IN THE PASSING LIGHT OF DAY

After 6 years without releasing new material (because of Daniel Gildenlöw's health problems) the Swedish group Pain Of Salvation release a brand new album with In the Passing Light of Day.

Although I was never a huge fan of the band, I always followed what they were doing and I always tried to listen to the records they were releasing. I also consider BE (2004) to be a fantastic piece of music.

In the Passing Light of Day mostly deals with the near death experience of band's leader Daniel Gildenlöw when a few years back he had a serious skin cancer. Because of this In the Passing Light of Day is a darker record. Not that the previous albums of the group were not, but the theme used in the lyrics makes things a bit darker this time around. Daniel used the bed of a hospital as a central point for the subject of the album and the lyrics speak of the conflicts of a person who faces the possibility of death.

The album needs attention and is very dense, maybe that's why it has not 'dawned' on me yet, but in the first few spins the only thing I've got after that is that it is a good record, but it isn't any masterpiece. The album in general doesn't feel very cohesive. And all this density has been tied in almost 72 minutes of music, which makes sitting through the entire album quite a complicated experience.

In the Passing Light of Day has much heavier moments than the previous albums of the band. Pain Of Salvation always had a heavy sound, but I get the impression that this time the heavier elements are more present. But at the same time, the band gets closer and closer to 'Post Prog' of the modern bands, inserting many electronic moments and very Pop sounds between very heavy parts and all the 'weirdness' natural to them.

However, a fact makes me not want to go and listen the album again and again more than the other I mentioned, In the Passing Light of Day has one of the most horrible drums sounds I've heard in recent years. This is common with new bands that doesn~t have a big budget to record their albums, but big bands like Pain Of Salvation? What happened here?!?

I've listenned a few times to In The Passing Light Of Day and it's a very different album from Pain of Salvation. It feels somewhat Road Salt albums meeting their old stuff. The mixing (with a very dry mix, especially the drums) remembers me a lot Road Salt, but then you have these heavy guitar riffs returning with a darker approach. The albums focus a lot on these riffs without many keyboards or guitar solos (except the excellent long one on Angles of Broken Things), also with some more darker (still catchy) chorus, so you can see that it certainly doesn't sound like their previous stuff, though you'll feel that it is Pain of Salvation. Meaningless is the most accessible track and also the one that remembers more the classic era, very relaxing to listen.

Anyway, the tracks overall are quite solid and I don't think there is any weak song. I wish, however, that On a Tuesday had less breakes (which somewhat remembered me Opeth) and the title track wouldn't take too long to the band play together. Regardless, I've loved the riffing on most tracks and the structure felt cohesive. It's a really dense approach, but It's my favorite release except for Remedy Lane (IMO, their masterpiece).

4,5/5 - If you're into heavy stuff you should definetly listen to it.

A return to their heavier, darker days but not really their old sound.

In the days before this album released I heard tons of talk about a return to the band's old days. After drifting for years with a variety of different styles, from the uber dense, grandiose "BE" to the bluesy 70s rock flavored Road Salt 1 & 2 and in between the anti American/hip hop culture rage fueled prog metal piece "Scarsick", "In The Passing Light of Day" was supposedly a return to their glory days.

While there is no doubt this album is a return to their heavy, darker days, (though I'd say Scarsick was certainly heavy and the Road Salts were not exactly light hearted affairs) it really is nothing like their first 4 albums. "In The Passing Light of Day" is a lot more straightforward, dare I say less progressive, than Entropia to Remedy Lane era Pain of Salvation. There's some of their classic syncopation, off tempo playing and heavy/light blend but this album is absolutely less explosive, innovative and zany than their classic era. While very heavy, it's not as "intense" as older albums, there are almost no solos, gone are the textured walls of music that stop, and sometimes turn, on a dime. The riffing and melodies are fairly straightforward and the drumming is solid but not anything to write home about. All that said, is the album bad? Not at all.

It may just take some getting used to. Daniel's vocals are brilliant as always, and the lyrics are somber and reflective, undoubtedly stemming from his brush with death from a flesh eating bacteria. Indeed, death and hospitalization are prominent on this album. The songs are mellow and moderately simple, but with enough heaviness throughout to prevent staleness. It's like a blend of Road Salt and their classic era, with the profanity tinged, punchy "Reasons" reminiscent of Scarsick. Call this album a summation of the band's career. It may take some time, and I feel like it still is fully sinking in for me, but this is a powerful, moving album. Some standouts are "On a Tuesday", "Full Throttle Tribe" and "Reasons". The 15 minute, mellow yet moving title track takes you on a slowly building journey to finish the album, which concludes with the sound of breathing in a hospital.

Daniel has gone through a harrowing experience, and clearly it had a major impact on him and provided him ample room to ponder. "In The Passing Light of Day" feels more like a musical telling of this experience, the most powerful one we know: dealing with death. THREE AND A HALF STARS (bump four stars)

'In the Passing Light of Day' is an amazing return to form for the legendary Pain of Salvation, a band which I've been a long time fan of but a band with which I've ultimately been disappointed by in their post Be output. What you will find in this now album is probably the most representative work of their discography. It takes bits and pieces of everything they've done, we see the return of the heaviness and syncopated riffing from 'Entropia' and 'One Hour by the Concrete Lake'. We see the return of the beautiful emotional and lush melody of 'The Perfect Element' and 'Remedy Lane'. Yet it still retains much of the rawness of the Road Salt albums, however without the 70s retro hard rock aesthetic and production, this is a very modern sounding release as the band has embraced being a prog metal band once more.

The highlights of the album are without doubt the three epic tracks 'On A Tuesday', 'Full Throttle Tribe' and the title track. The other shorter track are also fantastic as the album feels so cohesive, really capturing what makes a great concept album in a way we haven't heard from the band since Be. This album takes you on an emotional journey, one that is essentially of Daniel Gildenlow coming to terms with his brush with death when he fell victim to a flesh eating bacteria. You hear the anger and the despair throughout, the kinds of powerful emotions that used to be a trademark of the band but went missing on more recent albums.

It also needs to be pointed out the role of Ragnar Zolberg who joined the band after Road Salt 1 and 2, who co wrote much of the new album with Daniel Gildenlow, giving Gildenlow a significant writing partner which he hasn't had since the early days with Daniel Magdic. His presence has really breathed new life into the band. His vocals are also a fantastic addition, really complementing the vocals of Gildenlow.

Overall this album has really blown me away and has reinvigorated my love for Pain of Salvation. This really is a new dawn for the band and now I cannot wait for what the future holds.

Review #45. Before anything else, I should mention that Progressive Metal was never my cup of tea. In my opinion, Heavy Metal music, Progressive or not, should be more direct and straightforward, and kick the listener's stomach with its power and killer guitar riffs. Now that I made myself clear, I can go on.

I have a few Pain of Salvation albums in my music collection, but they never gained a special place in my heart. Their releases are usually decent, I listen to their albums from time to time, but that's it. (In case you are wondering, the albums I got are: The Perfect Element (Pt.1), Remedy Lane, Road Salt One, and In the Passing Light of Day).

As far as I learned, the band's leader Daniel Gildenlöw had some very serious health problems, and he was struggling with them for enough time, and that is something that was reflected in the lyrics and the whole atmosphere of the album.

The album begins with the 10+ minute-long On a Tuesday, which is a powerful epic. A very good song, despite the uninspired start. As the song evolves, it becomes really impressive. Tongue of God that comes next is also a very good and powerful song, and one of my favorites, followed by Meaningless, which I didn't like so much. Silent Gold is a very melancholic song, simple and beautiful. There is no point writing about all the songs one by one, because each person will have a different opinion. The point is that, the album includes some very good and some not so good moments. There are some songs I really like, some that are just ok, and some that I don't like at all. It is not a bad album, not at all, and I'm sure that the fans of Progressive Metal will appreciate it. As for me, think I will give 3 stars, which I believe is a fair rating.

There is no way to give out less than 5 stars here. This is the latest album from a musician who has always worn his heart and influences on his sleeve, but the only band you can be reminded of is Pain of Salvation. This album has it all; balls-out prog metal like "Full Throttle Tribe", a fun vocal-focused single in "Reasons" which stays in your head for days, and the emotional heavyweights you can always expect from Daniel Gildenlow. We get some very sexual lyrics in "Tongue of God" and during the super cool "Meaningless" which is the song I'd recommend you check out first. My favourite is opener "On A Tuesday", the spoken and sung verses caught me off guard at first before I was introduced to the big chorus. The album was inspired partly by Daniel's battle with flesh eating bacteria, feeling helpless in a hospital bed, and his wife watching him suffer and the impact it had on her. Like much of his music, this is a very personal album from an incredible musician that begs to be heard at least once no matter what you like. This album reminds me of Remedy Lane more than their others albums, but like each new Pain of Salvation album it's a completely new beast, and in my opinion their best album yet.

I didn't keep following PAIN OF SALVATION's career after "Be" other than hearing of the controversy of the albums that followed like "Scarsick' and the "Road Salt" recordings. I haven't heard the ones between "Be" and this latest offering called "The Passing Light Of Day" but I want to check them out down the road. So I can't say that this is a return to form but other reviewers have said this. Please check out jjlehto's review for some great information about this. This is a return to the heaviness of their classic period and an album that many feel sits proudly with those albums. I know this record impressed me in a big way and I wasn't expecting that.

This album seems to deal with one's mortality which isn't surprising given Gildenlow almost died to the flesh eating disease. That will have an impact on your thought process obviously. This is a fantastic album and it was the heaviness that surprised me initially, especially that opening number. We get some different instruments like accordion, mellotron, lute, zither and so on while electric piano is prominent along of course with the guitar, drums and bass. The vocals are quite varied and there's a lot of emotion on this album.

"On A Tuesday" opens with crushing riffs that get even heavier as the guitar starts to play over top. A calm with spoken words and atmosphere before 1 1/2 minutes then it kicks back in with vocals this time a minute later. We get a beautiful section after 4 1/2 minutes with strings, piano and high pitched vocals. It kicks back in a minute later and ground shaking riffs will follow. Another calm with piano only arrives 7 minutes in as fragile vocals join the piano then we get this majestic vibe before 8 minutes. It's building until it kicks in with emotion around 9 minutes.

"Tongue Of God" opens with piano only as bass and I believe lute join in before it kicks in hard a minute in. Heavy stuff as reserved vocals join in. Soon he's singing with passion. A calm arrives before 4 1/2 minutes with spoken words to end it. "Meaningless" is heavy to begin with and I'm digging this a lot. It settles back as almost spoken vocals arrive. It turns melodic with atmosphere then heavy again with passionate vocals this time. Contrasts continue. I think that's zither that comes and goes. Lots of emotion as he speaks the lyrics with passion after 4 minutes.

"Silent Gold" opens with piano only as reserved vocals join in. When it turns brighter after a minute I feel emotion. Drums before 2 minutes as it starts to pick up slightly. There's that emotional section repeated later. Nice. "Full Throttle Tribe" opens with a sample of someone walking and people talking as drums arrive and build. This sounds like classic POS right here. Vocals just before a minute and it kicks into gear a minute later with passionate vocals. Contrasts continue. Man it's heavy before 4 minutes as the vocals step aside. Just killing it then another calm arrives before it turns heavy again late with samples of distressed sounding people amongst the heaviness.

"Reasons" is different with that brief section of GENTLE GIANT-like vocal arrangements. This is a stuttering and heavy tune that is quite interesting to listen to. Lots of explicits as well plus he sings an answer back to the sung questions as it were. Like I said this is different and interesting. "Angels Of Broken Things" opens with picked guitar I think, atmosphere and more. Vocals just before a minute and a catchy beat. It kicks in at 4 minutes with some ripping guitar over top. It ends with a sample of people talking. Another interesting song.

"The Taming Of A Beast" is catchy with piano and a beat. Vocals before a minute then it kicks in hard with emotional vocals 2 minutes in as contrasts continue. "If This Is The End" is ballad-like to start with relaxed guitar and fragile vocals. Accordion after a minute. Drums kick in before 3 minutes with heaviness and passionate vocals. He starts to speak the lyrics before 4 minutes including lines from the opening track. The heaviness is back! So good! Might have been a great closer here but that honour is for the 15 1/2 minute title track.

"The Passing Light Of Day" is mellow to start. We get relaxed guitar, bass and reserved vocals at first. How good is this before 6 1/2 minutes as it starts to build with vocal melodies but then it settles right back. It's building again after 7 1/2 minutes. Heavy stuff is the result 9 1/2 minutes in until a calm arrives 12 1/2 minutes in and mellotron and reserved vocals will help out here. It becomes majestic sounding as vocals continue.

A very solid 4 stars in my opinion and a reminder why I used to like this band so much.

After the just good Road Salt two entries and having overcome his health problems, Daniel Gildenlow returned with In the Passing Light of Day!

And this album was also a return to the old sound of the band, retrieving the classic syncopated rhythms, the great vocal melodies, complex instrumental passages and tons of heavy riffs and strong double-pedal drums.

There are a pair of forgettable moments like the Gentle Giant oriented Reasons and the vocal capabilities of Gildenlow are not so great like they were in the past, but this album is his best since Remedy Lane nonetheless in terms of songwriting.

Best Tracks: On a Tuesday (brutal and complex), Meaningless (catchy, retrieving the magic that this band had in the past), Full Throttle Tribe (great syncopated and polyrhythmic melodies) and In the Passing Light of Day (epic and very appropriated to close the record)

Conclusion: In the Passing Light of Day is the best Pain of Salvation album in many years, retrieving the magical melancholic melodies from the past, along with the heaviness and complexity that we thought were lost forever!

My rating: ****

Daniel Gildenlow spent 4 months in hospital with a flesh-eating infection before POS made this album. It therefore relates strongly to this horrible experience.

I see this album as sitting 3rd after the classic "Remedy Lane" and "Perfect Element" albums in the list of POS top albums.

The opening song "On a Tuesday" and the closer "In the Passing Light of Day" are the highlights here but, thankfully, they are prog epics in their own right.

"On a Tuesday" starts at a frantic pace (perhaps Daniel's anger at his plight) then slowly calms into a superb final 3 minutes of prog heaven.

The album then becomes calmer generally with a few blips before the 15 minute closer "In the Passing Light....". This song starts very quietly as a tribute to his wife's support during his ordeal, goes through a midway increase in pace then comes back to the original beautiful melody for a great climax to the album.

After a few albums that didn't match up to their first 5 this is a return to the anger that drives this band. If not for a couple of items in the middle of this album it would get 5 stars but a good 4 behind the 5s I'd give to the aforementioned faves is well deserved.