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Pain of Salvation is a Swedish
progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...
band led by
Daniel Gildenlöw Daniel Gildenlöw (born 5 June 1973) is a Swedish musician and songwriter. He is best known as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist for the progressive rock band Pain of Salvation. In the band, he is the main songwriter, lead singer, guitarist, p ...
, who is the band's main songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, and vocalist. Pain of Salvation's sound is characterised by
riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...
-oriented guitar work, a broad vocal range, oscillation between heavy and calm passages, complex vocal harmonies and the structures of their albums,
syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat (music), off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of ...
, and
polyrhythm Polyrhythm () is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music (cross-rh ...
s. Thus far, every album released by the band has been a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
. Lyrically, the band tends to address contemporary issues, such as sexuality, war, the environment, and the nature of God, humanity, and existence.


Etymology

The name "Pain of Salvation" was devised by Daniel Gildenlöw, who interpreted the name as having "the meaning of balance. Taking the good with the bad. It is also a good expression in everyday use: when something does not go the way you planned, he phrase 'pain of salvation'indicates that this is just a slight setback on an otherwise painless journey towards your goal".


Biography


Reality and early Pain of Salvation (1984–1996)

In 1984, an eleven-year-old Daniel Gildenlöw founded the band "Reality" in
Eskilstuna Eskilstuna () is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden. The city of Eskilstuna had 69,948 inhabitants in 2020, with a total population of 107,806 inhabitants in Eskilstuna municipality ...
, Sweden. One of the early members was Daniel Magdic, who would remain with the band until after Entropia was recorded in 1997. In 1987, Reality participated in the Swedish Annual Music Contest, "Rock-SM", and were the youngest competitors ever to enter the competition. Daniel Gildenlöw won the category of "Best Vocalist". In 1990, drummer Johan Langell and bassist Gustaf Hielm joined the band. Daniel Gildenlöw renamed the band to "Pain of Salvation" in 1991, having reportedly conceived the band's name during math class. During the next three years, the band competed in contests and competitions while earning national recognition in the process. In 1994,
Kristoffer Gildenlöw Kristoffer Gildenlöw (born in 1978) is a Swedish musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist of progressive rock band Pain of Salvation. Early life and education Gildenlöw was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden. He studied piano for six years u ...
, Daniel's younger brother, replaced Hielm on bass. The line-up of the Gildenlöw brothers, Magdic and Langell entered a local studio and recorded the ''Hereafter'' demo, which the band actively shopped to various record companies. Fredrik Hermansson learned of the band through the ''Hereafter'' demo and successfully auditioned to become the band's keyboardist.


''Entropia'' and ''One Hour by the Concrete Lake'' (1997–1999)

In early 1997, Pain of Salvation entered the Roasting House Studio to record their debut album, '' Entropia'', which was released in
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
on Avalon Records. ''Entropia'' was described as "a well-needed breath of fresh air for a genre that was full of self-parody and self-indulgence," as it was "delivered with emotion, intelligence, integrity, passion, and poignancy". A ''Sea of Tranquility'' reviewer also defined the album as Pain of Salvation's most "eclectic" release because of the varied song structures and arrangements. The album was also praised for sounding "crisp and fresh." In 1999, the album was released in Europe by
InsideOut Music Inside Out Music is a German progressive rock record label originally based in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles. In 2009, it formed a partnership with Centu ...
and in South America by Hellion Records. Preparations for the band's second album were disrupted by the amicable departure of Magdic, who reportedly was unprepared to commit to the increasing demands associated with the band's initial success. Magdic was replaced by Johan Hallgren, who had previously played with Daniel Gildenlöw in
Crypt of Kerberos A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''crypta'' " vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below th ...
. ''
One Hour by the Concrete Lake ''One Hour by the Concrete Lake'' is Pain of Salvation's second studio album. It is a concept album focusing on the issues of nuclear power and waste, displacement of indigenous peoples, the firearm industry, and human discovery. Release history ...
'' was released in Asia on Avalon Records in July 1998. This album was considered a darker and more complex effort than ''Entropia'', with one reviewer noting that "in a world that demands instant gratification, those things for which one must labor to reach usually give greater satisfaction in the end. That is certainly true with this CD". Another reviewer remarked that it was a more focused effort compared to its predecessor while also noting that it was a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
which "contains several independent subtopics and, instead of directly telling a story, combines nterestinglyrical themes in a very unusual and successful way." Some of the concepts explored are the impact of nuclear waste on the environment and life, in particular at
Lake Karachay Lake Karachay (), sometimes spelled Karachai or Karachaj, was a small lake in the southern Ural Mountains in central Russia. Starting in 1951, the Soviet Union used Karachay as a dumping site for radioactive waste from Mayak, the nearby nuclear ...
in the former USSR; indigenous peoples' rights, displacement, and beliefs; and war and firearms. Pain of Salvation signed with
InsideOut Music Inside Out Music is a German progressive rock record label originally based in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles. In 2009, it formed a partnership with Centu ...
and later American sibling, InsideOut Music America. The band embarked on a European tour supporting fellow progressive metal bands
Threshold Threshold may refer to: Science Biology * Threshold (reference value) * Absolute threshold * Absolute threshold of hearing * Action potential * Aerobic threshold * Anaerobic threshold * Dark adaptation threshold * Epidemic threshold * Flicke ...
and Eldritch. They also played at their first ProgPower festival in
Tilburg Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...
on 14 November 1999.


''The Perfect Element, Part I'' and ''Remedy Lane'' (2000–2003)

After a short break to regroup, Pain of Salvation recorded their third album, ''
The Perfect Element, Part I ''The Perfect Element, Part I'' is Pain of Salvation's third studio album, released in October 2000. It is a concept album that focuses on the forming of the individual, particularly on the events from one's childhood and adolescence. It is th ...
'' from March to July 2000. Conceptually, ''The Perfect Element, Part I'' examined an individual's formative events during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Released in October 2000, the album was noted for being more straightforward and melodic than the two previous albums, yet retaining the complexity of arrangement and concept. Also, it was defined as "a landmark in the history of prog metal music. It is original, ground-breaking, fresh, and the definitive prog release of the new millennium." The reviewer stated that ''Perfect Element I'' marked the beginning of a completely new era for the band and praised the bold experimentation in the songwriting and conceptual development. In support of the album, the band toured Europe from September to October 2000 with
Arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...
. In February 2001 the band headlined
ProgPower USA ProgPower USA is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the United States since 2001. Its upcoming edition, ProgPower USA XXIV is scheduled to take place on September 3–6, 2025. The festival's band selection process focuses o ...
alongside
Symphony X Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey. Founded in 1994, the band consists of guitarist Michael Romeo, keyboardist Michael Pinnella, drummer Jason Rullo, lead vocalist Russell Allen and bassist Michael ...
and
Evergrey Evergrey is a Swedish progressive metal band from Gothenburg. History Evergrey was formed in 1993 in Gothenburg by guitarist/vocalist Tom S. Englund as a progressive power metal band, in contrast to the melodic death metal that Gothenburg i ...
. In late 2001, Pain of Salvation recorded their fourth album, ''
Remedy Lane ''Remedy Lane'' is the fourth album by Swedish progressive rock band Pain of Salvation, released in January 2002. It is a concept album focusing on a character's search for self-discovery. It was described by Allmusic as Pain of Salvation's brea ...
'', which was almost entirely written during a two-month period from August to September 2001 by Daniel Gildenlöw. The album, which was described as the band's "breakthrough", was recorded at Roasting House Studio in Sweden. ''Remedy Lane'' is Daniel Gildenlöw's semi-autobiographical meditation on love, lust, and life. The album was released in January 2002. During the Remedy Tour, Pain of Salvation opened for
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards). Dream Theat ...
. On 12 May 2003, Pain of Salvation recorded an acoustic concert in their hometown of
Eskilstuna Eskilstuna () is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden. The city of Eskilstuna had 69,948 inhabitants in 2020, with a total population of 107,806 inhabitants in Eskilstuna municipality ...
before a crowd of 80. The concert was released as '' 12:5'' in early 2004. It featured dramatically rearranged versions of the band's past material. As a result, the band considers the album as a stand-alone work and not merely a live album.


''BE'' and ''Scarsick'' (2004–2008)

For much of 2003 and 2004, the band worked on their most ambitious conceptual undertaking to date: a concept album about the nature of God and humanity, which Daniel Gildenlöw had been working on intermittently since 1996. The recording of the album was preceded by a number of live shows in Eskilstuna, where the band performed the album in its entirety. The shows were full productions replete with costumes, stage props, screen projections and the nine-part ''Orchestra of Eternity''. After the conclusion of the string of performances, the material was further refined by Daniel Gildenlöw prior to commencing the recording in February 2004. In September 2004, '' BE'' was released. The album proved divisive for critics and fans, with
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
remarking that "It may be safe to say that never in the history of rock & roll has an album creaked so alarmingly under the weight of such a ponderous concept". ''Sea of Tranquility'' commented that " he albumBE too holds so many undiscovered treasures, and only after a good many spins will it disclose itself to its listeners." ''BE'' included a song featuring samples culled from a special phone line that the band set up for fans to record their messages on "God's answering machine". The messages were compiled and presented with a relaxed instrumental accompaniment, resulting in what the band considers to be one of their most touching tracks. Pain of Salvation did not play in the United States from 2004 to 2013. In 2004, Daniel Gildenlöw expressed his refusal to take part in the U.S. policy of fingerprinting all out-of-country visitors, as well as his contempt for the Bush administration. On 22 January 2009, he announced his support for the newly elected
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and lifted his embargo on the country. On 21 February 2006,
Kristoffer Gildenlöw Kristoffer Gildenlöw (born in 1978) is a Swedish musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist of progressive rock band Pain of Salvation. Early life and education Gildenlöw was born in Eskilstuna, Sweden. He studied piano for six years u ...
, unable to attend rehearsals due to his relocation to the Netherlands, was asked to leave the band. ''
Scarsick ''Scarsick'' is the sixth studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Pain of Salvation, released on 22 January 2007. It is a concept album focusing on contemporary issues including capitalism, materialism, and consumerism. ''Scarsick'' is t ...
'' was released on 22 January 2007. The album again met with mixed reviews. Daniel Gildenlöw said that ''Scarsick'' is a thematic continuation of ''
The Perfect Element, Part I ''The Perfect Element, Part I'' is Pain of Salvation's third studio album, released in October 2000. It is a concept album that focuses on the forming of the individual, particularly on the events from one's childhood and adolescence. It is th ...
'', drawing listeners' attention to the CD inlay where it reads: ''The Perfect Element, Part II - "He"''. Because of his brother's departure, Daniel Gildenlöw recorded the bass guitar parts for the album. The band toured Europe and played select international shows, including one in Egypt. Simon Andersson was recruited as touring bassist and, on 10 March 2007, he was made a full member of the band. On 29 April 2007 the band announced that Johan Langell would depart at the end of the tour due to family commitments. On 6 October 2007, at the "Motstøy" festival in Notodden, the band announced that Langell's replacement would be Leo Margarit. Both drummers performed during the show, with Margarit doing a three-minute solo at the end of "Nightmist". Late in 2008, Simon Andersson left the band to pursue his side projects and recover from the ''Scarsick'' tour. The band relied on touring musicians Per Schelander (2008–2010) and Daniel Karlsson (2011) for the next three years. On 13 February 2009, the band announced that they would take part in
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards). Dream Theat ...
's "Progressive Nation 2009" tour. However, the recent bankruptcy of SPV forced both Pain of Salvation and Beardfish to back out of the tour because of a lack of financial backing. The ''
Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation) ''Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation)'' is a live album and documentary by Swedish progressive metal band Pain of Salvation. It was released on January 26, 2009, with a DVD version released on March 3, 2009. The DVD release ...
'' DVD was released on 24 March 2009 and featured the band performing in Amsterdam performance. The DVD included a cover of the Leonard Cohen song, "Hallelujah".


''Road Salt One'' and ''Two'' (2008–2013)

On 1 November 2008, the band debuted a new song, "Mortar Grind", from their upcoming studio album and EP. Pain of Salvation described its next project as a two album concept. However, the project was delayed due to the bankruptcy of SPV, subsidiary InsideOut Music was acquired by
Century Media A century is a period of 100 years or 10 decades. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A ...
, which allowed the band to finish the albums. By the time that Daniel Gildenlöw returned to the album, he had re-evaluated the double album concept and ultimately decided to split the project into two separate releases. In December 2009, it was confirmed that the song "
Road Salt Road salt (also known as de-icing salt, rock salt, or snow salt) is a salt used mainly as an anti-slip agent in winter road conditions, but also to prevent dust and snow build-up on roads. Various kinds of salts are used as road salt, but calciu ...
" would be an entry in the 2010 edition of
Melodifestivalen Melodifestivalen (; ) is an annual song competition organised by Swedish public broadcasters Sveriges Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio (SR). It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almo ...
, Sweden's national final for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. The band performed during the first semi-final and qualified for the runners-up broadcast; however, they lost to
Pernilla Wahlgren Pernilla Nina Elisabet Wahlgren (; born 24 December 1967) is a Swedish singer and actress. She has sung in Melodifestivalen several times; her 1985 entry titled "Piccadilly Circus (song), Piccadilly Circus" became popular and successful. She has ...
by a slim margin and did not progress to the finals. '' Road Salt One'' was released on 17 May 2010 in most of Europe and on 8 June 2010 in the North America while '' Road Salt Two'' was released in September 2011. A music video for "Where It Hurts" was also released. The ''Road Salt'' albums featured a concept that was in sharp contrast to previous undertakings, as Daniel Gildenlöw discusses: In late 2011 and early 2012, the band's lineup underwent significant turmoil, with Johan Hallgren and Fredrik Hermansson leaving at the end of the year, touring bassist Daniel Karlsson joining the band on keyboards, Gustaf Hielm returning on bass guitar, and
Ragnar Zolberg Ragnar Zolberg (born 2 December 1986) is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. Zolberg is a founding member of Sign, and has released five studio albums with that band. Zolberg joined Pain of Salvation in 2011 as their guit ...
joining on guitars.


''Falling Home'', ''In the Passing Light of Day'' and ''Panther'' (2014–present)

In 2014, the band released '' Falling Home'', an acoustic album containing re-imagined versions of their songs, two cover songs, and a brand new song (the title track, "Falling Home"). Around that time, Daniel Gildenlöw contracted a life-threatening flesh eating bacteria. Hospitalized in Uppsala,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, he was forced to sit out of
Transatlantic Transatlantic, Trans-Atlantic or TransAtlantic may refer to: Film * Transatlantic Pictures, a film production company from 1948 to 1950 * Transatlantic Enterprises, an American production company in the late 1970s * ''Transatlantic'' (1931 film) ...
's KaLIVEoscope tour. In 2016, the band released a remixed version of Remedy Lane, as well as ''Remedy Lane Re:lived'', a live recording of the album played in its entirety from their appearance at ProgPower USA. During the same year, the band announced a new album, ''
In the Passing Light of Day ''In the Passing Light of Day'' is the tenth studio album by Swedish band Pain of Salvation, released on 13 January 2017 via InsideOut Music. A concept album like every other by the band, the lyrics focus on mortality, death and the joys and ang ...
'', based upon Gildenlöw's hospitalization with a life-threatening streptococcal infection. It was released on 13 January 2017. On 1 May 2017, the band announced the departure of
Ragnar Zolberg Ragnar Zolberg (born 2 December 1986) is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. Zolberg is a founding member of Sign, and has released five studio albums with that band. Zolberg joined Pain of Salvation in 2011 as their guit ...
from the band and the return of previous band member Johan Hallgren. In 2020, the band announced the release of a new album, ''Panther'', set for late August. A single from the album was released in advance titled "Accelerator". It was also the last album with longtime bassist Gustaf Hielm who had recently departed the band.


Musical style

''
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
'' describes Pain of Salvation's music as "melding
metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
, orchestral, and more traditional progressive elements".


Personnel

Current members Former members Touring musicians Timeline


Discography


Studio albums


EPs

*''
Linoleum Linoleum is a floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), Pine Resin, pine resin, ground Cork (material), cork dust, sawdust, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a Hessian fabric, hes ...
'' (2009)


Live albums

*'' 12:5'' (2004) *'' "BE" (Original Stage Production)'' (2005) *''
Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation) ''Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation)'' is a live album and documentary by Swedish progressive metal band Pain of Salvation. It was released on January 26, 2009, with a DVD version released on March 3, 2009. The DVD release ...
'' (2009) * ''Remedy Lane Re:lived'' (2016)


Singles

*"Ashes" (2000) *"Road Salt" (2010) *"Sisters" (2010) *"Where It Hurts" (2011) *"Accelerator" (2020) *"Restless Boy" (2020) *"Panther" (2020)


Demos

*''Repent'' (1991–92) *''Unknowing'' (1993) *''Hereafter'' (1996)


Videography

*'' "BE" (Original Stage Production)'' (2005, live DVD) *''
Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation) ''Ending Themes (On the Two Deaths of Pain of Salvation)'' is a live album and documentary by Swedish progressive metal band Pain of Salvation. It was released on January 26, 2009, with a DVD version released on March 3, 2009. The DVD release ...
'' (2009, live DVD)


References


External links


Official website
(archived) * {{Authority control Swedish progressive metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1984 1984 establishments in Sweden Culture in Eskilstuna Inside Out Music artists Musical groups from Södermanland County