Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
I honestly think that the music on this album has to be some of the greatest music ever created. Not since "Streets: A rock opera" by Savatage has music touched my soul like this.

I guess you can call Pain of salvation a progressive metal band. I don't care about the style they are labelled with as long as the music is good. And with each release this band is getting better and better. This release encompasses everything that I love about music. It makes me feel a lot of different emotions while listening to the songs. The brilliant technical skills, thought provoking lyrics and divine vocals make each song on this album overflow with emotion.

From the first time I heard the opening song "Of two beginnings", I knew this was going to be a very special album. The singer and guitarist Daniel Gildenlöw has one of the best voices I have ever heard. On this album he is capable of expressing an amazing amount of emotions through his voice. From hope to happiness to deep sorrow to confusion to rage and despair, the lyrics come alive when this guy starts singing. He is truly an amazing artist.

All songs on this album are great in their own way. The album is very melodic and never boring. I still discover new things every time I listen to it.

This is a concept album dealing with relationships and all the things that come when things don't work out the way you hope. Basically it's about loss and dealing with it.

Some of the subjects touched by the songs are love, sex, pregnancy and the tragedy of losing a child, suicide, trust and betrayal. Everything is told in a very convincing, heart-wrenching way. Most people can probably identify with at least some of the feelings expressed in the songs. I know I did...

The story starts with a guy lying in his hotel room, reflecting on his life with all his hopes, dreams and losses. He takes trip down his Remedy Lane, remembering some of the things that have happened during his life.

Below are my impressions of the songs. There are probably several ways of understanding the songs. This is just the way I see it.

"Of two beginnings" starts the story with remembering the first time of innocent love and confusion. It's a very emotional and powerful song that sets the mood for the rest of the album. I like the irony in the lyrics "She's so old - Already twelve and I'm only ten" Already there are signs of things to come.

"Ending theme" is about coming to terms with oneself and letting go of the past. The guy returns to a place of his past and tries to let go. In a quite interesting way that is... The middle part of the song is a long spoken monologue which gives an impression of the thoughts going through this guy's mind. He still doesn't have that inner peace... Will he ever?
Great song, I like the spoken words and the impression they make.

"Fandango" has a cool weird rythm, just listen to those drums. It tells a story of two children looking for the one thing they will never truly have before they come to terms with themselves and the reality they live in.
I LOVE the chorus of this song. It's very melodic and the way the keyboard underlines the melody is so great. The lyrics are very true "Live that you might find the answers - you can't know before you live"

"A trace of blood" is one of my favourite songs of the album. It starts out with a great keyboard melody which is joined by the guitar and drums. The whole song has a very good drive. It just flies away . Before the real lyrics start the melody changes to a darker atmosphere and there is a suppressed feeling that something is going to happen soon. This is one of the saddest songs of the album for me. This song succeeds in relating what must be the emotions that come when a couple lose a child before it is ready to be born. The lyrics in this song are very powerful. A few examples "Then a cry and rivers of blood flow so sadly - Bringing you - Our dreams pour in to a cold tray" and "I was to live for you - I lost the will to live the day you came". The way Daniel Gildenlöw sings this song is very emotional and gives a sense of something that is lost forever, never to return. The transition right before the first chorus is one of the most ingenious things on this album. A definite highlight so far.

With "This heart of mine" comes a very beautiful love song. It beautifully relates the feelings on one so in love that he will do everything to stay this way.

"Undertow" starts with a great dark guitar melody. Despair oozes from this song about trying to let go of ones past. He has to get through this phase to get better. The awesome melody of this song gets more and more evident in the second part of the song. The vocals of this song are amazing. They truly relate a feeling of despair and rage.

"Rope ends" sends a cry of helplessness from the speakers. The start of the song has a great weird rhythm that builds a sense of urgency, before going into a cool guitar riff. The song is about a girl who has given up on life and tries to commit suicide. This is heavy stuff with some of the best lyrics ever. I will leave it up to you to find out whether she succeeds. There is a very nice bridge leading up to the brilliant chorus.

"Chain sling" starts with a beautiful guitar melody, before going into a discussion between two lovers where one is letting go of the other. The song is about clinging to the hope of never losing the one you love, even when you know it's too late. The song has a great bridge leading to the chorus and some very emotional singing. Awesome song.

"Dryad in the woods" is a beautiful instrumental song. Very relaxing. "Remedy Lane" is another instrumental, mostly keyboard driven. It has melodies from some of the other songs, "Ending Theme" being one.

"Waking every god" starts out with a very nice melody by the guitar and keyboard. A somewhat more positive song and it gives a glimpse of hope along the way.

"Second love" - A beautiful mostly acoustic song. The lyrics are very honest in dealing with lost love... A very touching song.

I was floored when they played "Beyond the pale" live in Copenhagen on the DT tour. This song ends the album and concludes what is probably the most personal album ever. It starts with some very interesting guitar playing. A very honest song that contains everything that is good about this album. I won't go into detail about this song. Just give it a listen and decide for yourself what happens.

If I had to name a couple of favourite songs from the album they would be "A trace of blood" and "Rope ends".

The artwork on this album is top notch too. It effectively complements the music and lyrics. There are many messages "hidden" in the artwork, so it's very interesting to look at.

I could go on and on about all the little things that make this album such a masterpiece, but I'll let you find those yourself. I'll just say that this album is so packed with emotions that it's quite an exhausting experience to listen to it.

To put it shortly: I love this album! It is a true masterpiece. I can only urge you to go out and buy it. It will probably take a few listens to really appreciate the music, but give it a chance and you will have an experience that might just change your life.

Written by Steen
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Show all reviews by Steen

Ratings

Steen: 10/10

Members: 9.25/10 - Average of 2 ratings.



Member ratings

Profile pictureSandra

Rating: 10/10
When everything is weird and I'm feeling like nothing is real anymore, I put this album on... · Read more ·
Profile picturenotrap

Rating: 8.5/10
To be honest I didn't know this band. After reading Steen's review, I bought this record ... · Read more ·

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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by zxcv (Anonymous) - Monday, May 31, 2004
the best in the new century


Comment by Pat (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Harder to get used to than Perfect Element Pt 1, but in the end no one can argue that it's a 10. Gotta love POS. Sweeds kick ass.


Comment by Daphne (Anonymous) - Monday, September 5, 2005
Just amazing! It is not of the ones keeping busy my player all the time, but of the few ones, I feel from time to time to turn the lights off and put my headphones on an get lost for an hour.


Review by Sandra (Member) - Sunday, May 24, 2009
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Comments: 36
Ratings: 25
When everything is weird and I'm feeling like nothing is real anymore, I put this album on, and drift off. This album is real, the stories behind are real, and the fact that Daniel Gildenlöw is "undressing" himself so deeply, makes me feel like there are persons in this world who are real, not perfect and not afraid to show their feelings - and to write it down in this way - I admire this ability.
It's a very demanding album and sometimes I feel as if it's psychological terror . . . in a weird way. While listening to this album I feel as if my clothes are ripped off by this massive mind-attack. . . the lyrics, the different tempos, the atmospheres, and all the emotions.
Yes, I also believe that everyone can relate to the themes somehow ... Sometimes it freaks me out, however, this is very healthy and I believe that the most cold-blooded person in this world would get a lump in the throat. Incredibly what music can do. Every single track is beyond belief and the stories behind are heartbreaking.
Fandango, Trace of blood, This Heart of mine, Rope Ends, Ending theme and Undertow are the songs that I love and really feel for.
This album is one of my top albums of all time. Painfully honest album . . . magnum opus.


Rating: 10/10

Posted by Sandra
Sunday, May 24, 2009

Comment by Steen (Staff) - Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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Comments: 518
Nostalgia trip... This was the first review I wrote.
It remains one of my top three favorite albums.
It's one of the very rare ones where "masterpiece" and "10/10" just doesn't seem to cut it. The album can't be explained, it has to be experienced.

Posted by Steen (Staff)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Review by notrap (Member) - Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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Comments: 55
Ratings: 66
To be honest I didn't know this band.
After reading Steen's review, I bought this record just to check the highest rated record on this website ;)

Remedy Lane is an excellent and intelligent record. The main composer is really talented and particularly inspired.
This band definitely deserves a major label and a huge background support.
If I've heard this record 6 or 7 years before I would probably give an 10/10 rating.

Remedy Lane was a huge and wonderful surprise.



Rating: 8.5/10

Posted by notrap
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Comment by Steen (Staff) - Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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Comments: 518
Hey! Good to hear you've discovered this one. It's one of those albums that evolve with time. Something special indeed.

Posted by Steen (Staff)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Comment by notrap (Member) - Thursday, October 1, 2009
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Comments: 55
Ratings: 66
Thanks to you and RevelationZ ;)

ps: I'm waiting Megadeth's Endgame review..I believe this record deserves a deep overview ;)

Posted by notrap
Thursday, October 1, 2009

Comment by Steen (Staff) - Monday, October 5, 2009
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Comments: 518
Yeah, I'm looking forward to hearing that one. I have yet to get hold of it. We never received a promo of it so I can't promise a review.

Posted by Steen (Staff)
Monday, October 5, 2009










Review by Steen
None

Released by
Inside Out - 2002

Tracklisting
01 - Of two Beginnings
02 - Ending Theme
03 - Fandango
04 - A trace of blood
05 - This heart of mine
06 - Undertow
07 - Rope ends
08 - Chain sling
09 - Dryad of the woods
10 - Remedy lane
11 - Waking every god
12 - Second love
13 - Beyond the pale


Style
Progressive Metal

Related links
Visit the band page

Pain Of Salvation - Official Website

Other articles
Interview with Daniel Gildenlöw - (Mads)

Live at TEX, Copenhagen - (Steen)

My First Live Experience with PoS - (Mads)

Band information - (Mads)

Remedy Lane - (Tommy)

Interview with Pain of Salvation at ProgPower V - (Hashman)

BE - (Tommy)

Scarsick - (Steen)

Road Salt One - (Steen)



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