ROAD SALT ONE

As a musician, I can respect the band's choice to try a new sound and experiment. However, as a fan of Pain of Salvation's epic concept albums and songs, I have to say that this is not a direction that I like. This is not Progressive Metal, and while it may attract some new fans, most of the true fans of PoS and prog metal will be disappointed. I think the only reason this album doesn't have a lower rating is because of the eclectic tastes of the users of this site. Pain of Salvation has gained some attention from fans of other progressive genres because of their high album ratings.

Scarsick was musically mediocre by Pain of Salvation's standards, despite its societal relevance and some catchy songs. Referring it to the Perfect Element Pt 2 should have been an indication of what was to come.

I think this is more of a personal change for Daniel than it is for the band. Fans who paid any attention to the lyrical content of earlier albums will know that Daniel was most likely a disturbed man with a dark past, and perhaps he was "sick of the scars". This is understandable, however I think Daniel should have created a side project for his new personal direction like many other artists have done.

It seems like the unique philosophical approach and the complex melodies and solos have been abandoned. There is a loose theme to this album, however I don't think each song contributes from a different perspective to a cohesive whole like with previous albums.

I am not going to bother reviewing the individual songs, because there are only a couple stand outs and a lot of filler songs or songs that did just not appeal to me.

Daniel Gildenlow is a creative genius with the talent to bring his ideas to life. I hope he chooses to return to his complex and creative side without necessarily having to be borderline sadistic with the lyrical content (if I am correct in my interpretation of the change of direction). 3 stars for the vocals and the attempt at creating something fresh.