe the emotions you hear? It's as if the crumbly potatoes have learned to roar like an old lion. Let's get serious now! They still have courage and good shape, despite the fact that the group is 31 years old! Oh gods, why do they still exist? After all, everything has already been written and played 15-20 years ago! However, there is something to listen to, although we understand the lack of novelty. But let's be honest: after all, people should do something if they still have energy and talent! And I have no moral right to criticize them for their habit of writing records. There is still a lot of anger and unbroken teeth in Daniel Gildenlöw, but this anger is more theatrical than not. The voice has undoubtedly become quieter, and this fact is carefully hidden by expensive mixing. Among the shortcomings: the integrity of the songs is very lame, and sometimes there is a feeling that the musicians are trying to outmatch themselves, which is in vain. However, melodicism has never been a strong point of POS. There is a feeling as if Opeth of the early 2000s strongly "simulate" Gentle Giant, only with the addition of flamenco and synthesizers. Delighted with the sublime sadness of Daniel's voice and the still unforgotten feeling of flight, which is so vividly revealed in the composition titled "Wait". Although the drums still run chaotically and randomly (which POS has always had), this is their trademark, but this is for "big fans". In general, the melody of the song is original and seems to emerge from various musical moves together. "Keen To a Fault" is also pleasantly drawn into a whirlwind of sounds, where you can recognize the old battle vocal cry from Gildenlöw, as if rushing from the heights. Together with the characteristic "behindhand" drums. This whole atmosphere is permeated with atypical acoustic guitars at the ready with a heavy component. And the alternative "smash-hit" titled "Panther", in which Dan deftly gets involved in heavy hip-hop, diluting it with something similar to the work of the Norwegian Gazpacho. Not to say that this is a successful opus, but it is easily recognized and listened to in one breath. It is not boring. Well, and the uncompromising "Species", where the young brutal Pain Of Salvation suddenly hits the ears, with powerful screens of depressing and falling overloads of guitars. Yes, the melody is absent in the album as a class, but there are no boring and mediocre tracks. They put everything on the line for the originality of the moves, realizing that they apparently had nothing more to bet on. Perhaps these old dogs are no longer so strong and evil, but they are too smart and resourceful to make it clear to the listeners. The technical side is perfect. If you are not afraid to constantly switch your consciousness from one move to another, then listen to this album in full. And not an ounce of fatigue, although this feeling is more likely the result of many hours of studio work, rather than a suddenly opened "second wind". Do you want the truth?! Pain Of Salvation's music is still complex, heavy and non-trivial, just like before! It's just that now the listeners need to find the edges of the musicians' talents themselves, and not receive it "on a silver platter", as in the 2000s. This may be the best Neo-Progressive album, but only if you want to.