PAIN OF SALVATION — Remedy Lane (review)

PAIN OF SALVATION — Remedy Lane album cover

Album · 2002 · Progressive Metal

5/5 · 2010-04-07
arcane-beautiful

As with time, most bands would slowly decline with their creativity and even their musicianship. But with Pain Of Salvation, their music just increases by new creative heights. Although, Scarsick has been getting bad reviews and fans seemed to be a little ambiguous to it, I found it to be an amazing album. It not being their best, the songs are still very catchy and effective.

Remedy Lane is a mammoth of emotions, melancholy and beauty. The concept is incredibly personal to Daniel, using his own previous experiences mixed with fictional events that may have happened. The lyrics are incredibly amazing and would leave any poet in tears. The emotions and language used is amazing. At times, the lyrics could even make you cry, and words that could express emotions are pretty powerfull.

The concept of this album is easier to understand and a lot more emotional. Apparently these songs are so personal to Daniel, that he won't even play some of these songs live.

1.Of 2 Beginnings ? This is the intro basically. Very nice and sets the albums tone.

2.Ending Theme ? The chorus of this song is incredibly moving and quite catchy and sad. This song is epic and very bombastic. The concept shows us the protagonists in a Hungarian hotel room with a young prostitute?wow very deep.

3.Fandango ? This is basically the Stress of the album. Very polyrhythmic and disjunt. The music sets the emotional feel of the song, which is based on the 2 main characters meeting for the first time.

4.A Trace Of Blood ? An incredibly emotional song which is about Daniel's wife having a miscarriage. The music is formed well with amazing heartfelt lyrics. It's a shame they never play this live.

5.This Heart Of Mine (I Pledge) ? This a love song, written to Daniel's wife. Very soothing and moving.

6.Undertow ? This song is incredibly beautiful. I prefer the live version than the album; due to the fact I thought piano did the song more justice than guitar.

7.Rope Ends ? This is probably one of my favourtie songs off this album. It's also quite sad, due to the fact it is based off Daniels' wife's friend who tried to commit suicide and also one of Daniel's friends who attempted to commit suicide, but Daniel was there to support him, by lifting him from the ground. The song is very dramatic and has an amazing chorus. A classic Pain Of Salvation song really. It is very unique, and it's a shame that they don't play this song live.

8.Chain Sling ? This song has a very catchy jaunty riff. See the live version of this song on Ending Themes, I think that Johan's vocals are amazing, and to be honest, I think he has a more purer voice than Daniel.

9.Dryad Of The Woods ? An nice wee instrumental to lighten the mood.

10.Remedy Lane ? I like the way that the themes are presented. It's very weird to find 2 short instrumentals beside each other.

11.Waking Every God ? This song has a very early Dream Theater vibe to it. This song also has an amazing chorus.

12.Second Love ? Another love song, basically. Quite simple, but very beautiful.

13.Beyond The Pale ? This song is another epic mammoth. The vocals are incredibly emotional and honest. The dramatics are amazing and believable. This song ends the concept, with the cheeky cheating behaviour enacted, and the main character left pondering life, with the closing mantra, "We will always be more human than we wish to be." I think we all feel like that in life.

CONCLUSION: I think Be would be my favourite Pain Of Salvation album (as you will see in my next review), but this album comes a close second. Incredibly emotional and amazing musicianship. The songs are more structured and simpler than their other material, but the simple themes suit the mixed up concept.