ROAD SALT ONE

'Road Salt One' is the seventh studio album by Pain of Salvation, released 17 May 2010. All Pain of Salvation albums are conceptual, but 'Road Salt One' is more song-oriented than any other album from the band. Many of the tracks on 'Road Salt One' sound like they were recorded live in the rehearsal room. Pain of Salvation have always reinvented themselves and their sound with each album release, and that is especially apparent on 'Road Salt One.' Pain of Salvation fans who expect 'The Perfect Element - Part Two,' or something to that degree with 'Road Salt One,' will most likely disappointed. This is an album that you have to listen to with an open mind. It took me some time to fully "get" 'Road Salt One,' but I can say with confidence that this is a brilliant record.

The album opens with the dramatic "No Way." This song features Jonas Reingold on bass. "No Way" goes through many twists and turns, all within 5 minutes. The beginning is bluesy, then it transitions to a subdued moment, then the music transitions to a raw, rock and roll sound. Towards the end of "No Way," there are some interesting polyrhythmic melodies. "She Likes to Hide" is a catchy blues song. Daniel Gildenlöw sings with a lot of soul by the end of "She Likes to Hide." "Sisters" is one of the greatest Pain of Salvation songs. Despite the members of Pain of Salvation being from Scandinavia, "Sisters" has a strong Norse quality. Fredrik Hermansson's piano playing on "Sisters" is hauntingly melancholic. The subtle percussion is a nice touch. The vocal harmonies during the chorus are stunning. And of course, Gildenlöw's vocals are exquisite. "Of Dust" contains beautiful vocal harmonies with subtle instrumentation in the background. The low-fidelity production of "Tell Me You Don't Know" enhances the blues nature of the song. The guitar riff is great, and Gildenlöw's vocals are soulful. "Sleeping Under the Stars" is a humorous song, with lyrics like "Semen stains wash out surprisingly easily" and "'You're the $hit!' As they say in... they say at... wherever they say that." The song sounds like it was taken from a vaudeville act.

"Darkness of Mine" is the perfect title for this dark song. The verse is menacing, and the chorus is heavy. "Linoleum" is the single of 'Road Salt One,' and is an accessible rock song with a great chorus. The frenetic verse of "Curiosity" resolves satisfyingly to the chorus. The sinister, lullaby-like verse of "Where It Hurts" crescendos into a heavy chorus. Gildenlöw's vocals towards the end are intense. "Road Salt" is another single from 'Road Salt One.' Fredrik Hermansson's keyboard provides the instrumentation that accompanies Daniel Gildenlöw's sensitive vocals. The closing track, "Innocence," is probably the most Pain of Salvation-sounding song on 'Road Salt One.' "Innocence" reminds me of something I would hear from the previous album, 'Scarsick.' Leo Margarit's drumming towards the end of "Innocence" is excellent.

In conclusion, 'Road Salt One' is a brilliant change in Pain of Salvation's sound. The fusion of blues into the band's essence makes for a surprisingly enjoyable listening experience. 'Road Salt One' may not be for everyone, but it's a wonderful addition to the Pain of Salvation discography. I have massive respect for band's that constantly change with each album release of theirs. Pain of Salvation is a paradigm for those types of bands.