ONE HOUR BY THE CONCRETE LAKE

After the release of 'Entropia' in 1997, preparations for the release of the second Pain of Salvation album were disrupted by the departure of Daniel Magdic, who was unprepared to commit to the increasing demands that resulted from the band's initial success. Magdic was one of the early Pain of Salvation members, having joined the band in the 80s. Magdic was replaced by Johan Hallgren, who has remained a member of Pain of Salvation since 1997, with the exception of 2011-2017 where Icelandic singer and multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Zolberg filled Hallgren's shoes. This new Pain of Salvation lineup, consisting of the Gildenlöw brothers, Hallgren, Hermansson, and Langell, saw the release of their second studio album, 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake,' released on 21 July 1998.

'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' is a concept album primarily about the nuclear industry and the displacement of indigenous peoples. As opposed to the debut album, the concept of 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' is conveyed through more of a factual lens than a fictitious one, though there is a fictional narrative. 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' is structured similar to 'Entropia' in that there is a prologue followed by three "chapters," but there is no epilogue on this album like there is on 'Entropia.' The prologue is a 43-second piece entitled "Spirit of the Land." Chapter 1 (Part of the Machine) consists of the tracks "Inside," "The Big Machine," and "New Year's Eve." Chapter 2 (Spirit of Man) consists of "Handful of Nothing," "Water," and "Home." Finally, Chapter 3 (Karachay) consists of "Black Hills," "Pilgrim," "Shore Serenity," and "Inside Out."

As explained in the album's Wikipedia article, 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' tells the story of a man that works in the weapon industry who begins to have doubts about the morality of his occupation, and comes to the realization that he is just a part of a "big machine" that controls his life. On New Year's Eve, he makes a resolution to discover what consequences his life and his work have on other parts of the world, and decides to break free of the machine. In the second chapter, he travels around the world to many different places to see what effects his weapons are truly having. He was told that the weapons he would help make would save human lives and promote peace, yet all he witnesses are weapons being used by people to kill other people, which is their designed purpose. Moreover, he finds Native American Indians struggling to reclaim their sacred land from the colonizing white man, who have also taken uranium from the ground and poured radioactive waste into the local rivers. In the third chapter, he arrives at shores of Lake Karachay, located in Kyshtym in (then) USSR. There, so much nuclear waste had been dumped over the past 50 years that if one stood by the shore for one hour, the exposure to radiation would be such that death from physical injuries would inevitably occur with two weeks, hence the title of the album. The man's quest to leave the machine ends as he realizes that it is impossible for anyone to truly leave the machine. The only thing he can do is choose which machine he wants to be affiliated with and take some responsibility for its directions.

In conclusion, 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' contains a good selection of intricately arranged songs. However, many of the songs on 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' sound similar to each other, resulting in monotony and a lack of standout moments. The only track I can say I absolutely adore is "Pilgrim," which is one of the best Pain of Salvation ballads and one of Daniel Gildenlöw's best vocal performances. Unfortunately, the remainder of 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake' sounds like it's retreading the same ground that was explored on 'Entropia.'